Something do add to milk to help ds (4) gain weight?

[homeschoolally]

edit "something to add"

 

Our 4 y/o can't seem to keep a healthy weight. Just when we seem to make some progress, he'll get sick and go back to being scary-skinny.

 

My husband would like to add some kind of protein powder to his milk, but I'm overwhelmed by all the choices. Would love to hear input.

 

He is a picky eater, and very active. This time of year he seems to burn calories like crazy playing outside, and his appetite doesn't change.

 

I've had luck adding Carnation Instant Breakfast to his milk, is there anything similar that is higher calorie? It would have to be tasty...it is really tough to get him to eat. Also, is it true that having him drink it before bed is best?

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited May 17, 2012 by homeschoolally

[ELaurie]

the best tasting protien powder we've tried is Jay Robb's protien powder. If ds 4 will drink it, add vanilla yogurt and some fresh or frozen fruit and make it into a smoothie :001_smile:

[Wheres Toto]

My kids get Pediasure every morning. My son needs it a lot more than my dd, he is an extremely picky eater and will only drink the chocolate pediasure. We used to get it cheap since my mother worked for Abbott. It's expensive but we get coupons from the grocery store every time we buy it.

[Sherriag]

try pedidure

[wapiti]

My almost 4 y.o. drinks Pediasure. (FWIW, the vanilla is available at Costco.)

[Truscifi]

When ds was little our ped recommended adding Carnation Instant Breakfast to milk. Ds liked it.

 

ETA - Doh! Just saw you have already been doing that!

[milovany]

Probably obvious, but he's drinking whole milk, right?

[Pamela H in Texas]

My son didn't like the Carnation INstant Breakfast. Both used to get Pediasure, now just the 4yo does. WIC pays for it. We get 3 per day. We've also added powdered milk. Toddler yogurt is fat (why is all other low-fat)? Mine wouldn't do anything else I tried (peanut butter, etc).

 

ETA: Not milk/drink related, but Chik-Fil-A sauce helped us A LOT. LOL

[Sandragood1]

Different kids respond to different things. That said, a close friend managed to get her daughter to put on some weight by making her smoothies of whatever fruit was on hand plus greek yogurt and cream - this is high protein, high fat, and high carb (depending on the fruit). I think she used flavored yogurt. This girl went from being scrawny to having plenty of muscles - she is 12 and a serious dancer. She was also a premie who had been super skinny her entire life.

 

My mother used to make breakfast shakes for my brother with Carnation instant breakfast, ice cream, and raw eggs. You could use pasteurized eggs if you are concerned about the raw eggs. It is certainly cheaper than protein powder.

 

You could also try just mixing more cream into his regular milk with meals.

 

Sandra

[Jpoy85]

Having had a child that has had serious weight issues-

 

Pediasure in any flavor

Enfamil Premium Toddler formula (stage 3)...it comes in choc and vanilla. It actually has MORE calories than Pediasure if you use Vit D milk instead of water.

Carnation Instant Breakfast

 

Milkshakes, High calorie foods-- gravies, sauces, cheese, dips, etc.

[rhreinke]

Wow, I had no idea that this was a common problem beyond my ds! I have a 5 yr old who is so thin it scares me. So I appreciate everyones responses because other than pedisure I hadn't thought of the other things listed. I don't understand the one comment of whole milk? I give my ds 1% but I'm assuming whole milk due to the calories, right? I will try the carnation breakfast as well. :001_smile:

[KungFuPanda]

Instant breakfast and a scoop of ice cream!

[applethyme]

Carnation instant breakfast and a couple of tablespoons of heavy whipping cream mixed into whole milk.. My son is failure to thrive and when I can get him to drink this adds lots of calories to his intake.

[homeschoolally]

Thank you!!!

 

Yes, he is using whole milk, and I add heavy cream to it sometimes too. Good question though, it seems to be something easily missed because of the push for low-fat. The low fat yogurt thing frustrates me too! Of course the only full-fat is the priciest kind that never goes on sale!

 

I am going to give pediasure a shot again..back when he was 18 months or so he had a feeding team appointment at the hospital and they sent him home with tons of it. Couldn't ever get him to drink it, but worth another try.

 

I wasn't too shocked at the cost of the protein powder mentioned either, when you consider what pediasure and even instant breakfast cost it wasn't too bad.

 

The chickfila sauce is a good idea...he loves that stuff--what kind of things, aside from the usual nuggets, fries, have you used it with?

 

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I haven't thought about it in a while, but he was considered failure to thrive at one point when he was under 2...and I was given many similar suggestions. Thanks so much for the refresher. I've been so swamped with other issues this took a back seat. It wasn't until this week when he's been playing outside without a shirt that it hit me how thin he'd gotten again.

 

Appreciate the ideas, eager to hear more if you've got them! High calorie food ideas would be great too!

[Alyeska]

Does your ds get sick a lot?

 

My dd used to get every single bug that came around and was even hospitalized due to influenza induced pneumonia. It turns out she was allergic to dairy! Her only symptom was a suppressed immune system, and later, halitosis. Once we dropped dairy, she steadily improved and has only had a couple of colds within the last 4 years.

 

I would highly recommend dropping all dairy to see if his health improves. If you do that, there are other ways to get calories and fat into him...almond milk. It is delicious and nutritious. Also, add coconut oil to his foods...it is super easy to stir a teaspoon into oatmeal or whatever and it adds no flavor...just healthy fat.

 

The comment about whole milk...1% milk is sugar water basically. If putting weight on him is your goal, then whole milk with all the fat is the way to do it. If you do decide to try dropping dairy from his diet (all forms...cheese, milk, butter, yogurt, ice cream etc...) you will need to get somewhat creative on how to get him to eat fat. Nut butters, coconut butter, coconut oil, almond milk, avacados...are all good sources. (I have to be very creative because my dd is also allergic to tree nuts.) But it can be done and done healthily.

 

It will take time to see improvement after stopping dairy. I think it was less than a week for dd's halitosis to disappear. It was several weeks before she started looking and acting better (sleeping less), and it was a couple of months before I realized she hadn't been sick in all that time.

[Ellie]

Aren't there foods other than milk that can add calories? It's just that dairy is the most allergic food there is, and loading him up on more of it doesn't seem like the best thing to do.

 

More protein? more fat, as in peanut butter? I dunno...something other than more dairy...

[KungFuPanda]

Making yogurt is easy and cheap. If you have a candy or meat thermometer you just heat the milk to x temperature to kill the cooties. Then cool it to y temp and add a dollop of plain yogurt. Pour in a container and seal in a cooler for 6-8 hours. Your hands-on time is 15 minutes and you can make it with full fat milk if you want. (I can't remember exact temps. I have to look every time.)

[i.love.lucy]

My son is not failure to thrive, but he was a preemie and I have trouble keeping weight on him. We do all the mentioned things. Whole milk, CIB, greek yogurt smoothies, extra butter, coconut oil, etc.

 

I also add flax oil to things like oatmeal. He loves oatmeal and I can make it with added coconut or flax oil, and some cream and it's super yummy and pretty high calorie.

 

I have been giving him the CIB at night with whole milk and a little cream. that way it doesn't replace a meal but adds the calories, and he sleeps better with a full tummy. I hate that it has so much sugar though. :glare: I make smoothies with hidden spinach and lots of berries. I use greek yogurt and to his I add some heavy cream too. He loves them and i feel like he gets some calories. He also really loves the ones with peanut butter/banana/chocolate. I can't hide the spinach in those but I am certain that PB and heavy cream pack a big dose of calories!

 

Honestly, I have not noticed much difference. I suppose if I didn't add calories I would notice him even thinner. But I never notice that redoubling my efforts and focus ever actually puts weight on him. And the very bad thing for us is that the rest of us need LESS calories. So I don't keep things like ice cream around for that reason.

[laundrycrisis]

I add fat to our thin son's diet - usually butter or olive oil. We also encourage him to eat things like hummus, guacamole and peanut butter. And I give him big portions of carbs, and free access to food all day long.

[kubiac]

Will he eat avocados? How about yogurt?

 

How about omega-3 supplements? They held build brain tissue, but they also just have calories! Costco sells yummy gummy ones.

[scrappyhappymama]

My friend's daughter has CF, so she needs tons of extra calories to maintain her weight. They give her ice cream every night and add butter to everything- her veggies, butter her sandwich bread and hamburger buns. Whole milk smoothies, chocolate milk, butter and cream in oatmeal. I know there's more I'm not thinking of, but I am always amazed at how much they can add butter to!

[elfgivas]

when one dd was 2, the doctor prescribed one milkshake a day! she loved it : ). hot chocolate with whipped cream worked well for breakfast and before bed.

 

:grouphug:

ann

[Laura Corin]

edit "something to add"

 

Our 4 y/o can't seem to keep a healthy weight. Just when we seem to make some progress, he'll get sick and go back to being scary-skinny.

 

 

What's his overall weight line like? I tried for years to put weight on my eldest, who was usually around 90% for height and 25% for weight. He'd gain a bit, then lose it again. The first doctor I saw recommended pasta and ice-cream. They did no good but he developed a serious sweet tooth. I went and fussed a second doctor, who did lots of tests and pronounced him skinny but healthy.

 

In the last year, he has just crept onto the BMI charts. He's still amazingly thin but he's starting to put on a bit of muscle. That's just how he is.

 

Laura

[mumto2]

We used ensure when dc's were little. My dd developed a taste for it when I was expecting ds ( severe nausea )before I knew it they were both drinking a can a day! I am not sure how it compares to pediasure nutrition wise but there are probably more sales and coupons for ensure--used by elderly people.

[Lizzie in Ma]

We used Trader Joes chocolate whey protein powder in everything when my very skinny child was younger.

[JFSinIL]

I get Whey Protein Isolate in bulk from Amazon - ds drinks the Dutch Chocolate and I use non-flavored. NOW foods brand.

 

BUT - be careful about adding stuff to milk as you might put the kid off milk. Better to add calories (protein) other ways.

 

And some kids just are skinny - of my fraternal twins (now 20) one is overweight and the other has always been scrawny (my term) or slender (doctor's word for it). He is 5'7" and 110 pounds. Doctor insists he is healthy as a horse and likely to outlive all of us.

[kewb]

Throw an avocado into a smoothie and/or some coconut oil.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

After my son spent 9 months on pediasure as his sole nutrition, I found something called pediaSmart. Supposedly it's healthy pediasure. If he stops eating again, I'll be trying it.

 

Wow, I had no idea that this was a common problem beyond my ds! I have a 5 yr old who is so thin it scares me. So I appreciate everyones responses because other than pedisure I hadn't thought of the other things listed. I don't understand the one comment of whole milk? I give my ds 1% but I'm assuming whole milk due to the calories, right? I will try the carnation breakfast as well. :001_smile:

 

If a child is low (too low) weight, there's no point in drinking 1% milk. Full fat, whole milk would be a much better choice.

[stripe]

Wow, I had no idea that this was a common problem beyond my ds! I have a 5 yr old who is so thin it scares me. So I appreciate everyones responses because other than pedisure I hadn't thought of the other things listed. I don't understand the one comment of whole milk? I give my ds 1% but I'm assuming whole milk due to the calories, right? I will try the carnation breakfast as well. :001_smile:

Yes, pick the whole milk for additional fat and calories. I do with my child.

[Mommyof4ks]

We used pediasure for a while. It really caused more of a swelling effect than a weight gain effect, and as soon as we stopped it he went right back to his own weight. We have not found anything that helps. :( We use whole milk, full fat yougurt, meat, and he eats snacks and dessert everyday. His docs do not seem concerned, but I still worry about him.

 

We have been told to have him eat a lot at meals and get rid of snacks, because it will cause his body to store fat better, but he cannot seem to eat more at meals.

Edited May 17, 2012 by dwkilburn1

[Mandylubug]

Are the doctors concerned with the weight or are you concerned with the weight? The reason I ask is all of my kids are TINY. They have NEVER been over the 2% line of the growth chart in weight or height. My girls that are six, nearly 7 weigh a whopping 40 pounds. My 8 and 9 year olds are in the high 40 pounds range.

[JFSinIL]

I get Whey Protein Isolate in bulk from Amazon - ds drinks the Dutch Chocolate and I use non-flavored. NOW foods brand.

 

BUT - be careful about adding stuff to milk as you might put the kid off milk. Better to add calories (protein) other ways.

 

And some kids just are skinny - of my fraternal twins (now 20) one is overweight and the other has always been scrawny (my term) or slender (doctor's word for it). He is 5'7" and 110 pounds. Doctor insists he is healthy as a horse and likely to outlive all of us.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Whey-Protein-Isolate-100%25/dp/B0015AQL1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337262598&sr=8-1

 

this is what I use - stirred into water it adds no taste or texture. I put it into SillyAutismMan's juice. SAM also drinks the Dutch Chocolate version in milk. I contacted NOW and they said even folks with lactose-intolerance can handle this stuff (so I am going to try and get my scrawny lactose-intolerant son to try it when I pick him up from college for the summer later today). A scoop of this stuff is 100 calories...and 25 grams of protein. So worth adding if you are trying to grow a kid, along with added fats.

[Jpoy85]

Pediasure comes in a variety of flavors now- banana and even berry! You can even mix the flavors- we have done banana and chocolate.

 

The problem i ran into with the Pediasure is that its chalky and they do get to a point where they wont drink it because its quite thick and filling (im saying for little babies/kids its filling) and you want them to eat food too, so its hard. Thats why we switched to the Enfamil Enfagrow Older Toddler formula. We didnt and dont give it every day or as a replacement. I give it as a supplement. If its 2-3 days of dinner fights, i give L a cup of it.Its 4scoops in 6oz whole milk and because of the milk, it gives extra calories than Pediasure. Its not thick and chunky like baby formula and it doesnt fill them up like Pediasure. ;)

 

Calorie Breakdown:

Pediasure (regular NOT the sidekick) 240cal per 8oz

Toddler Formula w/Whole Milk 320cal per 6oz

 

Cost Breakdown:

6pk is about $10 and you usually give 1-2 a day. $40/mnth

1 can makes 131 floz and can last over a month $20/1 can (24oz can)

Edited May 17, 2012 by Jpoy85

[umsami]

Are the doctors concerned with the weight or are you concerned with the weight? The reason I ask is all of my kids are TINY. They have NEVER been over the 2% line of the growth chart in weight or height. My girls that are six, nearly 7 weigh a whopping 40 pounds. My 8 and 9 year olds are in the high 40 pounds range.

 

This.

 

I have kids on both ends of the spectrum. One child has been in the 95th percentile since born....and two kids have been under the 10th percentile since they were 2. They all eat the same things, BTW. They're all healthy--just different builds.

 

If you look at the ingredients on Pediasure, etc.--I'm not sure I'd be giving that on a regular basis. I'd be far more likely to add Haagen-Dazs or some high quality high cream rather than "Water, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Canola Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Soy Protein Isolate, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Phosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Tuna Oil, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Monoglycerides, Potassium Hydroxide, m-Inositol, Carrageenan, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, FD&C Red #3, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Lutein, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone, Vitamin D3, and Cyanocobalamin.".

 

Make shakes/smoothies with nut butters, bananas, other fruits, and whole milk. Add in silken tofu or Greek yogurt.

 

On a side note, there are products designed for cancer patients that are far more caloric than Pediasure, etc. Benecalorie is one. There's also Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC (Very High Calorie). Check Amazon for them. :)

[Mom-ninja.]

So what's his weight compared to height?

 

My then 4 yr old weighed 28 lbs. He's 8 now and weighs 47 lbs.

 

Has he been tested for things like celiac/gluten intolerance and other food allergies?

[Jpoy85]

This.

 

I have kids on both ends of the spectrum. One child has been in the 95th percentile since born....and two kids have been under the 10th percentile since they were 2. They all eat the same things, BTW. They're all healthy--just different builds.

 

If you look at the ingredients on Pediasure, etc.--I'm not sure I'd be giving that on a regular basis. I'd be far more likely to add Haagen-Dazs or some high quality high cream rather than "Water, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Canola Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Soy Protein Isolate, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Phosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Tuna Oil, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Monoglycerides, Potassium Hydroxide, m-Inositol, Carrageenan, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, FD&C Red #3, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Lutein, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone, Vitamin D3, and Cyanocobalamin.".

 

Make shakes/smoothies with nut butters, bananas, other fruits, and whole milk. Add in silken tofu or Greek yogurt.

 

On a side note, there are products designed for cancer patients that are far more caloric than Pediasure, etc. Benecalorie is one. There's also Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC (Very High Calorie). Check Amazon for them. :)

 

Yeah but really if its for a child, she needs to give something made for a child.

[Teachin'Mine]

Add Carnation Instant Breakfast to Half 'n' Half instead of milk. Adding cream will work, but this makes sure you've got a good amount.

[DianeW88]

My youngest was too skinny as a toddler. Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream every day fattened him up nicely. :D

[gardening momma]

I am going to give pediasure a shot again..back when he was 18 months or so he had a feeding team appointment at the hospital and they sent him home with tons of it. Couldn't ever get him to drink it, but worth another try.

Maybe you could use the Pediasure as an ingredient in things you make for him, in place of milk. Like in pudding.

[Mommy22alyns]

Are the doctors concerned with the weight or are you concerned with the weight? The reason I ask is all of my kids are TINY. They have NEVER been over the 2% line of the growth chart in weight or height. My girls that are six, nearly 7 weigh a whopping 40 pounds. My 8 and 9 year olds are in the high 40 pounds range.

 

 

:iagree: Mine aren't that tiny, but it does take all kinds.

[Crimson Wife]

Has he been tested for things like celiac/gluten intolerance and other food allergies?

 

:iagree:

 

However, even if the celiac tests come back negative, you may want to do a trial of going gluten-free. My youngest was off-the-charts small and tested negative twice for celiac & wheat allergy. I switched her to GF at the beginning of December and by mid-January she had gained 6 lbs. (25% of her bodyweight) and 1/2". She went from being <3rd percentile for both height and weight to 5th percentile for height and 25th for weight.

 

She has since gained even more height and weight but she has not been formally measured by the pediatrician so I don't know where she is now on the growth charts. However, she was wearing size 18-24 mos. clothes in December and now 5 months later is in a 4T.

 

Our pediatrician says she sees this kind of dramatic "catch up" gain all the time in kids with gluten intolerance after they go GF. DD didn't have any obvious gastrointestinal symptoms of her gluten intolerance but she wasn't verbal enough to be able to tell me of any subtle symptoms she might have been experiencing.

[Momof3littles]

Canned coconut milk (I like Native Forest) can be turned into really good hot chocolate. Make a paste out of sugar/sweetener, cocoa powder, a teensy bit of sea salt, and a tiny bit of the coconut milk. Get that smooth, then add in the rest of the coconut milk. Be sure to get in lots of the fatty portion from the can. Heat up in microwave.

[applethyme]

I forgot duocal is a good option too.