Dr. Hive - zero weight gain

[lexi]

I'm worried about my oldest who is almost 10. She was born a month early and has never been big. But now she is incredibly thin. She cannot gain weight or keep weight on. I also feel like she has very low muscle mass. She has no diagnosed health issues and is rarely sick and does not complain of any health related problem.

 

We just moved to a new state and I'm trying to get in with a dr here. Our old dr would just tell me that I didn't have to worry about her being overweight - all he seemed to worry about was if a child was overweight. He didn't take my concerns seriously. I can't get in for a few weeks to this new dr so I'm stuck waiting.

 

What should I ask him? What tests should I request? What could be possible causes of her low weight?

 

What can I feed her to help her gain weight and muscle - keeping in mind that she is allergic to dairy and eggs and we are gluten free? Her sister is allergic to nuts and peanuts so those are banned from my house. We do have dietary restrictions but my other kids are what I feel is a normal weight.

 

She is tall for her age so I think her frequent growth spurts are keeping her from gaining. She eats very well and is not picky. I feel like she eats a good amount. She's actually not a super active kid so it's not like she's burning off more calories than she eats.

She's not currently worried about her weight and doesn't notice how thin she is. I don't want her to worry or obsess about it but I'm worried.

[happypamama]

My 10yo is like that, just very lean, no extra at all, even though he's a good eater.

 

Avocados and olive oil and coconut milk/oil are good for packing in healthy fats and calories.

[lexi]

I do cook with olive oil. I'm going to try some coconut milk for her. But her sister is allergic to coconut so I'm going to have to be careful and it just makes me nervous. We have an avocado allergy here as well so I never buy those. I've got to find some other fats that we aren't allergic to!

And I totally make her bacon and homemade French fries in olive oil!

The dr may agree that she's just a lean kid but I want to make sure.

[Laura Corin]

I've tried so many (healthy) things.  I have not resorted to ice cream at every meal, as one doctor suggested (!).  Calvin is now 5'11" and 110 pounds (off the bottom of the BMI charts).  He is not often ill.  He has had a series of blood tests, and was also screened for Marfan's.  Nothing came up.  That's just how he is - my elder brother was the same.

[redsquirrel]

my older boy is the same way. Puberty changed it a bit, but he is still skinny, skinny, skinny. He was born 2 months premature and was very small during his infancy, but I was assured many times that he would have been small no matter what. By 18 months or so, those things become less of an issue, given his good overall health. He doesn't seem to have any lasting effects from his premature, and there is no reason to think his small build is related to that. It's just the hand he was dealt.

 

The important thing is that she is growing taller. Kids who have problems absorbing nutrients, are malnourished, have gut issues etc don't grow a whole lot, up or out. They are all around tiny. They also look unhealthy.  My friend's kid who has Celilac's disease looked unhealthy. She was very underweight, short, dull hair, dark smudges of circles under her eyes, big knee joints, swollen belly despite being so thin, lots of digestive issues etc.  Another kid I know who had an issue with dairy also had the very dark smudges under the eyes, very thin and short, dull hair, low energy, many digestive problems.  Another friend whose kid has some kind of growing problem has recurring broken bones, didn't grow, not even an inch, between the ages of 9-12, is super thin etc.

 

If she isn't gaining much weight but is getting taller at a good pace, seems healthy, doesn't have digestive issues then she is very much likely to be a skinny kid.

[lexi]

Thanks. You guys are making me feel better that she might just be tall and thin which is laughable since that is so the opposite of me.....

But I've been receiving a lot of family pressure regarding her weight. Extended family makes cutting comments to me and I have been blamed as the reason she is thin (maybe that I'm restricting calories or "making her be too healthy"). I really don't know. I'm feeling a little sensitive right now I guess.

Lately the comments have upset me to the point that I've become stressed and worried about her health. I'll see what the dr says but I do feel good knowing there are other kids out there who are similar. And it's true that otherwise she seems very healthy and does well. So I feel much better.

And yes. She is getting tall and her feet just shot up another shoe size! Gracious!

[DesertBlossom]

I was worried about how quickly DS was slimnming down from a super chunky baby. The ped nearly rolled her eyes at me because he was in the 50th percentile. From his 4th bday to his 5th he actually lost 1/2 pound. It was then I got serious and after a bunch of tests we found out hehas a fructose intolerance. I think his chronic diarrhea just meant the nurients blew right through him.

 

Maybe it's just her genetics, but I would rule out any digestive issues.

[Upward Journey]

I've tried so many (healthy) things.  I have not resorted to ice cream at every meal, as one doctor suggested (!).  Calvin is now 5'11" and 110 pounds (off the bottom of the BMI charts).  He is not often ill.  He has had a series of blood tests, and was also screened for Marfan's.  Nothing came up.  That's just how he is - my elder brother was the same.

 

I have a brother that falls into this category: perfectly healthy & 6'3" 135 lbs, last time I saw him.  

[Okra]

Yes, you should take her to the doctor to make certain there is no underlying health problems.

 

But, I also wanted to share with you that it could be very normal.  I have 2 very small girls.  When my oldest was 10 I was just like you. REALLY!  She seemed WAY too skinny.  I was worried. But, she wasn't picky, and she seemed to eat a good amount. I tried to up the good fats in my house also.

 

You know what?  Fast forward 7 years, she's a tiny and healthy 17 year old.  She weighs 92 pounds, but you know what?  That's the way she is supposed to be.  I don't remember what she weighed when she was 10, but it was enough to worry me. Now, I know that there's not much you can do to make them grow if that is the way the children are made.  Now, I have a super tiny 14 year old.  My girls are just small and don't weigh much.

 

So, really don't worry about waiting a few weeks to take her in.  If the doctor says everything is fine, try your best to stop worrying.  Some kids are just small.  And, that 10 year old stage can make them seem too skinny, but everything can work out fine.

 

 

[Arctic Bunny]

Just went to check out my oldest on the WHO charts. Funny, he's skinny and tall (in my eyes!) but comes out at the 50th percentile!

 

If you'd like to check them out:

http://www.who.int/growthref/who2007_weight_for_age/en/

[redsquirrel]

I was worried about how quickly DS was slimnming down from a super chunky baby. The ped nearly rolled her eyes at me because he was in the 50th percentile. From his 4th bday to his 5th he actually lost 1/2 pound. It was then I got serious and after a bunch of tests we found out hehas a fructose intolerance. I think his chronic diarrhea just meant the nurients blew right through him.

 

Maybe it's just her genetics, but I would rule out any digestive issues.

 

That is the important part. He had a digestive problem, and you had it checked out. There was a sign that something wasn't right. I am so glad you got that figured out. I've never heard of a fructose intolerance.  That must be difficult to deal with!

 

To the OP, if your daughter isn't having chronic digestive problem then it is highly likely that she is just tall and thin.

 

And FWIW, I feel there is always going to be someone making a comment about something, esp with girls. Either they are too thin or too fat, too girly or too much of a tom girl, too social or 'socially awkward', immature for her age or too mature so you better watch out.

 

There really is no winning.  And to imply (or flat out say) that you are somehow the cause of her being thin by 'restricting her calories' is really  just beyond the pale. So you might be starving your kid to make her fit some notion of physical beauty? So you are an abusive mother? On what do they base that MAJOR assumption? 

 

Sounds like they place too much value on being thin and are jealous of your daughter. That is twisted.

 

Comments like that are so messed up and judgmental on so many different levels that I don't even know where to start.

 

[matrips]

An acquaintances 11yo dd went through something similar recently. She started getting taller and looked so skinny all of a sudden. She couldn't keep weight on. It turned out to be a gluten intolerance for her. I'm not sure of any more details though.

[Tiramisu]

In my limited experience, doctors are more concerned if a child isn't gaining height. If they keep getting taller, they don't seem as likely to intervene with tests but just recommend eating a healthy diet. Bone density scans and thyroid tests seem to be recommended when kids aren't growing taller, and I've known cases of people not growing due to celiac. But that's not the OP's child.

[Carrie12345]

I'm not going to discount the possibility that there's a medical issue,

 

BUT,

 

3 of my 5 kids have simply been skinny.  (A different one was FTT as an infant, but that was a medical issue that was resolved within that year.)

Two are/were tall and skinny.

One was short and skinny.

My oldest started putting on some real weight (and then a little extra!) around 14/15.

My 12yo began to gain some "normal" height a little over a year ago and "normal" weight not long after that, though she's still rather thin.

My 8yo may very well remain skinny skinny forever, but who knows?

 

For us, there's an indisputable genetic component.  I was a skinny kid who didn't gain much weight at all as a pre-teen.  Dh was a short, skinny kid who didn't gain height until his mid to late teens and has remained skinny his entire life.  Sometimes it just is what it is.

 

[J-rap]

How does she feel?  Does she seem to have normal energy and feel good?  Then I wouldn't worry, but I'd probably take her in to the doctor just to rule out anything, especially if there has been a big change in weight lately.  (Is she losing weight, or just growing taller so she is looking skinnier, but her weight is staying about the same?)  It could be that with her body growing taller, she just has trouble keeping up with the weight part.  That's my guess.

 

I had a daughter who was very tiny at birth, and never had any baby fat.  She worried us for years!  Her doctor put her through lots of tests, but could never find anything wrong.  People would sometimes assume she had an eating disorder because she was so skinny.  But she always felt good and was generally healthy.  She is a sophomore in college now, but people think she is around 16.  She is about 100 pounds, but has finally rounded out a bit.  She'll probably always be petite.  It could be your daughter is like that.

[lailasmum]

My brother was like this, tall and extremely skinny. He has began to get into a normal weight range now in his 30s but only just. He has zero health problems.

 

My mum was the same and my kids tend this way but my eldest is getting a bit less skinny now puberty has hit. It's still hard to get clothes that fit well though because she's so long limbed and not big around. She doesn't look super thin any more though. My youngest is very thin but short so it looks less out of proportion.