My daughter is 19 months old and weighs 20lbs. She has had test after test done and the doctors haven't found anything wrong except an allergy to milk. They just keep telling us to feed her more calories but she eats like a little pig. I just don't understand why she isn't gaining weight. Other than her weight she is OVERexcelling. She is above average for speaking and actions and all of that. Has anyone else been through this or know how I can help put weight on my little cutie???

Lisa - posted on 01/28/2009

Hi-I have a daughter that was very small too when she was little. She too didn't reach 20 lbs until she was close to turning 2. Her doctor was a little concerned. But she was growing and was exactly where she needed to be developmentally. I tried to make sure that she would be getting enough protein, fruits/ veggies and carbs. She is turning 5 next week. She still only weighs 33 lbs. She weighs the same as her brother who is 3 1/2 yrs old. She is very healthy, active and keeps me pretty busy. Just keep doing what your doing and I am sure she will start to put some weight on. I kept thinking that she would never reach 30lbs but she did. Hope this helps.

Kristine - posted on 01/28/2009

It is because of that drop in percentile that the doctor is concerned. How often does she throw up? I would start (if you have not already) keeping a log of what she eats and drinks and how much. Sometimes we think our child is eating more than they really are. Bowel movements and urination are also used to see how much food the body is processing. Remember when she was born and they said she should have so many wet diapers a day? That is why.

There may be absolutely NOTHING wrong with your daughter. But I for one am thankful she has a pediatrician who is determined to make sure of that.

((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))

Carol - posted on 01/28/2009

I had a very similar problem. My youngest-he's 2-weighed 17 lbs at his 1 year checkup. He was off the charts for his weight. Our doctor sent him for tests just to make sure he was ok. But we had to go back every month for like 3 months to have his weight tested. It was labeled "failure to thrive" and I hated that term because it made me feel like I was doing something wrong-even though I wasn't. He had food every day. At each checkup, he had gained weight here and there. Doctor finally just told me that everything in the tests came back normal and not to worry. He went for his 2 year checkup a few weeks ago and he is now at 28 lbs and is back up to the 50th percentile. I made the comment to the doctor that was better than last year. He agreed and said that most kids that start out small and off the charts, usually do catch up. As long as she's eating a healthy diet and the tests have come back normal, then I'd say she's probably ok.

Genny - posted on 01/28/2009

hi!! i had the same problem with my daughter she was 6.2oz when she was born and when she was 18 months she waied 17./4oz they did tons of test she was walkin at 8 months and 14.8oz when she was 2 she was still under 20 lbs my doctor told us to do everythjing we could like but butter on her food anything that would make her gainh weight nothin worked for us and at the biggenning of last summer all of a sudden she grow shes is 3 now and weights 40 lbs i don't know what happened all of a sudden she got tall and filled out still looks very small but has a little meat on her bones i wouldn't worry about you daughter unless she is loseing weight as long as she stays at the same weight theys nuthing you can do they to busy at this age to try to get them to eat what you want..

User - posted on 01/28/2009

Hi Jenn

I'm mother to 3 children, they are all different and my 4 year old actually weighs the same as my 2 year old! It's hard being a first time mum but I think the hardest lesson is learning to trust your own instincts. If your little girl is healthy and happy then my advice would be not to worry.. I was advised to up the calorific intake of my middle child which would have meant basically putting her on a high-fat diet - not exactly a healthy choice!! Instead I accepted that she was a feather-weight and destined to be petite... the alternative would be risking her adult health for the sake of fitting her into 'normal' parameters....

Px

Heather - posted on 01/28/2009

I dont think you should listen to the dr.'s ALL children are not equal. My dr's did the same thing to me about my daughter she is very small and petite, and they were all over me from 12-18mo. Like your daughter mine ate all the time she was very active, and meeting every milestone just fine. I told the dr to back off!! I wouldnt let them do one test on her, she was healthy and happy just b/c she didnt fit into there "Chart" I told them shes not a chart baby and never will be. She will be 2 in 3wks and we were just at the dr, and she's fine, her weight is right were it should be. You'll be fine you need to trust your gut, mothers always know whats best for there child not some dr who sees them every 6mo to a year. You live w/ your daughter everyday you know her best. sounds like shes happy, healthy and loved.

Siegrid - posted on 01/28/2009

Kids at that age are so active - physically and mentally. And if you make sure, she gets a really healthy diet of homecooked food and plenty of fruit with it then you will not have to worry about her weight! My son is 5,5 and quite skinny (approx 30pounds) but he just loves all sorts of exercises so he just works every bit of fat off instantly... wish it was the same for me ;-)))

Jacque - posted on 01/27/2009

I'm sorry I meant the treatment is a GLUTEN FREE diet, not gluten! Typo. The gluten(protein found in Wheat, Rye, Buckwheat) is what causes the intestinal damage. Ooops!

Jacque - posted on 01/27/2009

Have they tested your daughter for Celiac disease? This sounds a lot like me when I was little, and it numerous doctors to diagnose me. This is a malabsorption disease and the treatment is gluten. It destroys the villi in the intestines so they cannot absorb nutrients. They not have a blood test, which would likely be followed up with a small intestine biopsy if the blood was +. I recommend asking your doctor about this since it is commonly misdiagnosed. I vomit after I have gluten so as soon as you said that she sometimes throws up after eating, I thought it's a definite possibility, particularly if you have any Irish history in you or her father's background.

Heather - posted on 01/27/2009

I know exactly how you feel, my little girl is 20 months and weighs 18lbs, I have been taking her for tests since she was born and they have finally come to the conclusion that she is just small!!! I even had the feeding the thrive team out to try and help her put on weight but nothing worked really. They just said give her lots of cream and add butter to her food. So I just don't worry about it now, as long as she is eating enough food I don't worry. When they reach 2 years old their growth hormone kicks in and takes over as up until then it's food that makes them grow. So you never know when she reaches 2 she might just have a huge growth spurt...Take care.x

Tia - posted on 01/27/2009

My daughter was born 6.5 weeks early at 3 lbs 13 oz. She is 21 months and just (finally) made it to 21 lbs. She weighed 20 lbs for 9 months! I was worried, but the doctor wasn't. She has a very balanced diet and is a great eater! I have one niece who is just like my daughter, on the small side and another niece (who is 6 months younger than my daughter) and she is considerably taller and weighs quite a bit more. If your doctor is not too concerned, then just be sure to provide a balanced and healthy diet for your child. Plus, make sure she is getting adequate sleep. The doctors told me (???) a baby grows when they are sleeping. Otherwise, they are burning calories when they are awake, espeically if they are overly active. (It makes sense.)

Amanda - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi there, my little girl was 20lbs at 2 and there is nothing wrong with her. As long as you little one is eating and running around she is fine.

Laci - posted on 01/27/2009

I have three little boys that are now 10, 9 and 8 and they all had this problem.  All you have to do is let her eat good food and not fill with empty carbs or calories.  Make sure she is eating healthy and don't worry.   She is just active and small.  My neice had the same problem and she is now 6 and just ways 34 lbs.  Last month she went through a growth spurt when we started feeding her more veggies and meat and gained 4.6 lbs.  My nine year old weighs 79lbs and is over 4ft tall.  Don't stress!!  She will be fine

Jenn - posted on 01/27/2009

oops not sure why my last post cut off. She's in the

Amy - posted on 01/27/2009

If she is healthy and the doctors aren't conserned with any medical conditions I wouldn't worry about it. All kids devolop differently, let her be a kid for now. Hey maybe her high metobolism will stay with her her whole life, lucky girl. ( and if the doctors are concerned about it they should have or be working hard to find a solution for her, if not get a new doctor)

Gaby - posted on 01/27/2009

I've had the same problem with my 25 month old. She was stuck at 23 lbs since she was 18 months up until the past three weeks. I started giving her soy milk, but limited it to three times a day. I've also started giving her vitamins (regular Flintstones vitamins for toddlers), and she has gained 2 lbs in that time! Don't know if that can be attributed to a sudden growth spurt or the vitamins, but I'm happy either way!

Renee' - posted on 01/27/2009

im going through this with my daughter right now and the doctors keep telling me the same thing, but she eats ALL OF THE TIMEso all i will tell you is to not worry about it to much unless the doctors are telling you something is wrong with her

Brandy - posted on 01/27/2009

My daughter is 20 months now and at her 18month checkup she was 20 pounds, but she was also very long!  Her doctor said she's just going to be one of those girls that's long and lean (we should all be so lucky, right?!  She must get that from her Daddy!).  Anyway, I would think that as long as she's on the same growth curve as she's always been, and everything is growing in sync, then she should be ok.  My daughter is very active, and quite ahead of the curve in her development.  I wouldn't worry too much.  If the doctor didn't tell you to change her diet, then I would keep going with what you've been doing.  Sometimes, Mother does know best!  As long as she's eating well balanced meals, I wouldn't worry unless you have to!  As mother's we have enough to worry about!  Hope this helps you.  take care.

Diane - posted on 01/27/2009

my son is 19 months and is 22lbs.He too constantly eats.The doc just said he has a high metabolism.As long as they eat a good diet I wouldnt be concerned.

Stacy - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi. No worries Jenn. My daughter was only 24lbs at 2 yrs old and only in the 24th percentile. The doctor said to feed her foods higher in fat. I just feed her what we eat and what she likes. She loves fruits and vegies and I am certainly not going to push her off that path. She is just petite, like me. She is a great eater and does enjoy her share of junk. She is a bright healthy little girl.



My niece, 11, was told that she was on the heavy side by her pediatrician. This made her cry. She is an active child involved in sports and other school activities. The dr. told my sister to put her on a diet. I told her she was crazy and that the doctor was out of line telling this little girl that she was overweight, because she was not. What kind of message was he sending? Within the year she shot up and slimmed down considerably. Now at almost 13 she has started puberty and is , as she always has been, a beautiful young lady. Is it possible that even medical professionals can be wrong and a bit too vein themselves?



So, I say, go ,with the flow. Doctors will say she is too thin, feed her more calories or she is too heavy feed her less calories. You can't win. If she is thin, so what. What matters is her overall good health and development. Try not to encourage poor eating habits that may hurt her in the long run. Excessive calorie intake or overly high in fat foods to bulk up. She has the rest of her life to battle the bulge and try to tweak her metabolism.



Sorry for the essay, just wanted to make my point. I hope this was helpful. Good luck!

Michele - posted on 01/27/2009

I had the same trouble with my son. The doctor we were seeing tried to tell us that he was failure to thrive because he wasn't gaining weight however his development mentally and physically was great. We got a second opinion and were told that some kids just don't gain like others do. As long as he is doing the other things that kids his age should be doing (walking, talking, eye contact, hand-eye coordination etc) we shouldn't worry - so we don't worry! He eats, he just doesn't gain. Our son is now 8 years old and doing awesome.

Kathleen - posted on 01/27/2009

Your little princess is healthy!!  Thats all that matters most....

Donot add sugars or anything that will make her crave a unhealthy diet to her foods, such as corn syrup.  She probablay has the same DNA as a relative that was also very slim.....dont worry about, when she STOPS eating and drinking, then you should start to worry.....

K

Kristine - posted on 01/27/2009

oops you didnt' finish, is she in the same percentile now?

Ann - posted on 01/27/2009

My daughter was the about 20 lbs at 20 months. She is almost 3 1/2 now and she weighs 27 lbs. My husband is tall and lean and she seems to take after him. Every kid is different.

Jenn - posted on 01/27/2009

She was born a week late and she was 6lbs 13oz. She was in the 20th or 30th percentile when she was younger now she's in the

Doneta - posted on 01/27/2009

Sounds like she is doing great. Some kids are just smaller than others just like some have more hair or bigger dimples. Don't worry.My friends daughter is 3years old and only 21 lbs. She is doing great and so will yours.

Tennille - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi, my son is about the same, he weighed 18lbs at 18 months, we did all kind of tests and everything came back fine, his doctor recommended that we give him Carnation instant breakfast in his milk for the protein and vitamins and we have been giving it to him since, he is now 5 1/2 and we were pretty excited that he weighs 30 lbs.  He is still too skinny but he runs around like a wild man and is extremely smart so his dr and I have an agreement that I am not worried about his size so neither should she!

Beth - posted on 01/27/2009

Was your baby breast fed or did the allergy kick in right away?

Every doctors appointment I was asked if I was feeding my daughter. She is now 2 and weighs 24lbs. She eats like a little pig all day long, gets enough milk. The only trouble I have with her now is that she's not a dinner eater (unless it's something she absolutely loves, like speghetti). She is one of the most active little babies I have ever been around and I think that has a lot to do with it.

As long as your baby is getting enough protein, calories and carbs he should be fine. Is he totally allergic to anything with milk in it or just straight milk? We have to load Haylie up on cheese and other dairy products to compensate at night when she's not really eating.

Hope that helps a little.

Jenn - posted on 01/27/2009

I am blown away by the amount of help coming in. Thank you to everyone. As a first time mom it's so great to know there is a resource out there where I can talk with so many caring people. :)

Kristine - posted on 01/27/2009

I have a few questions for you if you don't mind.

What was her birth weight?
Was she born early?
Has she had any health issues?
Are they graphing her weight gain and height growth? If so she was in a certain percentile at birth and at 6 months of age. Is she in that same percentile or has ti dropped? A little or a lot?

Answering those questions can tell you if there are health reasons for the lower weight.

You said she is over excelling in other areas so we know that there is nothing wrong there.

As long as she is staying in the same percentile, don't worry about it. Give her healthy food and a well balanced diet. Let her eat as often as she wants. It is easy to just have a shelf at ehr level for snacks foods ready for her to eat, such as a container of cheerios. You can also do the same thing in the fridge with things like cheese and fruit already cut up. This teaches her good habits as she grows up.

Being low eight is not a bad thing unless she is having other health or mental issues. Don't stress about it.

Alex - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi,

   My nephew had the same problem when he was that age. His parents would add corn syrup to his milk to help him gain weight. Not a whole lot obviously, but they added a little and he started gaining weight perfectly.

Jennifer - posted on 01/27/2009

My little guy is 18 pounds and he is 4 1/2 months old. Doc said he is big for his age. Some kids are smaller then others , my nephew was teeny tiny till he was 2 then hit a major growth spurt, almost doubled his size in 4 months.

Jenny - posted on 01/27/2009

My son was only 21 pounds 6 ounces at 19 months. He was always low in his weight but fine in every other way. My doctor used to have us come in for weight checks just to make sure he was growing on the same curve but was never concerned otherwise. He was always in the bottom 1% of the chart they use to tell if they are growing properly. Every kid is different and some are going to be small. I hope if there are no other concerns they don't submit your little one to more tests. My little guy was 26 pounds at 3 and had moved up the the 8th percentile but since his father and I are not very tall and have never been overweight I don't expect my kids to be very big either:)

Rhonda - posted on 01/27/2009

my son had the same problems, would eat everything, but no weight gain. he had the PKU test at birth and it should that he has a thyroid problem and has taken medicine ever since he was 13 days old. He is now 5 and skinny as can be but eats everything.so have them do lab work and check her thyroid levels check.. it couldn't hurt.

Lindsay - posted on 01/27/2009

My daughter was 20lbs at 18 months, she is 20 months now and I doubt she has put on much weight since then (if any). She's slim and lean, very active, eats well, drinks lots of milk and has an awesome vocabulary. I don't think there's anything to worry about ... my doctor hasn't been concerned and although she is on the low end of the growth curves... someone has to be, right?

Julia - posted on 01/27/2009

My boy was born prem and altough he was v big 4 his term he never gained weight well at all. hes still v small now. hes 18 months old and still in 6-9 month clothes.

i used to get really worried about his weight gain but have now realised if there was something wrong i would know. his development is fine - maybe a lil behind but that was coz he was prem. but hes acyive and alert.

he went to see so many doctors and specialists  wen he was a baby and they all said the same thing that he may just be a slower developer or even just a small boy xx

u know deep down if there is anything wrong. if all here other areas of development are fine then normally she will be too. dont force her to eat more or podge her up. she will be wot her dna wants her to be

xxxx

Lesley - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi there. Just read your post and my friend has a little girl who was born prem. She weighed 15lbs at 1 year old!!! She is fine in all areas and eats like a horse!!She eats anything and everything!! and i believe we know if they are well physically then stuff what others say. You know best. Im sure your daughter will gain weight when the time is right for her.Lesley

Brandy - posted on 01/27/2009

Make sure she is eating hearty meals. Vegetable soups with the letters in them, mashed potatoes, lots of greens, chicken for protein. Get rid of any junk food that will just put chub on her and not help her grow.

Stephanie - posted on 01/27/2009

Not sure how to get the weight up. My son is a pretty skinny guy. He eats well but it's just that he's so active that he probably burns every calorie right off. Maybe you could try (like adults) to switch up her diet. If she's not getting certain food groups then her body will have to work harder to make up for that.