DS 20 months hasn't put any weight on for 2 months

[miniworry]

My DS has always been on the smaller side but having weighed him every 2 weeks he doesn't seem to have put any weight on at all for the last 8 weeks and I'm really panicking something is wrong. Hes a CMPA and soya allergy baby so can't have any cheese etc. Hes now also entered the fussy phase so I'm even more worried his weight might drop. He does appear to have grown in height.

He’s full of energy and seems well, but his weight has basically stayed the same (around 23 lb 9 oz) for about eight weeks, which is making me really anxious. We’ve got a dietitian appointment on 1 Dec but I’m struggling not to worry.

Has anyone else had a toddler with who plateaued for a while and then caught up? Any tips that helped? I've attached his weights for reference.

Thanks 💛

When he’s next weighed, could you ask them to alao measure his height and head circumference and plot those on his centile charts too?

The weight is pretty meaningless without the length, and you’ve said yourself that he’s grown.

For now i would try not to worry. You can offer some high calorie foods like nut butters, avocados and oily fish, but don’t get too concerned until you’ve also seen his height centile.

Have a read of this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust too as it gives sample menus and suggested portion sizes. If he’s not drinking Cow’s Milk, does he have an alternative milk or are you having to find ways to provide the fat, protein and calcium he would get from the milk?

@SleafordSods he's currently on the 25th centile for height too so he's not tall! But this is from me measuring him lying down.

Nut butters are out for the minute as he had an allergic reaction to hazelnut so we are awaiting the dietician appointment on the 1st December but I am trying with the avocado and olive oil in as much as possible!

Okay, so 90 weeks, that's almost 21 months. Based on this chart (www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Boys_0-4_years_growth_chart.pdf), he's sitting on the 25% centile for weight – well within the usual range for his age, and in proportion to his height. Based on the charts, his growth sound fine, completely, totally fine!

Growth isn't constant, they plateau for a bit, then shoot up, etc. You're really not supposed to weigh this often because it just isn't meaningful. You'll be measuring when they last had a wee or that they had a virus last week as much as you'll be measuring their actual growth. The usual advice (which is also on the chart I linked) is no more than once every 3 months, and most children don't need to be measured that often.

It sounds like this has maybe become a bit of an anxiety for you, especially with his allergies, but it really sounds like he's doing well. Please try to space out the weights and focus on what you see – he's bright and active and getting taller.