Should I be worried about my toddler’s weight?

[ethelfleda]

My 20 month old DS has always been on the small side. He was consistently around the 9th centile line until he was 13 months when he dropped to the 2nd. The HV wasn’t too worried at the time as I explained he was just getting over a bout of illness and had been off his food.
Fast forward to last week and I had him weighed again. The HV said ‘he is still following his curve nicely’ and that was that.
I just check his book and she means against 2nd centile (she was comparing it with his 13 month weight)
As soon as I realised it I panicked! He is very healthy. Doesn’t have a huge appetite but eats well at nursery. Is still breastfeed but has cows milk too and is very active - but he still wears size 9-12 months! Should I be worried? Shall I go to GP? Or back to hv? Just keep offering more food and milk?
I’m feeling incredible guilty about this and like I’m being a bad parent for not checking out his growth more frequently.

SOunds like that’s just his size. Are you or your husband’s family on the smaller size? It is genetics.
If you have no concerns about his eating and generally seems healthy, I’d try not to worry.

The relevant thing is not his weight compared to his age (and that's what percentiles are usually about), but his height-weight ratio.

And as long as he's eating well, growing, gaining weight, generally healthy, playing, moving, etc., there is nothing to worry about.

How big are you and your DP? Is 2nd centile in keeping with either of you two? How tall is he?

Toddler do shed weight when they start running about - DS dropped from 95th centile to 50th. Our HV clearly thought we were starving him. But he’s only 25th centile for height, as is DH (I’m even worse, 9th centile ). So he’s gone from being a frankly fat baby to being a solid-but-not-actually-fat-any-more toddler, and his height and weight are in proportion.

If your DS is tall, or if you and your DH are, yes it’s probably worth seeing your GP to check out there are no problems with nutrition - is he anaemic, any digestive problems or chronic illnesses etc. But somebody has to be on the second centile.

This is the age when kids slim down. my oldest was similar to yours, he’s still very light (he can wear 12-18 months trousers as shorts - he’s 6), but healthy
my youngest was a fat baby and has luckily slimmed down to thd 50th percentile.
also, how tall is he? weight is pretty meaningless without height!

My DS1 has always been on the smaller centiles- 9th I think. He was always on the clothes size behind his actual age. Hes 4 now and is the same, he eats ok, he is pretty self regulating but he’s also very active.

DS2 is different, always been on the 50th centiles. He’s 16 months.

Both ebf til 6 months, eat the same diet etc.

I make naturally scrawny babies - my DS is 2 and a half, is on the 2nd centile for weight. He’s always been much smaller than other kids his age, still wears 12-18 month clothes....but never stops eating!! He’s a healthy, happy little boy - he’s just diddy!

He hasn't jumped between 2 centile bands so it's fine.

Stop worrying. If your toddler is following his line (or dropped a bit due to new extra activities -let's face it toddlers never ever stop) and is happy and energetic then you shouldn't worry. In the absence of other worries (like lethargy, sleepiness, extreme weight loss or gain for instance), al should be well. Toddlers are individuals just like us.

Breathe deep mama you're doing ok.

I’m actually not sure on his height - I will measure him tomorrow.
I’m tall but slim - DH’s family are all fairly short. Some below 5ft - so maybe that’s just it.

Thank you for your replies!

It may worth be getting your GP to refer him for blood tests for a few diseases which are linked with shorter height in children. I had to push a bit for this as they were trying to fob me off with his smallness (under 2nd centile) being genetic - turns out he’s coeliac which I never suspected. So worth testing if you’re worried.

A paediatrician at my local hospital mentioned to me that the differences between how they measure babies (length) and toddlers (height) can also cause a drop in centiles which is nothing to worry about, so bear that in mind.

DN is.4, still in 18-24 month clothing in a lot of things. Very active, climbs like a goat and eats a varied diet, if not with a huge appetite, fluctuates between 2nd and 9th centile. Some people are just petite.