Feeling like a bad mommy

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Ds is now out of strawberry pediasure. I warned him when we were down to the last case of the month. He has a case of chocolate and vanilla, but says he doesn't like them.

 

Starting a week ago he was told (and it continued nightly) that he was going to have nothing but the dinner served. Tonight was the first night. I made chicken francaise with rice and green beans. He's eaten all of it in the past. Every time my father is here we have this meal, and every single time ds will have a single bite of chicken and declare that it's great, and will not eat more. He loves green beans, and plain rice.

 

His food is served in a baby/toddler dish with 3 sections, so nothing touches, and it is very small portions.

 

Tonight he didn't touch his chicken or green beans, and only had a bite of rice. His food stayed out until bed, and I told him he could not have a bowl of cereal :sad:.

 

He's finally just over 50# with the pediasure. I'll be watching his weight during this trial. If he hits 49# again, he goes for a feeding evaluation.

 

:crying::crying::crying: The pediasure fixed the short term goal of stopping weight loss and increasing his weight, but it didn't touch the reason he needed the pediasure. I don't know why he doesn't eat, and the Drs are not concerned. This is probably because I'd never let him get so sick that others would notice.

[Cera]

Honestly, 50 pounds doesn't sound all that low for a 6 year old (said as the mom of a 45 pound seven year old).

 

My child is very (very, very) particular about food but she will not starve herself. It just happens to be one of the few things that a kid that age can have complete control over (you can't force them to eat) and I have found that completely ignoring it and making it a nonissue works much better than worrying about it.

 

I serve meals that are planned and cooked with her input and help and she can choose to eat or get herself a peanut butter sandwich (she tends to eat better if she helps cook though). It is amazing how much easier meal times are now that I have chosen to give her the space to make her own choices from two healthy options.

[Canadianmumof5]

Honestly, 50 pounds doesn't sound all that low for a 6 year old (said as the mom of a 45 pound seven year old).

 

My child is very (very, very) particular about food but she will not starve herself. It just happens to be one of the few things that a kid that age can have complete control over (you can't force them to eat) and I have found that completely ignoring it and making it a nonissue works much better than worrying about it.

 

I serve meals that are planned and cooked with her input and help and she can choose to eat or get herself a peanut butter sandwich (she tends to eat better if she helps cook though). It is amazing how much easier meal times are now that I have chosen to give her the space to make her own choices from two healthy options.

 

Hmmmm - this could be an option for us. But knowing my kids - they would all rather have PB than roast beef :glare:

And our DD is 41lbs....and about to turn 8.....

[swellmomma]

Asking very gently, is there a reason why he could not have the cereal? If he already refuses to eat most food why deny him the item he is willing to eat? I get wanting our kids to eat healthy balanced diets, but you have to start somewhere, and if the goal is getting him to eat real food and get off the pediasure why not give him teh foods he likes, like cereal. I assume it is not a sugar based cereal right? It would be better than sending a little 6 yr old to bed hungry.

 

As for size, dd turned 12 last month she weighs right around 60 lbs as of last week. We are not worried about her size, she is super short too (as in my not quite 8 year old is almost as tall as her). That said she eats a wide variety of foods. I wouldn't focus on the weight issue too much at this point. You need to focus on getting him to see food as an enjoyable thing.

 

Other than the cereal he wanted what else does he like? Do you ever "play" with the food? Like finger painting with pudding and letting him lick it off the fingers? Those things will not help nutritionally but may help him be more open to tasting more foods. You could do the same with avocado and other mushy foods. Do you include him in making food? Will he make a sandwich with you, or help cut up fruit for a fruit salad, or wisk the eggs for scrambled eggs?

 

There has to be a step between going from almost eating nothing but pediasure and being expected to eat teh same meal as everyone else. Many many 6 yr olds will not touch green beans with a 10 ft pole. My own 7 yr old previously loved all things meat, has now decided all poultry is revolting and will not eat it. Ds12 wants only fish not red meat. They all go through phases like that. Yes things are more extreme with your ds, but I think refusing to let him eat anything before bed and sending him there hungry was too extreme and can actually make him have even more negative feelings surrounding food.

[Word Nerd]

Is there a particular reason you are so concerned about his weight if his doctors are not?

[catz]

My 10 year old took forever to hit 50 lbs. It was definitely after he was 7. I think he's maybe 60 lbs soaking wet now at almost 11. My 7 yo DD (turned 7 this summer) is about 50 lbs now, and she's actually a little big for age (I think she'll just be done growing earlier!).

 

Do you think he could have sensory issues? We know a boy going through PT/OT right now that has some of these kinds of issues. When he comes to our house, he eats almost nothing. He will eat white pasta and butter and a couple fruits. He rarely touches meat or dairy. His sister will eat and/or try about anything. Has he always had food issues or is this new?

[rwjx2khsmj]

My ds9 is 56 pounds. He eats when he's hungry and stops when he's satisfied. If he doesn't like what we have for dinner, he's free to fix himself something else after we eat. Even if each meal isn't balanced, I figure over time he gets what he needs.

[AFwife Claire]

My ds9 is 56 pounds. He eats when he's hungry and stops when he's satisfied. If he doesn't like what we have for dinner, he's free to fix himself something else after we eat. Even if each meal isn't balanced, I figure over time he gets what he needs.

 

Yes, my just-turned-8-years-old ds is 47 pounds, and he does the same thing. If he really doesn't like something, then he can make himself a poeanut butter sandwich, but he usually just isn't that hungry.

[Mommy22alyns]

Honestly, 50 pounds doesn't sound all that low for a 6 year old (said as the mom of a 45 pound seven year old).

 

 

Same here. Granted, I have girls, but my 8 yo just hit 50 lbs. My 6 yo is 41 lbs.

[zaichiki]

He's finally just over 50# with the pediasure. I'll be watching his weight during this trial. If he hits 49# again, he goes for a feeding evaluation.

 

How tall is your ds? If he's very tall, 50# can look very thin.

My ds is 5 and probably just shy of 50#, but he's also tall and very thin.

[mo2]

Is 50 pounds really underweight? My 9yo just recently broke 60.

[Sputterduck]

My son was 45 pounds when he was 6. He was average height at that time, and while not overweight he definitely had some baby fat and also a good amount of muscle. He looked overall extremely healthy.

 

When I did your son's BMI for age, that put him at a 20 and, for the pediatric crowd, that is one point shy of overweight. Let me double check with another calculator and I'll post again in a moment.

 

eta: Another chart lists the average weight for the average height 6 year old at 39-49 pounds.

 

eta again: On the CDC calculator, assuming he is average for his age since you haven't told us his height yet, his BMI is in the 83rd percentile, which is far far from underweight and very close to overweight.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Sputterduck

[zaichiki]

When I did your son's BMI for age, that put him at a 20 and, for the pediatric crowd, that is one point shy of overweight. Let me double check with another calculator and I'll post again in a moment.

 

eta: Another chart lists the average weight for the average height 6 year old at 39-49 pounds.

 

How can you find a BMI for a child without a height? (Or did I miss the height of OP's ds?)

 

I mean, as an example, 90# looks different on a 5 ft boy than it does on a 4 ft boy, ya know?

[Sputterduck]

How can you find a BMI for a child without a height? (Or did I miss the height of OP's ds?)

 

I mean, as an example, 90# looks different on a 5 ft boy than it does on a 4 ft boy, ya know?

 

Pediatric BMIs use weight for age. Of course height changes things, but I did say that I used average height since we don't know yet. If he really isn't growing well, then he should be shorter than that, which would put him in the overweight category, but of course BMI isn't great with different body types.

 

I guess, I'm a thinking extra about this post because this is the poster who was worried because she couldn't get her son to drink more than 2 pediasures per day, which are... well... very poor nutrition. She seems to really push them saying he won't eat enough, but he doesn't seem to be out of the norm at all and may even be a bigger than average. The first 7 ingredients are water, sugar, polysaccharide, protein, oil and oil. Then of course there are the artificial flavors, colors, and all. I can't help but pay extra attention to a child getting that as the main thing he has to grow a healthy body from, since she says he barely eats anything besides these.

 

I really, really don't mean to be stepping on toes, but if my child was only drinking pediasure and not eating, I would be terrified. Children need fresh produce, quality protein, clean water, enough vitamins and minerals, and much more. I would seek a professional posthaste.

[zaichiki]

I really, really don't mean to be stepping on toes, but if my child was only drinking pediasure and not eating, I would be terrified. Children need fresh produce, quality protein, clean water, enough vitamins and minerals, and much more. I would seek a professional posthaste.

 

Good point. (I haven't been following this conversation or the background info.)

[Impish]

I don't understand why an eating evaluation would be a bad thing.

[Impish]

Pediatric BMIs use weight for age. Of course height changes things, but I did say that I used average height since we don't know yet. If he really isn't growing well, then he should be shorter than that, which would put him in the overweight category, but of course BMI isn't great with different body types.

 

I guess, I'm a thinking extra about this post because this is the poster who was worried because she couldn't get her son to drink more than 2 pediasures per day, which are... well... very poor nutrition. She seems to really push them saying he won't eat enough, but he doesn't seem to be out of the norm at all and may even be a bigger than average. The first 7 ingredients are water, sugar, polysaccharide, protein, oil and oil. Then of course there are the artificial flavors, colors, and all. I can't help but pay extra attention to a child getting that as the main thing he has to grow a healthy body from, since she says he barely eats anything besides these.

 

I really, really don't mean to be stepping on toes, but if my child was only drinking pediasure and not eating, I would be terrified. Children need fresh produce, quality protein, clean water, enough vitamins and minerals, and much more. I would seek a professional posthaste.

:iagree::iagree:

[Live2Ride]

wow...maybe he's really tall because 50lbs on a 6 year old seems like a lot to me. My son is 46" tall and 12. He just put on a bit of weight and now pulls 65lbs. He's thin, but he eats.

 

Most kids won't starve themselves...I hope ya'll can figure it out.

[LibraryLover]

,

Edited August 26, 2011 by LibraryLover

[zaichiki]

I don't understand why an eating evaluation would be a bad thing.

 

I'm with you on that one. (and how about seeing a nutritionist too?)

[Caitilin]

My ds9-next-month is over four feet tall, and only like 52 pounds, and he is the slim-but-sturdy type. I would be far more concerned about the quality of the food my dc is eating than a number on the scale (barring, of course, obvious and scary undernourishment).

[Whereneverever]

:grouphug: Mama. I don't think the particular number on the scale is concerning, but the food issues are. Can you request an eating eval and a nutritionist to work this through?

[amo_mea_filiis.]

According to kids health.org, he's in the 5th%ile. He's just over 50".

 

He was on the pediasure due to weight loss. 49 down to 43 in just a few months. He looked sick.

 

He couldn't have the cereal because it was rice chex and he eats them plain, so there's nothing nutritional about it. He likes the chicken! He just will not have more than a bite or 2 and I cut them into toddler sized pieces.

 

This is only for dinner right now. He's welcome to whatever he likes until 3:30.

 

I'm sure we'll end up in for a feeding eval.

[Cera]

Hmmmm - this could be an option for us. But knowing my kids - they would all rather have PB than roast beef :glare:

And our DD is 41lbs....and about to turn 8.....

 

I only allow peanut butter sandwiches as a substitute for dinner for 2 reasons:

 

#1 - It eliminates their refusal to eat dinner because they are holding out for something they like better (pb gets boring).

 

#2 - Made on whole grain bread it is a solid food nutritionally (it probably has more calories than roast beef, my kids have gained weight after we switched to offering them the option).

[amo_mea_filiis.]

We've always been stuck on where to get services for this. When he was preschool age he could have gottne it through the school district, but he didn't meet the criteria. He had to be diagnosed failure to thrive. I felt that if I let that happen, it was at least neglect. I would never let him get that bad. I know many kids are FTT for medical reasons, but my ds's is just food refusal. If I know of something to keep him fairly healthy (pediasure), it's neglectful to not supplement when needed.

 

The eval we're likely going for is at the children's hospital which is just over 3 hours away. They're scheduling into October, and his name is on the list. We will not be able to go for weekly or even monthly visits, he'll go for the eval and I'll try to have it incorporated into the relevent therapy. If they determine it's a chewing problem (doubtful) his speech therapist will address it. If sensory, OT will take it. He's had an endoscopy and all parts look fine. He's not tongue tied. He eats different textures, colors, shapes, temperatures. He takes prevacid for reflux.

[lollie010]

Does he have trouble swallowing? particularly meat? I ask because my son has asthma/food allergies and was losing weight. The doctor wanted to evaluate him for a disorder associated with allergies that effects the ability to swallow. I had never heard of it and forgot the name. I will look it and get back to you. Usually meat is the hardest thing to get down. They often cough and gag.

 

ETA: just looked it up. It's called eocinophilic esaphagitis. Probably spelled horribly wrong.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Laurel T.
Add information

[speedmom4]

My son has Cerebral Palsy and had many weight issues. He is now 12 and weighs about 65 pounds. We used Pedia Sure as a supplement for many years. We saw a nutritionist when my son was young and she recommended adding extra calories wherever we could add them. Add extra butter to green beans or rice. Put a tablespoon of whipping cream in a cup of milk. Anything to add calories. My son also had chewing and swallowing issues just because his muscles were weaker.

 

Ds is MUCH better now but still isn't a big eater. It really wouldn't hurt to get an nutrition evaluation. Pedia Sure is ok but it's not great nutritionally. It's a good way to make sure he is getting enough calories every day.

 

God Bless,

Elise in NC

[Jan in SC]

Is there any chance you are reading an adult bmi scale instead of a child growth chart? I enter his info at kids health and it said he was 79% for weight. I have a ds that will be 10 in a couple of weeks and he weighs 61 pounds. He isn't even 5%, but rather 20%, and he is 54".

[Stacie Leigh]

Same here. Granted, I have girls, but my 8 yo just hit 50 lbs. My 6 yo is 41 lbs.

 

I have boys and they are those same ages and sizes. Don't stress yourself out unless there is a specific reason or concern. If your mommy warning lights are going off, follow your instincts and figure it out, but don't drive yourself crazy over nothing.

[Quiver0f10]

Honestly, 50 pounds doesn't sound all that low for a 6 year old (said as the mom of a 45 pound seven year old).

.

 

I agree. My 8 yo weighs 53 and my 6 yo weighs 51. They are both very tall though.

Edited August 25, 2011 by Quiver0f10

[abbeyej]

I too am curious about his height and at what point you decided his weight was a problem? Neither of my kids passed 50lbs at 6yo. Granted, they're small-ish (especially my daughter -- my son has always been average for height), but 50lbs at 6yo doesn't necessarily sound like a problem to me.

 

A child who was been able to eat milkshakes instead of food for a long period of time will likely take several days at least to begin eating a standard diet once more. I would absolutely NOT panic for at LEAST 3 days. ... I would also keep in mind that weight fluctuations of 2-3lbs are perfectly normal from day-to-day even in small kids. I would place "worry" point closer to 45lbs (losing 10% of his body weight), not just losing a single pound.

[caayenne]

I agree that I wouldn't be too worried about the numbers. My DS6 is right around the same height as your son, and he only weighs 45 pounds at the most. He's really delicate in build, but he's not underweight. He is not a fantastic eater, and his appetite comes and goes, but he's always been like that. Now, a sudden weight loss might be something to worry about, but maybe your DS is like mine and his weight drops whenever he's actively growing.

 

:grouphug:

[Runningmom80]

What does the growth chart at the ped say? I can't imagine 50lbs at 6 is 5%. perhaps the one you are looking at isn't reliable? My almost 5 year old just hit 40lbs, and he is at 25% according to the ped.

 

 

As far as eating goes, it sounds like this is an ongoing problem. (I'm not aware of the backstory, this is the first post on the topic I've read.) I would encourage you to do the feeding evaluation. I understand that it's a drive, but it sounds like there is a real concern here.

 

 

FWIW, I go through similar things with my DS. He has multiple food allergies, and is very picky, so some days he hardly eats. I understand how frustrating it is, we have this instinct to feed them, moms want their kids to have full bellies, I think it's in our DNA.

 

 

I hope you get it figured out soon!

[Terabith]

I don't know much about it, granted, or his height, but my almost 8 yr old, who is around 49", is something like 52 lbs and right average. My six yr old is 39-40 lbs at about 46" and pretty thin but healthy. Something like the 15th percentile.

[Sputterduck]

According to kids health.org, he's in the 5th%ile. He's just over 50".

 

He was on the pediasure due to weight loss. 49 down to 43 in just a few months. He looked sick.

 

He couldn't have the cereal because it was rice chex and he eats them plain, so there's nothing nutritional about it. He likes the chicken! He just will not have more than a bite or 2 and I cut them into toddler sized pieces.

 

This is only for dinner right now. He's welcome to whatever he likes until 3:30.

 

I'm sure we'll end up in for a feeding eval.

 

There is not "nothing nutritional" about rice chex. Really, it's about on the level of pediasure minus all the artificial crap.

 

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1550/2 Scroll down. It's even whole grain.

 

And, wow. Your child must be gigantic. He's completely off the heights charts!

Edited August 25, 2011 by Sputterduck

[SailorMom]

Your siggie says you are homeschooling in a "little village in Mexico". I have no idea how little it is - but are we talking dirt roads, etc.? I know that when kids are running around barefoot in the dirt they can pick up intestinal parasites rather easily. I'm not picking on Mexico here - this happens in the US all the time too - but if it is rural enough there, there may be more opportunity.

Has that been checked?

I also think 50 lbs is perfectly fine. My kids didn't hit that until,oh, about 8 - and they are tall.

If you are worried, get a physical. If everything is fine - then I think it is time to get tough. Especially if he is eating anything he wants all day until dinner - I mean - how could he possibly starve?? Anyway - also - if he can eat whatever he wants all day, and knows this, then of course he isn't going to eat at dinner if he doesn't want to. He'll just wait until tomorrow morning.

I can see he has some issues, of course, and those issues have to be worked with, but (saying this as gently as I can) it sounds to me like he knows how much you worry about this.... you're weighing him everyday, fretting over what he eats, etc. etc..... Not healthy for either of you. He needs you to have confidence in his health, he needs you to MAKE him eat what is good for him. Pediasure is junk, imho, and it would be better for him to get GOOD AND HUNGRY and decide he doesn't want to be hungry anymore.

If there are no food allergies, and he can eat, then it is time to go tough.

He needs water, and to be offerred healthy food. I can't really see a 6 year old on a food strike for very long. Especially if you act as if it doesn't bother you (if you get all antsy and worried, he'll know you're going to cave).

[Impish]

Your siggie says you are homeschooling in a "little village in Mexico". I have no idea how little it is - but are we talking dirt roads, etc.? I know that when kids are running around barefoot in the dirt they can pick up intestinal parasites rather easily. I'm not picking on Mexico here - this happens in the US all the time too - but if it is rural enough there, there may be more opportunity.

Has that been checked?

I also think 50 lbs is perfectly fine. My kids didn't hit that until,oh, about 8 - and they are tall.

If you are worried, get a physical. If everything is fine - then I think it is time to get tough. Especially if he is eating anything he wants all day until dinner - I mean - how could he possibly starve?? Anyway - also - if he can eat whatever he wants all day, and knows this, then of course he isn't going to eat at dinner if he doesn't want to. He'll just wait until tomorrow morning.

I can see he has some issues, of course, and those issues have to be worked with, but (saying this as gently as I can) it sounds to me like he knows how much you worry about this.... you're weighing him everyday, fretting over what he eats, etc. etc..... Not healthy for either of you. He needs you to have confidence in his health, he needs you to MAKE him eat what is good for him. Pediasure is junk, imho, and it would be better for him to get GOOD AND HUNGRY and decide he doesn't want to be hungry anymore.

If there are no food allergies, and he can eat, then it is time to go tough.

He needs water, and to be offerred healthy food. I can't really see a 6 year old on a food strike for very long. Especially if you act as if it doesn't bother you (if you get all antsy and worried, he'll know you're going to cave).

Sputterduck is the one in Mexico, not the OP.

[SailorMom]

Oh - whoops! How'd I do that???

Sorry :)

 

Anyway - still could be parasites no matter where you live. I was amazed to hear a freind of mine sufferred with them for 4 years in a suburb in CA before doctors finally figured out what was making her sick.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Have you had anyone help you interpret growth charts? I think you are misunderstanding how to read a growth chart. According to the figures you gave, he's a very tall, slim boy but certainly not underweight.

 

I recommend that you do seek out a nutritionist or other medical health professional for some counseling on how to proceed. Did someone prescribe pediasure?

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Does he have trouble swallowing? particularly meat? I ask because my son has asthma/food allergies and was losing weight. The doctor wanted to evaluate him for a disorder associated with allergies that effects the ability to swallow. I had never heard of it and forgot the name. I will look it and get back to you. Usually meat is the hardest thing to get down. They often cough and gag.

 

ETA: just looked it up. It's called eocinophilic esaphagitis. Probably spelled horribly wrong.

 

He had an endoscopy for EE a few years ago, and while it was ruled out, I know that there were not a lot of biopsies taken which is needed to determine any eos disorder.

 

GI said it was reflux, but didn't even see damage from that on the scope.

[Sputterduck]

Oh - whoops! How'd I do that???

Sorry :)

 

Anyway - still could be parasites no matter where you live. I was amazed to hear a freind of mine sufferred with them for 4 years in a suburb in CA before doctors finally figured out what was making her sick.

 

:lol:

 

Yes, we are all dirt roads here. And kids get parasites left and right. Lots of worms. My friend calls my son a goat though because he'll eat anything, since I'm not the OP. He's had pickled cow tongue and pigeon heart, even. This is from a kid who did have feeding issues a few years back. The only thing he can't handle now is raw oysters, and who can blame him? :tongue_smilie:

[abbeyej]

Have you had anyone help you interpret growth charts? I think you are misunderstanding how to read a growth chart. According to the figures you gave, he's a very tall, slim boy but certainly not underweight.

 

I recommend that you do seek out a nutritionist or other medical health professional for some counseling on how to proceed. Did someone prescribe pediasure?

 

Yes, 50lbs that would be roughly 50th-75th percentile for weight, and 50" would be 75th-95th percentile for height depending on where he is in his 6th year.

 

That's a slim child, not an underweight child.

 

Also, you say he can eat "anything he wants" before 3:30 but you're worried about dinner? Many children "front load" their calories early in the day and *don't* eat a lot of food in the late afternoon and evening. It doesn't mean they're starving -- it just means that they have consumed as much as they want or need earlier in the day.

 

Perhaps just worry about making sure he gets a balanced diet in the first half of the day and don't worry so much if he's not a dinner-eater at this point.

[chepyl]

My almost 6 year old is 46 inches and 42 lbs. I am not concerned about his weight. I have sent him to bed without dinner too. Our rule Is that the kids must try a new food, if theu hate It PBJ or chicken nuggets are an option. If they won't try it or refuse to eat what we know they like, they get no bedtime snack. We have plates with lids, so we can just stick the plate in the fride. We have only done it a few times. If everyone else Is getting desert or a bowl of watermelon, they will run to the table and eat their dinner. It only took a couple of nights of no bedtime snacks. (They did get good breakfasts the next day).

 

If you have allowed him to live in shakes, it may take a few days to get him to eat. He is going to test you. If you only have the chocolate and vanilla left, make that his dinner option. The shake he dislikes or the yummy chicken.

 

Let him help pick out recipies. Look at allrecipes.com together. Then shop for the Ingredients amd cook together. If he is proud of his work, he will at least try it.

[SailorMom]

I found multiple "calculators".

Tried them all. For 6 years, 50 inches, 50 lbs it averages about 73-77th percentile for weight, and 90-97th percentile for height.

He is tall, for sure, but he sounds a lot like my boys were - tall and lanky. He'll probably slow down in height in about 5 years and start putting non more muscle weight.

[SailorMom]

:lol:

 

Yes, we are all dirt roads here. And kids get parasites left and right. Lots of worms. My friend calls my son a goat though because he'll eat anything, since I'm not the OP. He's had pickled cow tongue and pigeon heart, even. This is from a kid who did have feeding issues a few years back. The only thing he can't handle now is raw oysters, and who can blame him? :tongue_smilie:

 

Yeah - we here in the 'burbs worry about parasites so much - when most places look at us and go, "so???". Just give them the meds and they are fine. It is funny, though, that because it isn't all that common here, docs don't tend to look for it. You have to wonder how many misbehaving 'adhd' kids there are in the schools that are dealing with worms....

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

wow...maybe he's really tall because 50lbs on a 6 year old seems like a lot to me. My son is 46" tall and 12. He just put on a bit of weight and now pulls 65lbs. He's thin, but he eats.

 

 

My 1st grader is 51lbs and is 6 (going to be 7 in Oct) He is VERY VERY thin. He is VERY VERY tall. There are 2 boys in our church, 1 4th grade 1 5th grade and all 3 boys are within an inch of each others height (my son is taller than the 4th grader) So weight really depends on height. You can count every.single.bone in ds's body literally. When he stretches he looks beyond emaciated (In fact I had a question about that recently and we are now going to go through testing to figure out what is going on)

 

 

According to his doctor, for his height a good weight for him is between 69-72 lbs because of how tall he is.

[Sputterduck]

Yeah - we here in the 'burbs worry about parasites so much - when most places look at us and go, "so???". Just give them the meds and they are fine. It is funny, though, that because it isn't all that common here, docs don't tend to look for it. You have to wonder how many misbehaving 'adhd' kids there are in the schools that are dealing with worms....

 

Yeah, it turns out that worms aren't a big deal. You just go to the grocery store and get the treatment. I'd be adhd if I had worms. They say it itches pretty bad. Must make it hard to sit still in class all day...

[amo_mea_filiis.]

His current weight is wonderful, I know this. But this was done with the help of a supplement after he dropped 5lbs. This is what has me worried- He will not eat well when hungry.

 

As for food choices, he has plenty of healthy options available during the day. For breakfast I made his favorite; sausage patties, GF biscuits, and a banana. He ate one sausage patty. 2 hours later he had a piece of banana. Another hour he ate his biscuit. He just finished breakfast and we're making lunch.

 

For lunch I'm making him a PB&J (homemade J, natural, no sugar PB) biscuit, cucumber, and cantaloupe. This will take until dinner.

 

He helps cook breakfast and lunch. For dinner I only make things that we like. It's just that as of yesterday, he doesn't get the option of pediasure instead of dinner. Some of it is because he's lazy. It's a lot easier to drink 8 oz of something vs. eat a dinner.

 

He drinks at least 16ozs of water, usually more.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I just measured and weighed my ds 6 who will be 7 in Oct. He is 4'5 1/2" (seriously, did it 2x) and weighs 51.0 lbs and here is his BMI results

 

 

I am still lost on my son. He is very underweight according to this. Ugh 12.5 percentile

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I just measured and weighed my ds 6 who will be 7 in Oct. He is 4'5 1/2" (seriously, did it 2x) and weighs 51.0 lbs and here is his BMI results

 

 

I am still lost on my son. He is very underweight according to this. Ugh 12.5 percentile

 

We're about the same. 7 in October. Your ds has 4" and 1lb on mine!