Growth issues in children (frustrating UPDATE on page 2)

[DisneyPhD]

That is small for her age. I don't know if this has been mentioned, but has your sister tried giving your niece those nutritional shakes for kids? I forget the brand, they come in different flavors. They are calorie rich and they help kids put weight on.

I would wait on that until the tests come back. If she is allgeric to something in that it could make things worse. If the tests come back neg, she still should see a nutrationist and changes made in diet, even if she doesn't like it much.

P&W, you sound like a great Aunt, she is lucky to have you!

 

[poohandwendy]

Are you talking about Ensure drinks, Rita? If so, my SIL (who is a nurse) tried to get my sister to give them to Maggie, but she didn't like them. She does take multi-vitamins, but if she has celiacs...it wouldn't matter because she wouldn't be absorbing her nutrients as she should, due to damage in the small intestine (if I am understanding the disease correctly)

She has always been teeny, tiny. Normal weight at birth, but she hasn't grown normally since then, IMO. I drove her to school a few months ago and was startled by how much smaller she is than other kids her age, just seeing them next to her really drove it home for me. (I usually see her around her cousins, who are either older or much younger) Funny thing is that it used to seem sort of cute, the pediatrician just said that she is a small person. But, this year especially, we all started notciing that she didn't seem healthy and I can't tell you how many people are suprised to see her talk in complete sentences...seriously, they think she is a toddler, even though she is 6. All these things just started to seem to add up. And we started really questioning my sister about it...she became very defensive. Like when my SIL mentioned supplementary drinks. We all just want her healthy.

Her younger sister is 1 yo and they both can wear the same sized shirt.

 

[RitaZ.]

Yeah, those are it. I only read your first post, I didn't know that Celiacs is being considered. I hope a cause is found and it's not anything serious. I hate it when little ones are sick.

 

[SeeDisney]

PoohandWendy,


If her diagnosis is Celiacs, I have some food tips to help out.

Replace all sandwiches with corn soft torilla wraps. Yummy!!

Quaker Rice cake and anything on top -- egg salad, tuna salad, cream cheese, peanut butter, etc.

The BEST tasting pasta is Tinkayada. Don't even tell her the pasta is gluten free! She won't even notice the difference.

Arrowhead Mills makes a pretty good cake mix too.

Good luck and please let us updated.

 

[bsnyder]

PAW, has she always had the swollen feet, or is that something recent?

My neice, in addition to Asperger's, has Turner's Syndrome. It was suspected at birth because she had some of the common physical characteristics seen in Turner's, and then verified by genetic testing. But many Turner's girls don't have any visable abnormalities at birth. Many are diagnosed later, due to short stature, and some aren't diagnosed until they fail to go through puberty.

Edema of the feet and/or hands is a common characteristic.

 

[poohandwendy]

Thanks for the ideas SD!

Bet, the doctor thinks the swollen feet are due to the hives/rash. The rash is something that just started about a year ago and started out only occasionally and is happening more and more often. But then there is the possibility that a severe lack of protein could cause that too, from what I understand. Someone else mentioned Turners...not sure if it was here or IRL (or both).

I just pray that this doctor is very, very thorough.

 

[poohandwendy]

***UPDATE...of sorts***

Well, the doctors office called my sister and said that they did not have enough blood for the tests and needed to draw more blood monday. They did take 3 vials, how much could they need? LOL, apparently more than that.

Ok, so the paranoid part of me is wondering if maybe they found something bad but want to double-check and be absolutely sure before giving a dx. The other part just thinks they actually didn't have enough blood, or lost her results, or dropped a tube or something. Either way, no answers and my niece has to go back and have it drawn again. I'm just frustrated and still worried.

 

[MELSMICE]

This is not meant to worry you more than you already are............my nephew has CF (cystic fibrosis). CF patients do not absorb the protiens in their food & tend to be very tiny individuals.

The Dr. may want to look into this as well, just to rule everything out.

Hope everything turns out well.

 

[poohandwendy]

Thanks MM, I welcome and appreciate any and all ideas and opinions. It's going to be what it is going to be. I never really thought about CF, because she doesn't seem to have major lung issues...but I guess they can present in all sorts of ways so it is not out of the realm of possibility.

I guess we just have to wait and see....argh...I hate waiting.

 

[kc10family]

DD2 has low weight gain and the Docs have so far tested for Anemia, liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disorder, recurrent serious infections, occult urinary tract infection, cystic fibrosis (both blood test and sweat test), celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. All have come out clean except the sweat test for CF and we have done that test two times so far and will do it again in a few months.

Good luck and I hope things turn out well.

 

[jennyl772003]

My son is on growth hormone and I know how frustrating it is. I was lucky in that my son has Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (underformed optic nerves) and one of the most common things to go along with this is growth hormone deficiancy. Even so, it took a lot of testing and time before they would start treatment.

My son grew normally until he was 2, then he stopped. Finally at 5 we started treatment, and now at 8, he is back on the growth chart.

Really, what I am trying to say is, I understand, and I hope everything turns up OK.

 

[MELSMICE]

Thanks MM, I welcome and appreciate any and all ideas and opinions. It's going to be what it is going to be. I never really thought about CF, because she doesn't seem to have major lung issues...but I guess they can present in all sorts of ways so it is not out of the realm of possibility.

I guess we just have to wait and see....argh...I hate waiting.

Yes, it can present itself in many different ways. My nephew is on enzymes to help with absorption of his foods.

Keep us posted with updates on your niece.

 

[marlasmom]

Wendy - I appreciate how worrisome it is. Maybe it is something that can be fixed with dietary changes.

Please keep us posted.

 

[barkley]

my son is VERY low weight for his age (9 in 2 weeks and 45 pounds)-but according to his doctors, nutritionist and dentist (tooth growth can be a great indicator of malnutrition or other dietary problems) he is completly healthy. he is at just below the right height for his age so basicly he is built like a soda straw

some kids do not have an underlying medical problem for being underweight-but they have to be closely monitored to ensure that they are receiving the correct vitamins and nutrients to ensure healthy growth. so a child who has a "natural" tendancy to be this way must have parents who ensure they are getting their nutritional needs met (and doctors that are tracking their growth and physical development).

it's realy hard to be "the bad guy" when a kid that could use any spare calorie wants to eat-but we have to control what our son eats to ensure he does'nt fill up on foods devoid of nutrition (he would probably love to have over his allotment of sweets for the day and more high fat foods-but we have to balance it out to ensure he does'nt overload on sugar or end up with high cholesterol).

whatever ends up being the situation with your neice-her mom and dad realy need to take a stand on enforcing proper eating habits, it will have such an impact on her future health (and with little girls there are issues with delayed puberty, osteoperoisis, future breast and uterin health...) i would hope the pediatrician will drive these issues home with her and bring in a nutritionist who can help her with what will be very difficult at times.

both are very fortunate to have caring family members such as yourself.

 

[Briarmom]

Prayers are being said.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Sending good thoughts to your neice and family.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Sending out prayers for you guys.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

***UPDATE...of sorts***

Well, the doctors office called my sister and said that they did not have enough blood for the tests and needed to draw more blood monday. They did take 3 vials, how much could they need? LOL, apparently more than that.

Ok, so the paranoid part of me is wondering if maybe they found something bad but want to double-check and be absolutely sure before giving a dx. The other part just thinks they actually didn't have enough blood, or lost her results, or dropped a tube or something. Either way, no answers and my niece has to go back and have it drawn again. I'm just frustrated and still worried.

What likely happened is that they needed to run a different test and didn't have the right color tube. Different tests are run from different colors - e.g. purple top is for hematology; green is for chemistry; blue is for coags, etc. I don't think it is necessarily cause for alarm.

I read what you wrote yesterday but I have to say I am still a bit concerned about the rash and extremity swelling.

 

[L107ANGEL]

You will all be in my prayers and sending you all positive thoughts!

 

[Disney_1derland]

Just wanted to send warm thoughts for a speedy diagnosis. What a horrible thing to go through for everyone involved. Here's hoping that very soon she will be back on the track to health.