Needs ideas on how to get ds (7) to gain weight

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Thanks everyone! Love all the ideas

 

[golfgal]

I guess I don't see that he is all that skinny. Yes he is thin but not overly thin. He is almost 60 lbs at age 7, that is pretty normal. He may not eat much but is what he eating healthy? If he eats a healthy diet and is growing at a normal for him rate, don't start pumping him with junk just to get him to gain weight. Give him a multi-vitamin if necessary. I have an ultra thin boy too but he his healthy and has grown at a steady rate. It is tough to buy pants for them but that isn't a reason to fatten him up. I think DS15 hit 60 lbs in about 6th grade. He is 5' 10" and weighs MAYBE 110 lbs now.

 

[bdcp]

Unless his doctor is concerned, why are you? My DS's were both very lean and still are at 24 and 27. My youngest DS had delayed purberty (for no reason other than genetics). At 14 he wasn't even 5' tall. He had his growth spurt in his senior year of HS. He is now 5'8" and still only weighs 130 lbs. He's a lot like his paternal grandfather and looks younger than he is which he'll appreciate in a few years. My oldest DS who was tall for his age was always thin and now at 27 he's 6'1" and weighs about 175 lbs. They both wore slims growing up and when my oldest DS started kindergarten, I had to take in his slim pants so they wouldn't fall down. Doctors were never concerned about their weight, ever. My youngest only saw an endocrinologist due to his delayed puberty, which worked itself out. Kids grow at different rates and unless a kid is undernourished why on earth would you insist on making him gain weight? I don't get it.

 

[golfgal]

I just looked at a weight chart for a 7 year old and his weight puts him in the 75% for weight-what is the issue?

http://www.chartsgraphsdiagrams.com/HealthCharts/weight-2-20-boys.html

 

[It'sWDW4me]

My DS went through the same thing. He was on Concerta from 5 yrs old until 10. He just didn't have a very big appetite. Slim pants had to be cinched - what a wonderful thing those inside bands are!! My ex and his wife were beside themselves that DS was "wasting away" and was "just too thin" and .... blah, blah, blah. The doctors were never overly concerned with DS's weight and with my family all pooh-sized, I was quite happy for DS.

But I did keep a stock of Boost, which he liked.

DS's days of trying to gain weight are over. Now he's wanting to get rid of a few pounds.

 

[Hannathy]

I guess I don't see that he is all that skinny. Yes he is thin but not overly thin. He is almost 60 lbs at age 7, that is pretty normal. He may not eat much but is what he eating healthy? If he eats a healthy diet and is growing at a normal for him rate, don't start pumping him with junk just to get him to gain weight. Give him a multi-vitamin if necessary. I have an ultra thin boy too but he his healthy and has grown at a steady rate. It is tough to buy pants for them but that isn't a reason to fatten him up. I think DS15 hit 60 lbs in about 6th grade. He is 5' 10" and weighs MAYBE 110 lbs now.

I agree I don't understand the concern? I have a 6th grader who did just hit 60 lbs late fall. He is and has always been skinny. I think he will be following Golfgals sons footsteps exactly.

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

The Dr. was a little concerned (I think due to the meds, that's why he mentioned him drinking the ensure) and I was more concerned about him eating very little and staying healthy, but, I do feel much better after hearing from y'all.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The Dr. was a little concerned (I think due to the meds, that's why he mentioned him drinking the ensure) and I was more concerned about him eating very little and staying healthy, but, I do feel much better after hearing from y'all.

You can always get the opinion of an endocrinologist later if he starts dropping his percentiles drastically over the course of the yr.

What you do is map out the growth curve every 3 months over the course of an entire FULL yr. Then you evaluate.

Also make sure the doctor does some bloodwork to rule out "medical" stuff like thyroid, diabetes, etc first, just to be on the safe side. That should have been the first thing that was done. You just never know on that front.

Once you get the all clear you can just map growth and see how it goes.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Really fattening ice cream and other yummy high fat things like McDonalds, thick rich chocolate milk with a drop of heavy cream in it, cheese on everything, together it worked while I was trying to put weight on my preemie DD. Now she is just like everyone else.

The high calorie diet shouldn't be forever but a decent amount of fat stores should be on a child's body for times of sickness. When DD had Rotavirus she was deathly ill and had no cushion to absorb the water loss (fat holds a lot of water) or weight loss, it was scary. Anyway, right after Rotavirus was when I started to pump her up. In a matter of months she was exactly where she needed to be and has stayed there

When a kid is healthy being thin is no big deal but throw a illness into the mix and things can go south in a hurry.... much faster than with a kid who has some wiggle room.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

As someone whose child was on growth hormone and fielded questions similiar to this I will answer....

When you have a drop in your percentiles it could indicate an issue, no matter what percentile you are in. Esp. if you continue to drop over the course of a yr.

It is one of the ways that you track your child's health.

Now my concern is that the doctor blames the meds right away without doing any bloodwork to rule stuff out.

I just looked at a weight chart for a 7 year old and his weight puts him in the 75% for weight-what is the issue?

http://www.chartsgraphsdiagrams.com/HealthCharts/weight-2-20-boys.html

I agree I don't understand the concern? I have a 6th grader who did just hit 60 lbs late fall. He is and has always been skinny. I think he will be following Golfgals sons footsteps exactly.

 

[palavra]

He weighs 53 pds and is 7 years old will be 8 in July. He wears a 7 slim which i still have to adjust the inside buttons to around the fourth hole (and x for length because his height is slightly above). He is on focalin xr which can effect his appetite and weight.

My daughter is 8 and weighs 42 pounds but is on the short side at only 47" tall. She is also on FocalinXR.

Our doctor just told us to let her eat when she is hungry. That means that she may eat very little at standard meal times. We let her graze throughout the day.

 

[golfgal]

As someone whose child was on growth hormone and fielded questions similiar to this I will answer....

When you have a drop in your percentiles it could indicate an issue, no matter what percentile you are in. Esp. if you continue to drop over the course of a yr.

It is one of the ways that you track your child's health.

Now my concern is that the doctor blames the meds right away without doing any bloodwork to rule stuff out.

She never said he was dropping percentiles-it is also not uncommon for a child's weight to move to lower percentiles around this age as they lose their 'baby fat" and start growing. Growth issues are more commonly focused on height, not so much weight. We also had one deal with growth issues and his weight was always fine, just didn't grow at all for 2 1/2 years. Again, this child is NOT all that off base for what he should be.

 

[HM]

Instant breakfast is a yummy alternative to drink that will add vitamins and minerals to his diet.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

She never said he was dropping percentiles-it is also not uncommon for a child's weight to move to lower percentiles around this age as they lose their 'baby fat" and start growing. Growth issues are more commonly focused on height, not so much weight. We also had one deal with growth issues and his weight was always fine, just didn't grow at all for 2 1/2 years. Again, this child is NOT all that off base for what he should be.

My dd was on growth hormone and let me tell you that is so wrong.

Kids on growth hormone have problems with overall growth which includes weight. I know it is hard for someone to understand that who has not been through it.

And yes she never said he was dropping his percentage however I am assuming because the doctor was concerned. That would be the only reason a doctor would have concern for a child's weight issue.

 

[Magpie]

I switched my daughter over to whole milk when she dropped down to the 5th percentile during a growth spurt. That, and making sure I always gave her full fat versions of everything (ie, cheese), really helped. I also cut out anything that was likely to kill her appetite without giving her any real nutrition in return - so no more soda pop or juice. Milk or water were her beverage choices.

It's no good trying to force them to eat more, if they don't have the appetite for it. It's just better to make sure that the food they DO eat is higher in caloric content and good quality.

A higher fat diet won't hurt a child, on the short term.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

My dd was on growth hormone and let me tell you that is so wrong.

Kids on growth hormone do not grow at all and not just with height. I know it is hard for someone to understand that who has not been through it.

And yes she never said he was dropping his percentage however I am assuming because the doctor was concerned. That would be the only reason a doctor would have concern for a child's weight issue.

My oldest child has been under the care of an endocrinologist for the past 7 years. It has been drilled into my head over and over again that the focus is on height and for him to grow not to just gain weight.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My oldest child has been under the care of an endocrinologist for the past 7 years. It has been drilled into my head over and over again that the focus is on height and for him to grow not to just gain weight.

Yes, height is one of the goals however overall growth is the ultimate goal. From your feet, weight, skull growth etc.

My dd did the shots daily for 6yrs. She was unable to gain weight without the hormone.

Plus her feet, she wore the same shoe and clothes size for 2-3 yrs. I knew that was NOT normal. She stopped the shots after 5th grade. She was almost done anyway. She ended up at 5'1".

 

[ljcrochet]

One of my girls in under the 25% for weight and over 75% for height, and the pedi said to just make sure she is eating healthy since you don't want to load up on unhealthy choices, especially since there will come a time when weight gain is not a struggle.
I have the hardest time finding clothing that fit her since she is the weight of a size 3 but the height of a size 6.

 

[Tinkabella]

Nuts...Nuts...Nuts !


We started letting our DS snack on nuts and it made all the difference.

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Nuts...Nuts...Nuts !


We started letting our DS snack on nuts and it made all the difference.

Any certain ones?