How do I build my 17 month old's weight up?

Question

My child was a low birth weight, being 2,500gms (5oz11lbs) and has always progressed along the lower 25th percentile. He recently had severe gastrointeritis and lost 300gms. His weight at 17 months was 9.10gms (20.1lbs) and now falls into the lower 5th percentile. He has become a very fussy eater, which has improved remarkably since puttng him on multi-vitamins. I constantly get unwanted remarks from mothers who have amazon children such as "oh he's very small - is there anything wrong with him?", which makes a sensitive situation much worse. I have seen a nutritionist, who wants to monitor him in 4 weeks time. Can anyone suggest what I can cook that will fortify his meals.

Answer 1

I am so sorry this is happening to you.

I have had this issue with one of my children. Here are things that can be helpful:

1. Get him active. Bring him outside and play with him. This helps him get hungry.

2. Try a variety of foods. Mandarin oranges in yogurt, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes with gravy, bread with butter, and cheese & crackers. All the stuff that we adults are not supposed to have. When our pediatrician suggested these things I laughed because it's all the stuff that I am supposed to avoid! Gravies and sauces add calories. Sometimes I even gave my child graham crackers or vanilla wafers with frosting smeared on top.

3. Don't have him drinking so much. That fills him up so he won't be as hungry. Have him drink with meals, but not between.

4. Eat with him so he sees you eating also. He will want to copy you.

5. Don't put very much on his plate at a time. When kids see a whole plate full of food, it overwhelms them. I have had much more success putting small amounts on the plate and then giving them second and third helpings.

6. Don't listen to those other moms. You will be hearing unwanted remarks from others regarding your children for the rest of your life. Everyone loves to criticize parents. Learn to tune it out. Or----ask them if they are aware that chubby children become obese adults and do they know that obesity is tied to heart disease, diabetes and cancer---

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

My son is very lightweight. He has just broen 25lbs within the last month or so and his 22 months. He was 18 lbs at 1 year. Foods with carbohydrates, protein and fiber are the best option. Try whole wheat noodles and bread, high protein foods like meat, eggs and peanut butter and vegies and fruit. Avoid fats and sugars, they will make him artifcially larger. As hard as it is, try not to let other parents remarks bother you. My youngest son is 18lbs and he is only 5 months, he was 6lbs, 5 ozs at birth. My little one got cereal by 8 weeks and my little on starte at 4 /14 months. You son may just be alittle guy and that is okay. If he is otherwise healhty that is fine as well. Remember the good points, you get more diapers in a pack, he stays in his clothes longer and you do not have to worry about him being overweight. Even with an awesome balanced diet, your sone may just be small. Embrace it. PS. If your child was a big kid, you would get the same questions except people would assume your feeding him nothing but junk food.

Answer 3

Ok, you said here that his eating has improved since he started the multi vitamins which is very good. The important thing is that he eats regularly and nutritiously. Remember even though you want him to gain weight you still don't want him to be unhealthy, so eating fatty foods and alot of beef and take out is definitely not recommended. Try to get him to eats a little of each of the six food groups and you can probably emphasise on the fruits and vegies to build his immune system and avoid sicknesses which may result in weight loss. Try dishes such as mashed potatoes, macaroni meals and baked meats and vegies. Ensure that he has AT LEAST three meals for the day which incorporate the six food groups and try to get him to eat less bread and more food. Once he is eating regularly and healthy, there is absolutely no reason to worry.

Answer 4

Try to stick with something that's healthy and balanced. Ask the nutritionist for suggestions. He's probably the best person to ask. It may be that your son is just small, and there's nothing wrong with that. Ignore those other mothers who make snyde comments. Worry about what the doctor says.

Answer 5

I'm sorry rude moms say those things to you. I'd tell them to piss off if I were you. I gave my son good meals and snacks throughout the day and made him a milkshake with protein powder, full fat ice cream, whole milk and chocolate syrup after dinner every night. I figured he'd benefit from laying around his crib with a huge mass of fat, calories and good protein in his tummy. That helped get some meat on his bones.

Anything that we weight conscious women might avoid might be good for a little added weight: like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, pizza, whole milk, cheese, etc. My son loves vegetables in cheese sauce, which isn't exactly low calorie. Also add chocolate syrup or anything else with extra calories to his milk and offer him LOTS of milk at meal time. I offer lots of dipping sauces like ketchup, ranch salad dressing, etc. at meal times so he can eat the few extra calories they offer.

Best of luck to you and your son. He'll advance soon enough and you'll wish you weren't buying him bigger clothes every couple of weeks!

Answer 6

Give him a lot of beef. little entrees lots of WHOLE MILK. Juice, red meat (beef) Chicken, fish,

Answer 7

discuss any diet changes with his pediatrician since he seems to have some issues.