Are your school age preemies still tiny? Are your doctors concerned?

Shannon - posted on 02/22/2010

My son was born at 30 weeks and was 3lbs 1.7 oz and 16 1/2 in long. He is going to be 6 in 2 weeks and he is really tall and thin. He finally just hit in the 40 lb range his last Dr. appt which was a few months ago. I put him on vitamins for some other issues that he has and that for him seemed to really help him keep the weight on. I have him on a liquid multi vitamin (he won't chew a vitamin) and also Omega 369 Junior and Vitamin B6. I also make sure that I feed him things with a higher fat content like yogurt that is 2% milkfat and we make homemade mac and cheese with butter and milk and stuff like that.
We love our Pediatrician and he told us that as long as our son is eating well and continuing to climb in weight even if it is slow, there is nothing to worry about. Everyone's body works differently and his is working fine for him :)
Good luck!

Kim - posted on 02/21/2010

My son was born @ 31 wks 2 lbs 12 oz, he is now 10 years old. He finally hit the 50% for his height and weight for the first time this year. Our dr was great! as long as he either stayed in the same % ile or gained she just sat back and waited and watched. He was thriving but small and thin, but my husband and I were always thin growing up too. She let him set the pace. The only problem we have ever had (knock on wood) is we found out he had GERD for pretty much his entire life. He didn't know any better and one day he just asked me why he always had vomit come up into his throat! I was mortified! He went thru some tests and sure enough he had moderate to severe reflux. He's been on medication for 4 years now and it has help not only his appetite but also his asthma and his voice.
All I can tell you is look for Slim sizes - you can usually find a bunch on ebay. They have been a God send. Give it time, remember they are premature until age 8 so don't worry too much. You'll know as a mom, when to worry. Good Luck!

Heidi - posted on 02/21/2010

Ellen - My son was born 14 weeks early and weighed 1 lb 8 oz. He was pretty small for the first 3 or 4 years - but then he started to catch up. He is now 7 years old and weighs about 50+ pounds. I'm not sure if that's a normal weight for that age - but he looks like other kids, maybe a little thinner. Most of my research & his doctors told me he would start to catch up around Kindergarten & 1st grade - and they were right. Do what your doctor says, but never, ever ignore your own reservations if you feel something's not helping or right.

Heather - posted on 02/18/2010

My 6-year-old daughter, who was born full term (8lbs, 5oz) is 4' tall and only 40 pounds. So her weight/BMI for age is only about 1% or 2%. After she was mobile, her height continued to increase, but she just never really packed on any weight.
My 5-year-old daughter, who was 33 weeks (5lbs, 5oz) is 43" tall and is 37-39 pounds (depending on time of day, etc) She really caught up on BOTH height & weight.

So, it really doesn't matter on the preemie aspect for your twins. Children grow at different rates (even twins), and sometimes go thru a growth spurt for height without really adding weight. As some of the other moms have pointed out, as long as you are helping your children to develop healthy eating habits, they should both be okay.

Because the doctor is concerned, I would just try some different things right now. One time when we were worried about my older daughter's weight, the dr. had me keep a food journal for about 3-4 weeks so we could pinpoint if she was even taking in enough calories for her age & activity level.

As for clothes for all the skinny kiddos out there: try buying pants that are the right length that have adjustable waistbands on the inside. When the kids get into "little girls" or "little boys" (sizes 4-8-ish), many pants now come in "slim." Hope this helps.

Shavaune - posted on 02/18/2010

Preemies are generally caught up to what they would have been if they had been born full term by the age of 2 years. My oldest son was only 33 lbs in kindergarten (who was 8lbs 4oz at birth) and he is now 11 years old and 5"3 and 115 lbs lol My 10 year old was always skinny as a rail and he's finally starting to pack on the lbs now. They also had my put him on whole milk and all that and it had no real effect on him. Now I can't keep enough food in the house no matter how hard I try! lol
I also had a preemie at 34 weeks and she caught up by 6 months to the 90% tile. Now she's 22 months and on the 50% tile! lol Go figure! I find that they go through different stages where they will gain weight and grow a bunch and kind of catch up. I have 4 kids and they have all went through a skinny stage and their all perfectly healthy and normal. If the doctor has checked them out and their not deficient in vitamins, iron etc and there are no other health concerns then what does it matter if their a little small for their age? As long as they are eating healthy food and are active they'll be fine. I just make sure they take their vitamins and eat good food. Not all kids grow at the same rate.

Lora - posted on 02/18/2010

I feel your pain. Though my son is only two, he is above average in height (over 3 feet), but his weight is down (27 lbs). I have a hard time finding clothes for him! He's still wearing 12 months on the bottom and 2T on the top! But, the 12 months are too short, but if I even get 18 months, they fall off of him. The doctor told me that as long as he is eating healthy and drinking his milk, he will be fine and not to worry. I'm hoping you receive a reply about when they balance out as well. I'm curious to know if my son will ever be able to wear pants that are long enough for him!