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Original poster

WWYD to bulk up a skinny child?

52 replies

strokey · 16/08/2013 12:41

My 5 year old is on the 9th centile for weight. Looking at him running around naked this summer I can see he is actually quite bony.

I am 5.3 and my husband is 5.10, both slim, so we were never going to have a chubby child. He was 6lb at birth.

He is very easy to feed, he will eat absolutely anything, but not a lot of it, so I have so far only given him "food of high nutritional value" since he doesn't have large portions. Also, that's what we eat.

I know he would put on weight if I gave him a donut twice a day, but then he would eat less good food.

He has full fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and the occasional piece of chocolate for calories, but I don't have things like biscuits, crisps or cakes in the house as Im so terrified of getting fat.

Any suggestions as to how I can bulk him up a bit while still giving him a decent diet?

The other thing we were wondering, is, are should we even worry about those weight charts? I know that 1 in 3 children is too fat, so does that mean being on the 50th centile is actually quite chubby, and I should be happy with him being on the ninth and leave his diet alone?

OP posts:
burberryqueen · 16/08/2013 12:45

tbh i would just carry on as you are and not worry about the weight charts too much.
why are you 'terrified' of getting fat yourself anyway?

Ninehoursahead · 16/08/2013 12:47

DS1 is really skinny, always has been. He eats really well, and definitely prefers healthier food like veggies and will choose fruit over cake every time, unlike DS2 who at 12 months is showing signs of a serious sweet tooth!

Personally I wouldn't worry too much, as long as you are sure he is eating enough there is no need to bulk him up. I stopped weighing and checking centiles at 7 months after a run in with a health visitor!

Picturesinthefirelight · 16/08/2013 12:48

I'd be ecstatic if my 9 year old had ever even made it into the centime chart.

He is 9.5 and the size of a 5-6 year old. Also a fussy eater

I'm afraid I've given in to processed chicken foods. He won't eat cheese except for a very little on pizza. I'm trying to encourage yoghurt etc.

SoupDragon · 16/08/2013 12:50

Can you add snacks in - so feed him the small portions he likes but more often. Although if he's running around and is full of energy, I would say he is fine.

Original poster
strokey · 16/08/2013 12:52

Ah that's good. He has plenty of energy, and doesn't look deathly ill, but I can clearly see his bones. I can easily pick him up and carry him for walks even though Im 23 weeks pregnant... I don't remember being able to do that with the others.

Terrified of getting fat as I have no willpower. If I got fat Id never lose it. Ive turned 30 and can feel it getting harder to keep to my usual weight. I know there are worse things, but I cant think of any right now!

OP posts:
CreatureRetorts · 16/08/2013 12:55

Who has raised concerns about his weight? If no-one medical has then leave him be.

Sirzy · 16/08/2013 12:56

how tall is he? it is perfectly normal to see the ribs on a child so I wouldn't worry unless there was a massive discrepency between height and weigh.

DS is only 3 but on the 2nd centile for weight and between 9th and 25th for height. According to the NHS BMI he around the 20th centile for BMI and perfectly healthy weight - he is a skinny little thing but its all normal!

Mandy21 · 16/08/2013 12:57

My DS (8) is very skinny but in his case, its not down to the quantity of food he eats (almost adult portions), its the fact that he never (and I mean never!) sits down. I was concerned at one point, whether he was getting enough "fuel" and I tried to give him more carbs - so he'd have cereal & fruit in a morning, followed by a toasted bagel or a couple of pieces of toast. I'd let him have a cereal bar (not ideal I know) as a snack (to take to school) and met him at the school gates with another snack (my children are always starving at the end of school - something like a crumpet, or homemade oat flapjack).

Perhaps he'd eat bigger portions of the things he likes? Is there a time of the day that he's particularly hungry so more likely to eat?

Having said all that, it hasn't made a huge difference for my DS and he is still very skinny. I'm not unduly concerned now, I can see that he's eating enough and its not junk.

Original poster
strokey · 16/08/2013 12:57

Snacks is that a good idea then? Ive been skipping them (apart from a bit of fruit sometimes) since he was a toddler to encourage him to eat more at mealtimes.

Would a cake be a good snack? Blimey pictures..I don't blame you for giving him anything he will eat. Don't you get worried people will look at him and think he is not looked after properly? Especially after the story about Daniel Pelka. People always say to me "hes TINY isn't he?" and it feels like a negative. Id never say "Gosh shes porky isn't she?"

OP posts:
Original poster
strokey · 16/08/2013 12:59

On the 9th for height too. I said "Oh well, that's ok then, he is in proportion" and HV said that BMI rule doesn't apply to children.

OP posts:
DioneTheDiabolist · 16/08/2013 12:59

The only healthy way to bulk up a skinny child is by more physical activity. This will build muscle and increase appetite. Swimming is excellent.

sarahandemily · 16/08/2013 13:00

If he was born at 6lb sounds like he was born around the 9th centile. I thought that they were fine if they tracked their birth centile and the nature of the measure is that someone has to be on it. I would stay as you are as it sounds like he eats a wide range of healthy foods which are habits that he will take with him as an adult.

DioneTheDiabolist · 16/08/2013 13:00

Healthy high calorie snacks such as hummus and guacamole are better than cake.

Sirzy · 16/08/2013 13:01

Strokey, I really wouldn't worry about it. My DS is under a paediatrician for other problems and nothing has ever been mentioned about his height or weight and they are monitored when he goes every 3 months.

Original poster
strokey · 16/08/2013 13:02

Mandy - that's what I was thinking. Ive been giving him protein for breakfast, so, egg/peanut butter/beans on toast, which I thought was a "proper meal" but maybe I should be aiming for carbs. Maybe croissants.. they are full of fat

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 16/08/2013 13:02

Reading with interest. My 8 yr old is 'clinically underweight'. Wasn't on the chart last weigh in.
He's very active with sporty hobbies. It's genetic. And he will fill out when he hits 40yrs old if he takes after his dad!

He loves his veg and fruit. Loves yoghurts etc. has a small appetite and cannot eat a huge plate in one go or he gets tummy ache. SoI find its 3 meals plus 3 snacks for him.Though I bake a lot and ensure he has things like flapjack. And he loves fruit crumbles so he has a lot of puds.
I worry if he gets a tummy bug it wipe him out as he has no reserves.

Pancakeflipper · 16/08/2013 13:03

P.s forgot to say he's high on the height chart so just looks like a long pair of skinny legs. Handy for his love of climbing....

CreatureRetorts · 16/08/2013 13:04

The BMI rule doesn't apply to childrens

That's not what my HV said about my two dc! One is "overweight", the other "underweight". I can't win!

Sirzy · 16/08/2013 13:05

on the NHS site there is a BMI calculator which can be used for children. The normal adults one is no good for children but the child one is fine.

tumbletumble · 16/08/2013 13:05

My 7yo is really skinny and bony too, even though he's on the 75th percentile for weight (98th for height). He eats loads and is very active. It's just his build. Your DS sounds perfectly healthy, and protein is a great breakfast. I wouldn't change anything if I were you.

nextphase · 16/08/2013 13:09

The BMI calculation for adults doesn't work, but here is the kids version.

You are supposed to be able to see the ribs on young kids! We are just now so accustomed to not seeing kids as they are ment to be we see normal as too skinny.

If you still want to bulk him up, I'd introduce a snack or 2 a day, and more excerise (but then my oldest is 4, and can't survive lunch at 12 til dinner at 5.30 with nothing to eat). What about avacado, tuna (tinned in oil) sandwich, humous etc as a snack? Occasional cake will do no harm. We also have occasional fruity puddings such as bananas and custard, fruit crumble etc. Also, we have those individual yoghurt tubes in the freezer for a hot summer snack.

pommedechocolat · 16/08/2013 13:10

I do have biscuits and cake in my house because I think learning to be around those things and eat them in moderation is important. They are a part of my diet like the fruit, veg, pasta and meat that is always always on stock at my house.

'Terrified of getting fat' so not having biscuits in the house is a bit of an odd attitude to food. Passing on your extremes won't help him in his attitude to food.

I also think with children offering a cake type pudding once a day after they have eaten a 'proper' meal is absolutely fine.

worsestershiresauce · 16/08/2013 13:11

If he has lots of energy, is fit and healthy, enjoys his food and fed to his own appetite, he is absolutely fine and will bulk up naturally as he gets older. Ignore charts, he is an individual not a statistic. My sister and I were rakes as kids, but very healthy, and we are now slim adults. People didn't give a monkeys about charts back then, which I'm glad about.

moonbells · 16/08/2013 13:15

I've got one on the 9th for weight and the 75th for height, same age as yours too. He's a proper skinnyribs and his BMI is technically way too low, but he's fine and eats like a horse and GP has no concerns. Children's ribs are supposed to be visible until they're 10, I read on the BBC a few months ago.

Hang on, will find link...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12226744

I wouldn't worry about it.

IThinkOfHappyWhenIThinkOfYou · 16/08/2013 13:20

My 10 yo is a bag of bones. He has croissants for breakfast quite often, He has a glass of complan every day, last week when we went out for a meal he had an (adult) lasagne followed by an (adult) spaghetti carbonara as well as garlic bread and calamari. When he has scrambled eggs he uses 4 eggs. He is still a bag of bones. At last measure he was just shy of 50th% for height and 2nd for weight