looking for help to help my 3yr old gain weight

3laine75

it honestly sounds like you're doing everything right. i was going to suggest full fat milk but you already do that. your daughter might just be naturally 'skinny' - i know both of mine were.

it'd be far too easy to just stuff her full of sweet, fatty treats (which is what it seems your doctor is suggesting?!?) which she'd pay for later on. as long as she has plenty of energy to play etc. i wouldn't worry about it too much.

sorry, i don't know the recommended cals for a 3 yr old.

princessmommy122

My three year old is tiny. She weighed twenty five pounds at her annual check up. But her doctor said she's fine, just small. Some docs use failure to thrive more loosely than others. With my daughter, the doctor's advice was whatever L wants, L gets. In other words, just keep the foods she likes available and feed her often.

ninerbuff

If she's underweight, but other wise healthy, then don't fret about it. My DD at 9 years old is considered underweight (based on charting) but everything else is fine including height, eyesight, learning ability, etc. Kids won't choose to eat nutritiously, but then they don't starve themselves either. We have set times to eat (breakfast, lunch, dinner), but I don't force her to "clean her plate". I do make sure to encourage decent eating habits with vegetables and protein sources though.

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akillilea0812

I should add ...that I swear this child is a self proclaimed vegetarian ...she will eat meat but its usually bribed by me for her to do so... last year I grew her her very own vegetable garden full of tomatoes, beans, snap peas, carrots peppers anything to encourage her to eat snacks while out playing, if only I could find a cookie tree or something ahaha ...point is she would rather sit at the table with a whole tomato in hand and a pile of beans and ranch in the other and if veggies are cooked she doesn't touch them ???? she has definitely surprised me as far as what a toddler will and will not eat ! The kid wont even eat pizza :noway:

That is amazing that she wants to eat fresh vegetables and fruits from the garden and I absolutely adore that you let her grab those snacks while she is playing. Makes me so happy to hear that! I understand the concern about her gaining weight, but please don't break these healthy habits. It is not easy to get a child to eat these amazing foods, so encourage that behavior. Awesome job! I am always impressed when kids take control (in a good way) over their diet. I was a vegetarian for a while when I was a kid too

Again - I know the point is to be adding calories to her diet, but watch what kinds of calories you are adding. Tossing extra butter, cheese, etc. onto foods for her will likely cause her to want higher fat foods later on in life. It will take a while to break this craving as well. I love the idea of supplementing with a kids nutrition shake or bar. I LOVE clif's kids zbars, they're delicious and really healthy. I have also heard good things about the "kickstart" shakes (i think they are from pediasure? cant remember). Another thing you can try is the horizon milk boxes if she likes milk. They have regular, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, etc. and each is around 100-150 calories. Pretty easy way to toss in calories, protein, fat... plus they taste good

Hope that helps a little. Good luck with everything!

Why exactly are butter and cheese habits that need to be broken? Kids need higher calorie foods. Kids need fats and lots of them. Kids need calcium, and lots of it. Nutritional needs change throughout our lives, and it's wrong to deny children essential fats on some mistaken belief that these foods are "bad." Stop thinking like a dieter and start thinking like a gainer.

Kids should be eating all the fats a parent can get in them, particularly kids that are extremely hard gainers.

The last thing a kid needs is a preconceived notion that eating fats is a bad thing. Fats are extremely important for the absorption of fat-soluble micronutrients and for digestion.

I am certainly not saying that kids shouldn't eat fat at all and I definitely would never teach a child that fat is a bad thing. Adding cheese and butter to foods is fine, especially if it is the only way to get your child to eat veggies or grains. But - tossing in double/extra of those things just to add calories is a bit overkill. There are healthier options for fats than that. I am not thinking like a dieter, clearly this kid doesn't need to go on a diet. But havnig a background in nutrition (and specifically lifecycle/chidlren's nutrition) I can't recommend that she just add butter to everything.

And studies have proven that your eating habits as a child contribute to your tastes as an adult. Those habits can be broken, but it isn't always that easy.

Everyone has their own opinions on nutrition, those are mine. No need to get argumentative.

skippygirlsmom

My daughter is almost 14 and weighs 71 lbs as of today and is 4'10" if she stands real tall, she has NEVER EVER been on the charts for weight. However, I can count on 2 fingers the number of times she has been sick. She is very active, she's a distance runner for HS though she's only in middle school, plays soccer and never stops moving.

She's not big on meat besides chicken which she loves, she will eat a plate of broccoli before she'll eat a candy bar so getting calories into her isn't always easy. Sometimes I wonder where she gets that from LOL Some of the things we have done to help her maintain/gain weight are:

1. She drinks whole milk
2. She doesn't like school lunches so takes her lunch, usually peanut butter sandwich, some fruit and a dessert. I do encourage her to have an ice cream with lunch each day, sometimes she does sometimes she doesn't.
3. She's a big fan of Ovaltine. We tried pedisure and she hated it. Some mornings with breakfast she'll have eggs, bacon and an ovaltine milkshake with ice cream.
4. She always has snacks to eat when she wants them like yogurt, cheese, veggies, fruits and ranch dressing/caramel for dip. Nothing she eats is low in fat or anything like that.
5. If she has toast she'll usually put peanut butter or butter on it.
6. If I make eggs I put cheese in them and use butter in the pan. I don't shy away from cooking her foods oil etc.
7. After running she gets a big glass of Tru Moo.
8. She does like to have a dessert of some kind around 8:00 each night so she will usually have a few cookies (3) and a glass of milk.

To ensure she doesn't eat a lot of junk (like chips etc), she has set up for herself a snack box. On Sunday 14 snacks go in the box pre done in the serving size in small zip lock bags. She can eat these snacks any time she wants, however, since they aren't what we would call healthy when she runs out of the 14 she is done for the week. She has never finished all 14 in a week. There is always fruit and pre cut veggies in the frig for her with ranch if she wants to dip and she tends to go for the grapes and strawberries.

I feel bad for her at times, because she is so tiny compared to her peers. When she runs at meets you will actually hear people comment "aw look how little she is". Neither her doctor or nor are concerned, she is so healthy and happy. There are times when she looks frail to me and then we really try to bump with the calories to maintain at least 70 lbs, where she has been for the past 18 months. The only thing her doctor has said is that if she doens't start her cycle by 15 he wants to do some tests. She is not expected to reach 5' at this point, so she'll going to be a little one. However, don't cross her on the soccer field, she's a stopper and fierce.

Best of luck.

tegalicious

I should add ...that I swear this child is a self proclaimed vegetarian ...she will eat meat but its usually bribed by me for her to do so... last year I grew her her very own vegetable garden full of tomatoes, beans, snap peas, carrots peppers anything to encourage her to eat snacks while out playing, if only I could find a cookie tree or something ahaha ...point is she would rather sit at the table with a whole tomato in hand and a pile of beans and ranch in the other and if veggies are cooked she doesn't touch them ???? she has definitely surprised me as far as what a toddler will and will not eat ! The kid wont even eat pizza :noway:

That is amazing that she wants to eat fresh vegetables and fruits from the garden and I absolutely adore that you let her grab those snacks while she is playing. Makes me so happy to hear that! I understand the concern about her gaining weight, but please don't break these healthy habits. It is not easy to get a child to eat these amazing foods, so encourage that behavior. Awesome job! I am always impressed when kids take control (in a good way) over their diet. I was a vegetarian for a while when I was a kid too

Again - I know the point is to be adding calories to her diet, but watch what kinds of calories you are adding. Tossing extra butter, cheese, etc. onto foods for her will likely cause her to want higher fat foods later on in life. It will take a while to break this craving as well. I love the idea of supplementing with a kids nutrition shake or bar. I LOVE clif's kids zbars, they're delicious and really healthy. I have also heard good things about the "kickstart" shakes (i think they are from pediasure? cant remember). Another thing you can try is the horizon milk boxes if she likes milk. They have regular, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, etc. and each is around 100-150 calories. Pretty easy way to toss in calories, protein, fat... plus they taste good

Hope that helps a little. Good luck with everything!

Why exactly are butter and cheese habits that need to be broken? Kids need higher calorie foods. Kids need fats and lots of them. Kids need calcium, and lots of it. Nutritional needs change throughout our lives, and it's wrong to deny children essential fats on some mistaken belief that these foods are "bad." Stop thinking like a dieter and start thinking like a gainer.

Kids should be eating all the fats a parent can get in them, particularly kids that are extremely hard gainers.

The last thing a kid needs is a preconceived notion that eating fats is a bad thing. Fats are extremely important for the absorption of fat-soluble micronutrients and for digestion.

I am certainly not saying that kids shouldn't eat fat at all and I definitely would never teach a child that fat is a bad thing. Adding cheese and butter to foods is fine, especially if it is the only way to get your child to eat veggies or grains. But - tossing in double/extra of those things just to add calories is a bit overkill. There are healthier options for fats than that. I am not thinking like a dieter, clearly this kid doesn't need to go on a diet. But havnig a background in nutrition (and specifically lifecycle/chidlren's nutrition) I can't recommend that she just add butter to everything.

And studies have proven that your eating habits as a child contribute to your tastes as an adult. Those habits can be broken, but it isn't always that easy.

Everyone has their own opinions on nutrition, those are mine. No need to get argumentative.

But cheese and butter are healthy fats for an underweight child. They are full fat sources of much needed calories that come in a small size. There is nothing wrong with adding butter to vegetables and bread and noodles really for anyone but especially for an underweight child who eats small portion sizes. And it isn't necessarily something that she will need to break her child of later. Like I said before, I grew up eating buttered toast, biscuits, veggies, and noodles and I don't use butter on anything now as an adult.

RozayJones

My 7 year old has always been small and we have been on "diary plans" (food diary) many many times. We go to the dr. once a month for weight checks. I hate it because he is perfectly healthy just tiny.....buy Carnation Instant breakfast - so many extra calories and they can drink it at each meal or at least for breakfast. My 9 year old and two step-daughters know he is small and he needs it....not them. This has helped him maintain 41 pounds.....he hasn't gained more but he hasn't lost!

Good luck!

joybedford

I am going through this with my 9 year old he will be 10 in June and weighs 45lbs. He has ADHD and is on Ritalin which really affects his appetite he eats nothing in the daytime but eats massive amounts for breakfast and his evening meal. He recently gained 3lbs as he developed a taste for cheese omelettes for breakfast but he has since gone off these. He also has autism so is a fussy eater he also was lactose intolerant until he was 4 and I still think their is a degree of this and failure to thrive as a result. I am waiting to see his doc again. We were given the same advice but his twin sister is the opposite and slightly overweight so I don't want to encourage her to eat poor food choices. I don't have any answers but just wanted to say I can relate to this. It breaks my heart when I see his skinny body.

ernielaurie

According to the Dr's/Health Nurses, my kids were always underweight. They had good appetites but were very active. I wouldn't worry to much, both of mine are now adults and perfectly healthy.

themedalist

I'm sure they would've already tested for this, but I have a family member whose child had those same type of issue for many years. She was years later diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I would assume that's been looked at already and seems pretty run of the mill, but this was only a few years back. The family spent a long time and saw a lot of doctors before it was pinpointed because she didn't have any of the normal symptoms. (Other than her body not absorbing any nutrients.) Just a thought in case you haven't gone there yet.

+1. My family had the same experience. Once my nephew was correctly diagosed with Celiac's and put on an appropriate diet, he's starting to catch up growth-wise.

GBrady43068

what they suggest I do... which is feed her chicken nuggets , hotdogs etc.

Wow. I can't believe any respectable doctor or nutritionist would recommend feeding any child hot dogs and chicken nuggets*. I think you need a new doctor or nutritionist.

+1. I question the doc who suggests deliberately adding fried food just to "bulk up" your kid. And I also want to second, not judging YOU...my kid eats hot dogs, chicken nuggets etc. from time to time...but I am judging the doc's advice.

I would get a second opinion to see if this is really something to be concerned about or whether your child just happens to be on the scrawny side (for now). It could just be her waiting for her growth spurt. Nevertheless, it's a good idea to make sure there isn't something medically wrong that's keeping her from gaining even though she appears (from what you've told us) to be eating normally.

Good luck.

socajam

You could try those drinks like Ensure or Fortisip. They're nutritious and high calories (they are used as pre-surgery food and sometimes are given to anorexics when refeeding) so one per day might make a world of difference. I doubt your other kids would be jealous especially if you framed it as a medical drink.

Hell no, have you seen all the crap that is in them, so-called healthy.

Get full fat yogurt, add frozen fruit - bananas, strawberries, mangoes, peanut or almond butter - you have a food with no chemicals and natural sugar.

Hot latte for breakfast - pumpkin, coconut oil, peanut/almond butter, some high bran cereal and 2% to full fat milk - very filling and healthy - or even natural protein powder

Make the stuff yourself - that way you know exactly what your daughter is eating, leave the chemical food in the store where it belongs.

pereira7430

I believe that she is still young at three to even begin to put her on any sort of dietary regiment; however, if you would like to hear one more lowly opinion, cream of wheat and quaker oats are definitely a good source of vitamins and great alternative to packing on a couple extra pounds. prepare as directed (with water) and when serving, add little sugar and carnation evaporated milk. It will turn into a warm thick "soup-like" consistency. It is absolutely delicious!
Good luck!

jamiesillimandunn

As of yesterday she weighs 30pounds she will be four on two months her two almost three yr. old sister weighs 34.5 same height so thenunderweight daughter is not even on the charts right mow . still loving all the advice and support ...glad to see many have gone through this and your kids are still going strong . Seems I'm doing all I can do at this point . I'm going to focus all my extra will to this for the next couple of months and see where it takes me at the next checkup. There was a point when she was sickly when she was two but we have come a long way from that. And now being here on MFP I've learned A LOT as far as nutrition and balancing all types of food being key. I think we are on the right track and glad I came to this end of weight concerns to further my understanding :flowerforyou:

jlynnm70

My son - now 22 - was always at the bottom of the charts - one doctor (a partner that saw him rather than my regular doc) actually did some additional blood testing to see why - but my regular doc said - "it's just a chart - some kids at the bottom, some at the top, and some in the middle, you just have a 10 percentile child." He is thin, but proportionate, he is developing normally and look and you and his dad - he isn't going to be a big kid.

A few things we did do - gave carnation instant breakfast with meals - told him it was chocolate milk. He ate lots of PB, whole milk, etc. I really didn't worry about it so much, gave things like granola bars and other calorie dense snacks.

He is 22 years old and still stick thin. But that is just the way he is.

My daughter 11 - she is tiny too - but we don't fret about it. Someday maybe it will catch up with her (it did me when I hit puberty)

Allison0620

Hi there! I have also had this problem with my now three year old daughter. I started making her 'smoothies.' I used variations of frozen yogurt, peanut/almond butter, fruit, chocolate, whole milk..and anything else I could fit in there. All my kids love it, they think its a treat and I love it because it's higher in calories and good fats. Of course I didn't give it to her everyday, but this mixed with those high calorie nutritional shakes you were talking about and a good diet seemed to make the difference.

jamiesillimandunn

Ive seen the celiac come up a few times already that will something I will consider bringing up at next visit . I remember once the Dr. Contemplating testing her for something like that but never did.

jamiesillimandunn

Hi there! I have also had this problem with my now three year old daughter. I started making her 'smoothies.' I used variations of frozen yogurt, peanut/almond butter, fruit, chocolate, whole milk..and anything else I could fit in there. All my kids love it, they think its a treat and I love it because it's higher in calories and good fats. Of course I didn't give it to her everyday, but this mixed with those high calorie nutritional shakes you were talking about and a good diet seemed to make the difference.

Gonna do this

nancyluckhurst3

Find another Dr. More than likely this kid will grow up just fine. I am here trying to lose weight. When i was 3 mother told me I looked like a little "war orphan" a she called it. Everyone told her I needed to gain weight so she fed me milk shakes in between meals. At the age of 8 I started gaining weight and by 12 I was over weight and have fought it all my life. The "your kid needs to be so tall, and weigh so much at certain ages is pure crapola. My first daughter was just like I was. Very thin when she was young. I didn't worry about it and she still ended up over weight by the time she was 20. She was healthy, never sick as a little girl. If you child is not having other health issues she is normal for her. Leave her alone.

So here I am on MFP myself to lose weight but on the other hand I have three young daughters ages 5.3.2 all very healthy and just cute as can be but my 3yr old little girl , has struggled since born to gain the amount of weight her pediatrician would like her to gain , going back and forth with the label of "failure to thrive" and being a mom , that sentence just breaks my heart. I do all I can to keep them fed well , eat healthy etc. I have sought out nutritionists advice as well as the pediatricians advice and I'm just extremely baffled and lost as to what they suggest I do... which is feed her chicken nuggets , hotdogs etc. Etc. And none have suggested a calorie intake on her part .I feel IF I fed HER that I to would have to feed my other children the same way and In turn be setting up ALL my children for other weight and health issues , so for me that is NOT the option. I already span out her meals to about four or five a day (small) with nuts good fats, cheese full fat milk, and even buy the high calorie shakes for kids ....so I'm here in hopes yall can give me some advice on what I need the opposite of , healthy HIGH calorie food. She fills up fast so I'm thinking something small like a bar, or cookie I can make at home or even shakes you may have stumbled upon during your journeys.

nancyluckhurst3

By the way my kids did just fine and not one of the 8 of them ever saw a "pediatrician" They went to our family Dr who knew our family history from the git go and knew how I took care of my children. He told his interns who worked in his office My kids were the healthiest kids in his practice. They ate good nutritious meals and I didn't worry about how much, just that they got veggies, protein and fruits as well as dairy products.