How to get a 3 year old to GAIN weight?

Question

Hello, I just received emergency guardianship of 3 kids from my sister in law. They were in a very bad situation w/ their mother's drug use. I took the two youngest to the doctor yesterday. The doctor was very concerned w/ the 3 year old's weight. He is in the bottom 5% for children his age. He is Three years old and only weighs 29lbs. Please don't lecture me on what a bad parent I am. I AM NOT THEIR MOTHER. We just got them 3 weeks ago and are trying to make their life’s better. He eats well, loves veggies, but will fill himself up on veggies and fruit and not want to eat his main course. Anyone have suggestions on how to help him gain weight? They also found that he is very anemic. He should be a #9 and is only a #2. They are doing further blood work on that Monday, so they can treat his iron deficiency.

Answer 1

Try giving him some Pediasure in between meals.

Also, try only serving the main course and allowing the side dishes after he eats the main.

Answer 2

First of all -- God Bless you for stepping up to the plate!!

Try fats -- add butter (NOT margarine) to the vegis, put it on breads, etc. Get them children's vitamins with iron (for the anemia), but they might get constipated since they are not used to it, just have some apple cider handy (yes cider, not juice, it works better). Introduce them to spaghetti (use macaroni, easier to handle for now). This cannot be 'fixed' overnight, just keep all the good things going into them and nature will take care of the rest. Don't overdo the cookie/cake/stuff as that will cause other problems when they are so underweight. Concentrate on the fats and carbs right now. And the vitamins. Sounds like the vegis and fruits are ok. Good Luck and God Bless!

Sorry, just thought of something else -- since he fills up on the vegis, have him eat some of the spaghetti first and then the vegis OR cut the vegis up in the spaghetti sauce -- he will at least get the fat from the sauce if he won't eat the pasta. How about pizzas with meat and vegis?

Answer 3

Small meals, more often

Offer fruit or veggies at some meals, and just protein at others.

Offer dips with fruits and veggies, cheese, salad dressing, caramel

You can make lentil cakes, my son loves them. Cook lentils as per package directions. Put in blender with about an equal amount of cooked veggies. Season (a little salt, a little pepper. I like to add some currey, you can add sugar, jam, lots of things). Puree it smooth. Add quick oats (starting about 1/2 the amount of lentils you added) purre the oats. Keep adding oats and purreeing until it is about the thickness of soft drop cookies. Either bake as drop cookies or in muffin tins or a pan. Don't make too thick. Bake on 350 until light brown on the bottom. Sorry I can't be more precise I just throw it together out of whatever I have around. Use veggies that are high in protein for even more protein.

For the iron I strongly recommend floradix it is much easier to absorb than synthetic -I think there is a kids version. Alfalfa pills are also good. (minty and chewable.)

You can also give him things like muffins baked with part cream instead of milk. However I do not think it is a good habit to get into, offering high fat or high calorie foods.

A steady well balanced diet should get him back on track. Good for you for taking care of these kids.

Answer 4

Believe it or not to much milk inhibits iron. When my niece was anemic they told her mom to limit her milk intake. You might check into that. Also feed him his main dish or whatever you want him to eat the most of FIRST. Then give him more of whatever you want him to eat next. Do they take vitamins? That might be a good place to start too. Flintstones are great.

Answer 5

Try giving him vegitable soup in meat broth, putting cheese or butter on his veggies, or if you have to, grind up a multivitamin and sprinkle it over his vegitabe sides. Be generous with the portions and if he asks for seconds, hook 'em up. And bless ya for taking on such a task. Best of luck.
P.S. do they like milk? Try using whole milk, more fat.

Answer 6

Hang in there. Son't everwhelm him all at once with food. Just start slowly introducing him to new things. How bout an ensure or high calorie drinks with his diet?

Answer 7

my son is 3 and he weighs only 30 lbs.the doctor said not for me to worry because hes a active boy, but he suggested to puy him on a high proten diet like peanut butter ,eggs ,ect. and it wouldnt hurt to get him a childrens vitamin for his iron well i wish you the best good luck

Answer 8

Maybe small, more frequent meals would help him. Since he is small for his size he might have a hard time eating enough at regular mealtimes.

Answer 9

How about milkshakes and things like that. Best of luck to you.