To be concerned about my underweight kids!

[cadburyegg]

My 7yo is 123cm and 19kg
My 4yo is 97cm and 13kg

Both show as 1st centile/underweight on the child bmi calculator. I looked at the centile charts and with both they are lower centiles for weight than they are height. The difference is particularly marked with DS1 who could put on a stone and still be within the healthy range.

I am not surprised with DS1 as he has always been petite but DS2 was a shock because he was quite chunky and actually considered overweight until he was 2ish, walked at 22 months (hypermobile) but since then has grown up a bit (still shorter than average) but not out.

We try to be as active as poss mainly so it wears them out tbh! Do I need to tone this down? they don't have big appetites and can be fussy, and prefer to eat little and often. They eat normal well balanced meals, puddings, and snacks. I don't just want to stuff them full of junk food though. their dad was quite similar as a child and was underweight with a fast metabolism until he was in his 30s. Anyone else had this? Bit concerned that they look so slight and noticed the other day after his bath DS1's hip bones sticking out. They are otherwise healthy, bags of energy etc.

Do they eat enough? Honestly? Ds 7 usually has a small pizza. Took him to an Italian restaurant and he ate a whole full size one!! He is a scrawny dc. Starting to grow legs in recognition of his 6'4 df... Never occurred to me his portions have been a bit small!
His was 5 weeks prem and always been on the smaller size of suggested clothing. Just in 6-7 at last!!
Size 1 feet!!

I have just looked back at my ds's chart OP. My ds was on the thin side, he weighed 16kg at age 6, 19kg at age 8. He stayed at 26kgs for years and started to put on some weight at age 14 when he went to 30kgs. He did every sport going and was really fit.

He was diagnosed with ADHD quite young, so never stopped all day. He didn't eat the best, but also not the worst. He picked at food like you mentioned, he still does, I call it grazing.

Whenever he was checked, they made sure he had energy, was active, happy and he was.

He is 23 now and although still slim, is definitely not underweight at all. You mention your dh. Ds takes after me as i am quite slight, so genetics does factor in here as well.

Also, try not to compare them to other children. They all have different activity levels and are all built differently. Some fill out and grow taller sooner. As long as they are happy and active, eating okay, then it is just how they are.

Mine are slim so i try and keep the weight on with full fat milk and yoghurts, pistachio nuts as snacks. Try feeding them higher calorie foods- sounds like they need more. If i dont subconsciously make sure my kids eat those foods I suggested they tend to lose weight. Mine dont eat much while they are at school- yours might be the same. Try and give them more at breakfast time before school if that's the case.

*consciously