Lack of height/weight increase in a 5yo - within the realms of normal?

[LadyStark]

Hi all,

Hoping you might be able to help, my DD who was a 5 in March hasn't gained any weight in over 12 months, she is 15kg. She has also only grown 1cm in this time, taking her to 98cm.

This has been an ongoing problem since she was about 9months old but we've just changed GPs, the old GP said if we didn't have any improvement at the latest check up she'd refer us but new GP doesn't seem to be worried at all.

DD eats well and doesn't look "skinny". Would you be worried/push for referral? I don't want to put her through any tests etc for nothing and DP thinks I am worrying about nothing and I wondered if anyone else had experienced similar.

Thanks.

Is she developing in all other areas up to speed? Fine and gross motor skills ok? Some children really are just slow growers....my DD also turned 5 in March and is 110cm and quite skinny....not sure of her actual weight. My Dd is one of the tallest in her class of 28....so your DD doesn't seem THAT far behind really. There are some small children in her class who are just on the short side. How tall are you and DDs Dad?

Sorry she's 119cm but still...it's only 21cm difference...she's definitley on the taller side in her class too. She's a whole head bigger than some of the girls and boys.

How certain are you off the accuracy of any previous measurements. My ds had an apparent growth spurt and then shrank a few cm due to a rogue reading. Is she being measured same method/place/equipment every time?

*of

Those measurements seem quite small - where is she on the charts, OP? Also, as another poster says, what height are you and her dad?

I would probably ask for a referral. It'll be with a paediatrician in the first instance won't it, then an endocrinologist if necessary.

In my experience and that of other parents with an affected child, doctors often don't take growth seriously.

You could also try contacting the Child Growth Foundation for advice. They're very helpful. www.childgrowthfoundation.org/

If she started school last September, it may be something to do with a change in routine. My daughter's growth slowed down for a couple of years around 5/6 (although she did grow more than the 1cm) you mentioned. Also, I can remember she had a couple of times when she didn't put on any weight in a year. I've noticed she always seem to have a growth spurt/put on weight in the main school holidays, so it may be worth reviewing things in September. If you are still concerned, is there another GP in the practice you can see. Does she seem well in every other way, alert, not tired, happy? Also, are both parents smaller? We are only 155cm and 63cm and my Mum is only 145cm, so our daughter was never going to be massive.

Thanks for your responses. When she was born she was on 50th centile and growth really slowed around 6-9 months (from memory, I?m at work and don?t have her red book to hand) and she?s now dropped off the chart for height and is a bit above the 2nd centile for weight. She is always measured/weighed at the doctors in the same room by the paed nurse using the same equipment thing so I am sure as I can be that the results are accurate/consistent.

DP is 6ft and I am 5ft6 so we?re average height although MIL is quite short and petite so it possibly skipped a generation! If she?s just small that?s fine, I just worry that we might be missing a problem although don?t know anything about what those problems might be.

She is doing very well at school, ?exceeding expectations? in most areas and goes to both gymnastics and ballet which she enjoys and has expected ability as far as I'm aware. She?s happy, sleeps pretty well, a little bit more sickly than some of her peers as she has mild asthma and seems to pick things up very easily ? she?s been hospitalised a few times with chest infections, viruses etc that have hit her chest hard. She had her adenoids out and grommets put in earlier this year as she had glue ear.

I think I will ask for a referral, probably better to check and it come to nothing than not check and it be something.

It's good that there are no other problems and she's obviously alert enough to concentrate well in lessons.

You are obviously concerned as this has been going on a little while now, so as I said before, it might be worth seeing a different doctor in he practice and see if you can get her referred that way.

Just had another thought, does she eat healthily and enough? I know you can't force them to eat, but this could have an impact on growth.

Coeliac can cause poor growth. Ask for blood test to rule it out.
Otherwise ask for referral to nearest growth clic first appointment they will measure properly then ask you to come back in six months to see how much growth there is growth rate. So ask for referral now as is slow process.