3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

So I had my DS 3 year old check up last week and even a week later, I am still upset about it. DS was 25 lbs last year at his 2 year appt and still the same weight at his 3 year appt. He grew a few inches so he looks thin.

He is not the best of eaters - he never was. He is NEVER hungry. If I don't tell him to eat, he won't eat. He has no sweet tooth. The worst thing he eats is probably burgers, fries and chicken nuggets. We do not say no to him about eating anything, in fact, we have taken him to Japanese, Korean, Italian, Indian, Spanish, Morracan, chinese - you name it. He has tried it. He eats everything, just not a lot of it.

So when we were at the appt, the ped says to me based on his hight and weight, he would be considered malnourished. He would be in the 3rd percentile.
She recommended we introduce more calories - ice cream, cookies, anything. We have been trying this past week and still nothing. In fact, when I gave him ice cream, he told me to take some away because it was too much. We started to give him the Yo Baby full fat Yogurt again. That was the only thing he liked.

Does any one have any recommendations on what I can do to get him to eat more? My heart breaks when I remember the word malnourished.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

How about milk shakes? you can add a scoop of protein to it and fatten him up? carnation instant breakfasts are good too.. full dairy for him as well..

Don't beat yourself up about it.. your ped was an a$$ for using that word with you.. he could have put it in a better way..

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

I agree with milkshakes.

Also I believe some people give their kids Carnation Insant Breakfast drinks.

What kind of things does he like eating?

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

My DS was also on the low end at near 10 percentile but it's getting better.

We try to feed him lotsa fruits and dairy and anything with good carb. As with adults its not about how much they eat but what they eat.

Have you tried making him fruit smoothies? My gobbles that up like nobody's business. He also gets yogurt and cheese sticks everyday. We also find that he loves to dip (guess it's like playing with food) so we let him dip his food in good spreads like hummus.

Good luck! Make eating fun and your DC will come around.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Have you tried making reward chart where he gets a sticker when he eats and/or finishes a meal and then if he gets a certain amount of stickers, you will buy him a new toy?

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

I was "malnourished" according to my ped till I hit 5 years old and had high cholesterol and was obese because he told my mom to feed me whatever I wanted (which was eggs, bologna, hot dogs and ice cream). Sometimes some babies are just petite!

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Def agree with the milkshakes. You can also try Pediasure.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Pediasure and Boost makes one for kids as well.
Good Luck!

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

At 18 months my DD had not gained any weight since the prior visit and we were advised to go to a pediatric gastroentrologist. He recommended carnation instant breakfast, pediasure, milkshakes, eggs, bacon, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cookies and whip cream, since she needs the fat. Also, he wanted me to put butter or olive oil in/on everything she eats. She didn't eat anything he recommended expect a chips ahoy cookie here or there and the pediasure (only the vanilla and strawberry in a baby bottle). But, I snuck the butter in everything she ate. She gained 2 pounds in a month. Perhaps try the butter and olive oil trick.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Thanks all...I am going to try the milkshakes and the Pediasure. I tried smoothies and he did not like them. I guess I will just work on the eggs, cheese and butter/milk. I just need to figure out the right balance of "good fats".

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

I highly recommend Pediasure. My DS and 2 kids in his class drink it. I'd rather him get his nourishment from what I call "real food" and I keep wondering if Pediasure is bad for his teeth but I do not believe that he would maintain his weight without it. Now that he has filled out a little bit, we cut it with milk most of the time and sometimes at school he only wants the milk especially if the other kids are only having milk at that time.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

As a ped dietitian this is what I would suggest:

Try offering good fat items that are higher calories like

Peanut butter
Avocado

greek yogurt
cheese
turkey
lean meats
pudding


frequent meals

I don't usually recommend items like pediasure b/c I think it sends the wrong message to kids - if you don't eat you get a milk shake. I prefer to recommend fortified milk drinks - such as enfagrow or go and grow b/c its more like milk (less reward)

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Some kids are just small. My daughter was born in the 85% for both at birth and within 3 weeks completely fell of the charts, like 10-15% BELOW for weight and has been there since. At her 2 year appointment she was 22.5 lbs, 1/2 lb UNDER her 18 month weight.

She eats, pretty well, she is just small. We feed her full fat dairy, cheese, yogurt etc. We put butter on her veggies. I make her smoothies with full fat yogurt and milk. I DO NOT recommended just trying to fatten him up with crap that is loaded in saturated fat, its just not healthy.

How does he look to you?Does he look healthy? Is he meeting miles stones, does he play and act like a normal child? TO ME that is more important than any number. at 4 months old some absurd doctor tried to diagnose my daughter with failure to thrive, basically saying she was starving and slowly dying. Look in my albums and my avatar. THIS is a child who is happy, smart, very active and petite, thats it. Your child is at least on the curve, mine isn't.

These are statistics, some kids will be off the charts high, some wil be off the charts low and some will be right in the middle.

Its funny My daughter has never been on the pediatricians regular charts but always has been on teh charts put out by the WHO.

Feel free to FM me anytime!

Message edited 3/15/2011 10:12:23 PM.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

DS was 50% until his 4 month checkup. After that he's always been in the 10%. For a good year he dipped to the 4th% (from 2-3 I think). Doctor's never said he was malnourished or said he had failure to thrive. His numbers were always pretty consistent and he does eat--he just doesn't eat meals. But he picks ALL day long. He looks small, has no waist, and I have to buy adjustable waist pants and pull them all the way tight. But he's active, in good health and still growing, but at his own pace.

Don't let the doctor freak you out. Some of the above sugegstions are good. I never did anything different. You can always take him to a ped nutrioshionist if your concerned and would like some tips on things to give him that are healthy, but may help him put on a little weight.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

DD1 has always been around the 5 %tile for weight. At her 2 1/2 yr. appt. I got her up to the 20 %tile. This is what I do...
I rarely tell her no when she wants a certain food to eat, but I don't let her eat sweets in excess. I do let her eat a little b/c she needs to learn moderation.

We still give her full fat milk and other dairy (mostly, she likes drinkable probiotic yogurt).

Until recently, she had a no sugar added carnation instant breakfast daily...now it is only on days that she barely eats.

She typically eats 4-5 small meals rather than 3 meals and a snack. Almost always there is a plate on the table in the den with some sort of acceptable snack on it. I know kids aren't supposed to "graze" but there is no way to get her to eat enough at meals. She'll learn in time how to eat better meals.

I don't let her fill up on liquids. She gets water but small amounts at a time. She doesn't get juice unless we are at a party/playdate or it is reward for a very well eaten meal...we give her the very small Fruitables boxes. Hey, it works!

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

My son is an amazing eater, eats everything form brocolli rabe to shrimp, beef pork...anything, and tons...he is 29 pounds, just slim, he is very active...

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

I simply don't see my son viewing Pediasure as any sort of reward. The stuff does not taste THAT good to him. I should mention that we started with it under the care of a pediatric GI doctor and that he's doing great now. Everything is about both encouragement and moderation. It's not a meal replacement for us. My son rarely eats candy or sugary foods, doesn't give me a hard time about vegetables and he eats a variety. He just does not eat enough and he seems to eat the same amount whether he drinks Pediasure that day or not. He's very active and I believe that without Pediasure he would burn more calories than he eats, which is not the way for a kid to grow.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

I agree with what others have said about filling him up with healthy fats. DS is thin (25.5 lbs at 2 yr visit), very active and just not a big eater. When I make his chicken nuggets I often fry it in olive oil. I add flax seed to the breadcrumbs (although it's really more for fiber but I think the nutrition info sayys 2.5 grams of fat for 2 teaspoons). I make him muffins with veggies or fruit in them. Anything full fat dairy. He's still on FF yobaby and milk. I also have no problem leaving food on a plate in teh living room and letting him pick at it.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

DS is 4 and is considered "severely underweight" by my pediatrician but is average height.

My DH was the same way- EXTREMELY skinny as a kid. I am slender (not underweight) as well.

So, my pediatrician said not to worry when he heard about our history- as long as he is taking his vitamins and eating fruits and vegetables and proteins. Clearly he is growing, some people are just skinny!

I am glad my pediatrician has never made a big deal about it.

Re: 3 year old check up- input from moms of thin kids

I was a horrible ester when i was younger. My grandmother would make me shakes and put an egg in the shake. So i would have some kind of protein. You cant taste it. Pediasure is a life saver. My ds wont dri k real milk, so i give him those in a blender with some ice and he is thrilled.