Pedisure to Gain Weight

My daughter is 2 and might weigh 22 lbs.. My son is 4 almost 5 and weighs 44 lbs.. both of my kids are super skinny, but eat well. My daugther is not even on the charts.

With all the talk about obesiety.. I would leave well enough alone.

Okay so wait, DID the Pediatrician, ACTUALLY say, that your son is too underweight and it is a concern? AND that he needs to gain weight???
Or, did the Doc merely say that giving him Pediasure is okay, since you... want to give that to him????
And sure, a drink like that should not, "replace" food intake.

Now, your son seems to be lanky and tall.
Every child and every person, is different in body shape.
And its okay. It is also partly hereditary. Too.
The MAIN THING IS: that a child.... does not get "hung-up" on his appearance or weight or body shape or body size. NOR that he learns to always compare himself, to others.
Because, everyone is different.
And if he "learns" to compare his body to others, and that you do too... then he will learn dysfunctional.... thoughts about his body and shape and size.

I know a kid, that is very lanky and tall and gangly. Fine.
He is healthy. His parents are also lanky and tall. Fine.
They don't try to make him the size and girth as a mini football player.
He's 7. And he has NO hang-ups about his body or his size.

And, I know a guy, that ALL HIS LIFE, just cannot gain weight. He is lanky and very slim. It is just him. EVEN if he eats, fatty foods, he will not gain weight. It is his body type and metabolism.

UNLESS your Pediatrician says that, your son has a health issue and is abnormal in his weight, then I would not, worry.
Don't give your son a complex or hang-up, about his body.
Because in childhood, is where many of the dysfunctional body-image hang-ups, form.

My son, is tall and lanky. My Mom, used to say IN FRONT OF HIM.... "he's so skinny, boys should be heftier....I can see his ribs...."
I... sharpy CORRECTED her. Our Pediatrician, (I took her there with M. and my son for a check-up) and I TOLD the Pediatrician my Mom's "concern" about my son's body build. And RIGHT there, the Pediatrician said to her: "He is PERFECT. He is healthy.... his BMI and weight and proportions, are PERFECT...." and also told her, (because she told him "He's such a picky eater..."), that my son eats FINE, for him. HE is eating according to his body's cues. Not out of emotion. And THAT, is healthy. And THAT, is how it should, be.
EVEN if my son is tall and lanky and my Mom thinks he's too skinny.
It is my Mom, that had a hang-up about it. And she used to say how her brother at that age, was "bigger...."
Well I told her, my son is not your brother. Not all boys look like how your brother did as a kid.

Also remember, that kids... go through MANY growth spurts and their girth or tallness... changes all the time. They go sidewards then upwards in their growth. And it is not always in perfect proportions. Your son is only 3. And it is rude for people to say in front of him, how "skinny" he is.
You and your Husband were both, tall/skinny kids too.
Hopefully your son does not get a complex about his body image.

I work at my kids' school, and I see many "skinny" boys. So what. They are fine. And they are tall. And they are regular active boys. With active metabolisms.

If you and your husband were the same it sounds like pure heredity, I wouldn't worry or even try to get him to gain weight, he may not be able to.

That said, his doctor is the expert here, so if he advised you to give him Pediasure, I would, just as you said, as an after-dinner, pre-bedtime snack. Your son is who he is, and as long as he's healthy overall, be content.

When someone comments on how tall/skinny he is just smile and say, "Thank you, yes, just like us!" :)

I think his weight is fine. He eats well, I wouldn't worry. Pedis sure during the day may not work because it will take edge off of his appetite. Let him have it at night. But as long as he is a healthy normal kid, I would not worry. They are all different.

Please be ware that pediasure has a lot of sugar and caused numerous cavities in my son. Teeth must be brushed after each one.

I had to give my son Pediasure(cheaper than the alternative the doc wanted to give)for quite a few years. He does not eat a typical diet - he has a self-imposed restricted diet - so gaining weight is/was hard for him. Now at 6 years old he's 4'3" and 45.5 pounds. Obviously no, my son is not a large child at all but he is healthy.

If your son is healthy and truly does not need to gain weight don't stress about it but if your son needs to add in calories and you cannot add them into his diet in other ways Pediasure may help. The wight gain wasn't fast nor did it pack on in a year it took many years for my son to put on a bit of weight. He went from a 22 pound 3 year old to a 45.5 pound 6 year old. Take from it what you will.

When my son turned 5 he was only 38 pounds. I started to get worried and gave him pedia sure and at his check up at the dr. he was actually in the 25th percent. His dr. said his weight is fine. As long as he is eating good food and still gaining, there is nothing to worry about. He is now about to turn 6 in a few weeks and he is 42 pounds. I think your son is fine. I wouldn't push pediasure on him. 25th percent isn't bad. He still weighs more than 25% of kids his age. Some kids are just tall and skinny. Nothing wrong with that

The big issue with Pediasure is taste. Our son wanted nothing to do with it. If you can get your son to drink it, hats off to you.

Our son hates to eat and has food neophobia, so he's underweight. His therapist recommended Benecalorie. It's a liquid supplement you add to drinks. Has something like 300 calories in one little container. Unfortunately, our son detected it right away and wouldn't drink more, but based on reviews, most people don't notice it and do fine. Our son is hypersensitive when it comes to taste.

Good luck!

My daughter is about the same as your son. I always have food (i was super skinny as a kid...but not now). She does not eat much, yet she does eat. At parties i see other kids stuffing their face with cupcakes. My daughter picks at it and eats it.

I have bought the pedia-sure but she will not drink it.

I have been concern about my daughter, but the doctor says she is fine and will do a few test per my request to make sure she is not iron deficient or something. My doctor is so sick of seeing all the obese kids, but I am still concern as to why she is so small. Is your doctor concerned? I might need another opinion. Do you think the new chart is making are kids appear too skinny. There is an older growth chart (before 2000) that was based off white middle class children from Ohio. I wonder (assume) if i use this chart if her results will appear closer to average. I just typed in the numbers on today's growth chart and our kids are in the healthy range (low, 10 percentile, but healthy).

I agree with what others have said, if he is eating fine and healthy and gaining during each visit he is good. My daughter is 6 and only weighs 45 lbs, my nephew is 5 and only weighs 31 lbs while his 24 month old brother weighs 39.

We did try pediasure because my husband was concerned but she wouldnt drink it, so can't help you there.

All kids are different and I believe that society pushes the images of what should be "normal" out of proportion. By daughter has always been small and her doctor always says that as long as she is eating healthy and gaining it's all good.

So no one has any experience in getting a child to gain weight? My son is also VERY thin--by far the thinest kid on any sports team he's been on. He's in third grade and yes he's healthy, but we'd (he and I) would still like him to gain a little weight for two reasons. One is he is really into football and it would be better/safer if he could bulk up. yes there are other sports, and he does play them, but his passion right now is football. The second reason is he is starting to get comments from peers. I wouldn't say teased, but coments and negative ones. Yes, he takes after M. and his father we were both thin. But I remember being teased for it and really suffered for it. It was painful for many years. I tried to gain weight (used a product called weight gain, tried to eat more) but nothing worked for M. (except having kids and age!!!). His doctor has recommended adding flavoring to milk, and minor additions like that but it really hasn't helped. I do notice heavier kids eat less healthy than he does, and I am uncomfortable pushing junk, but I don't know what else to do. Yes I want him to be healthy and love who he is as I do, but this is just something we both would like to change if possible. So, has anyone had any success with anything getting their child to gain a little weight???? No judgements please, I've explained my reasoning.