Underweight 10yr old

[weez1]

Hi,

My son is 10 years old and is underweight. His height is around the 50th centile and weight is 9th centile.

His appetite is spasmodic. There are days when he eats very little and days were he eats all the time. Over the last 6 mths he has lost weight rather than gained despite my efforts to increase his weight.

He has Adhd and is on a medication that may affect his appetite. His weight loss was picked up on his last visit to the doc and I have a review in 3mths. I need to boost his weight before his next appointment.

Has anyone else had experience of this problem and how have they tackled it?

[colditz]

I have no experience but rather than boosting his appetite have you tried offering foods that are naturally higher in calories, such as cheese, nuts, cream cakes etc?

[weez1]

I'd thought about cheese because he loves it but I hadn't considered nuts as he doesn't like them. However you have given me an idea of including them in cakes, Thanks

[LilyBolero]

What is his weight? I would be a bit concerned about weight loss, but not about being light iyswim. My 8.5 year old is VERY light - he only weighs 3 stone 5, which is probably underweight, but is right for him iyswim, as he is a light frame, very narrow shoulders and pelvis. My dd is 4 stone, despite being younger (she is 6.4), so that puts her nearer the top of the centile chart, but again it is right for her - she is slim, no fat anywhere, but has broader shoulders and hips.

Things I have done to boost ds1's food intake are always using full fat milk, using chocolate spread mixed with peanut butter, letting him have as much cereal as he wants before bed (again with full fat milk). He burns off whatever he eats though, as he never stops moving and jumping!

There is a really good 'tonic' called Minadex - might be worth a try. Do check the ingredients though, if your ds is ADHD - it's very sticky orange, so may have additives/colour in that is not appropriate, I just don't know!

[weez1]

26kgs with I think is just over 4st.
Cereal before bed would probably go down very well and I hadn't though about going back to full fat milk. I will check out Minadex as well. THX

[LilyBolero]

The cereal works really well with us - ds1 usually has 2 or 3 bowls. He just can't put any weight on at all - he has probably only put on a couple of pounds in the last 2 years!