My neighbour's daughter is 16 months old and only weighs 16lbs.?

Question

I am really quite worried about the little girl as in the last 6 months that I have known them she has not gained a pound or grown an inch. She is still in 0-3 month or sometimes 3-6 omnth baby clothes. Her Mum and Dad are both about 5ft 5in but even at that I feel that she is very, very tiny and I am finding it hard to find the right words to express my concern.
Can anyone tell me if they know how to find a centile chart online for children so I can find out roughly how much she should weigh. Thanks.

My son weighed 16lbs at 8 weeks old so that is why I am so worried.

Answer 1

I'm sorry I can't tell you where to find a chart online for that. I will tell you though that my daughter is also 16 months old and she weighs 25 lbs. She is in the 75th percentile which means she is a little heavier then other kids her age, but not by much. 16 lbs seems so tiny for a girl that age. I wish you the best of luck with this.

Answer 2

First I will answer your question. Here is a growth chart:
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/growthcharts/girlsbirth.gif

It's nice that you are so concerned about your neighbor's child, but there other factors besides weight to consider.
Does the child eat well? Is she active? Is she developing cognitively? How are her fine and gross motor skills? There are many other variables to consider before you jump to conclusions that there is something wrong with this child. My daughter was born at 8lbs10z, was about 16lbs at 6months, and then learned to crawl and walk and the amount of weight gain steadily declined. My daughter was only 19.5 lbs at 20 months, which is below the 5th%ile. She has maintained this growth curve for the past 8 months and the pediatrician said, based on our body types (mine and my husband's), that this is her body type based on genetics. She is very active, eats like a champ, and is very personable. This summer she wore size 9 month shorts, despite being 22m.o. She's thin and completely healthy and thriving, just as your neighbor's daughter may very well be. Unless you think her parents are unfit and don't know any any better, I wouldn't be overly concerned. Chances are she is fine, and if she's not I'm sure she's being followed by a pediatrician.

Oh and one caveat about growth charts. It doesn't show how much a child should way, only how much she weighs in relation to other children her age. So, in the case of my daughter, greater than 95% of the population are heavier than her. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Answer 3

How well do you know the neighbor? How do you know that the baby doesn't have any health problems that she is getting treatment for. Some babies have failure to thrive for no apparent reason and cannot gain weight the way that they need to. My 5 year old stepson has always been small for his age. It began when he was a baby and at his one year check-up he was 17lbs. People see him and my 3 year old daughter and ask if they are fraternal twins. When we tell people that he is 5 they look at us like we are doing something wrong. Little do they know he has severe asthma and allergies, has a history of seizures and developmental delays. He is on 5 prescription meds which is probably enough to stunt his growth by itself. He didn't crawl until he was 1 and didn't walk until he was 18 months. He is now 31 lbs and 39 inches tall. He is seeing a nutritionist and an endocrinologist and is weighed monthly at the peds office. Just be careful how you approach them and try not to accuse them of anything until you have all of your facts straight.

Answer 4

You should let the parents and the child's doctor worry about it. I am sure if the doctor were worried he/she would let the parents know if there were cause to be concerned.

I nanny for a little boy who is seven and wears a size 3t pants as he is very thin. He only weighed 25lbs when he was 3 years old. He now weighs 48 lbs at 7 years of age. He eats well but his mother is also a very tiny person wearing a size 2 in women's clothes.

Answer 5

Google it its very easy but that doesnt sound too awful I have a niece whos very small in the lower percentiles but the doc says she fine and healthy - at 2 she was only 20lbs, eben now at 2.5 she wheres the same size as my 1.5yrold (18-24m clothing) The question isnt size as much as health - does the child look healthy, are her cheeks hallow?, does she sleep all day? unless you think the childs health is at riskj I wouldnt worry some kids are just smaller, I know it seems scary but it really sometimes is just no big deal.

BTW the girl who mentioned her 8wk old is 15lbs isnt using a very good exsample for averages so dont mind that. My kids have always been big but still this doesnt sound that outlandish to me - just small.

Also clothing is not a good predictor especially summer clothing my 3 yrold can wear a 18 month old pair of shorts although shes 37lbs and above the 50th percentile., and my 1.5yrold can wear her sis 3Ts over her diaper again over the 50th too.

Answer 6

Sound like you had a big baby boy. If the parents take the baby to the doctors regularly this shouldn't be a concern. Some babies are just small. Is she happy and playful, does she seem to be hitting the appropriate milestones otherwise? If so I would quit worrying. My daughter was also quite small, although she was long so she didn't fit in the clothes that were weight appropriate. I hated it when my inlaws would critize me about her weight. I would tell them what my pediatrician told me and what I just told you. It's not all about the weight. And those growth charts are only averages and also calculate in those 200lb babies that you see on talk shows.

Answer 7

The child does need to see a doctor. Do they take her in for her checkups and immunizations? If they do, then they already know she is underweight. You can ask them if they have taken her to the doctor, but unless you are a close friend you should probably stay out of it. My daughter had weight issues when she was younger. She went to doctor after doctor and had test after test to find out what the problem was. She eventually had to have a feeding tube. One of the worst things about the whole experience was all of the people who we barely knew who would give us advice and suggestions about her weight. We knew she was underweight and we were doing everything we could to fix it. You referred to her as a neighbor, not a friend. Frankly, I didn't share my daughters medical history with my neighbors, only my family and close friends. If you are really worried, then it is ok to ask if she's been to the doctor, but remember that you could just be adding stress that the parents don't need.

Answer 8

Be very careful. She may really just be very small, or she may have a health problem that your neighbor doesn't care to share with you. Some people do not choose to share their private matters with the world.

That is indeed very small for a 16 month old, but it's not unheard of, particularly with parents who are small in stature.

Does the baby look thin or otherwise unhealthy, or does she just look miniature? I have a good friend whose 2 1/2 year old daughter only weighs about 22 pounds. She is perfectly healthy, just very very petite. Mom is about 5'3" and dad is no taller than about 5'6".

With all due respect, unless you have definite evidence of neglect, or the child looks thin or wasted (or is lacking in energy normal to a child of her age), it seems to me you should simply mind your own business.

Answer 9

She may have a medical problem that the parents know about but don't share with everyone. My friends have a daughter with a cleft palette and she has a feeding tube. She is 15 months old and weighs about 17 lbs. Babies have regular check ups and shots so I would think that their doctor knows but you could bring up her size gently and maybe they have a story.

Answer 10

If you don't see her being abused then it's not any of your business. Remember that every child is different, her weight could based on many factors, like for example genetic? you even mentioned that her parents are small.. she could also be sick, but they don't want to discuss these details with you. Just leave them alone and mind your own stuff.