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Children's health

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Original poster

Sons lost weight help me

45 replies

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:06

Please be kind

6 year DS. Neurological condition undiagnosed. Does not walk, low muscle tone, kind of non verbal, epilepsy, cognitively very aware and functions like a younger 4 year old.

In March was weighed by neurologist at 18.4kg
This week took him to the chemist t be weighed as i wanted to make sure his medication for epilepsy was at the correct dosage and he weighed 17.4kg..... on my scales he is going from 17.4.kg..to 17.9kg...

I don't understand why he has lost weight. Hess grown taller. He eats okish but hes picky, but id say he eats the same as 12 months ago...only difference is he has swimming lessons once a week where he works hard and has been holding our hands more and doing lots more walking holding our hands (he cant balance on his own)

I have 10000000000000000000000 percent health anxiety and i have gone of the rails with this thought of him loosing weight. Please be kind, I feel terrible with the worry. It taken me about 3 5 seconds to write this entire post i feel that manic

OP posts:

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:08

ill add he is also in himself doing marvously...hes climbing on furniture, cruising along, laughing all day and playing. Driving me and mu husband around the bend with his new found cheekiness and testing the boundaries. in his development he is doing very well!!

OP posts:

Sirzy · 18/08/2021 12:10

I would contact his paediatric team and let them know so they can monitor

Bluntness100 · 18/08/2021 12:10

Op can you try increasing his portions or adding more snacks?

Pissinthepottyplease · 18/08/2021 12:11

Ask to be referred to a paediatric dietitian. You need some specialist advice.

ApolloandDaphne · 18/08/2021 12:11

That is a tiny fluctuation in weight. It is possible the neurologists scales just weigh differently to yours. If he is growing and seems healthy in every other way then try to stop worrying about it. You say your self you are feeding him the same but he has been more active recently. Maybe add a little more food to his day and see how it goes.

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:11

i have got a GP phoning me this afternoon and his pediatrician has been emailed by his PA

His low weight in general isnt a cause for concern... hes got low muscle tone but im worried why hes lost a little bit of weight...

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mistermagpie · 18/08/2021 12:13

He sounds lovely! 🥰

My 6 year old it NT so I don't know if there is really a direct comparison but he also lost weight in the last 6 months. I think they can gain weight before a growth spurt and then lose it after before gaining again later etc, i.e. I don't think weight gain in children is quite as linear as it is in babies and toddlers. You say he's grown so it might be that his appetite etc is still adjusting? The fluctuation you mention is quite small so I wouldn't panic, just let his medical team know so they can check him over.

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:14

i do think he uses food to take control...he cant speak and walk so i think food is a way he will boss us about. For example. If i make a sunday dinner he will only eat a little bit of chicken and one yorkshire pudding.
If i make him pie and beans and mash, he will bite a tiny bit of pie and eat all of the beans. He wont eat fruit or veg but will eat crisps all day long!

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Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:16

mistermagpie..thanks... is NT- neurotypical?

Even though i have a disabled child i don't keep up with all the lingo, we just crack on with life along with his older perfectly healthy sibling

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Bluntness100 · 18/08/2021 12:17

@ApolloandDaphne

It’s not. It’s about 6percent of his body weight

Op, can you give him more of what he likes? Try to cook things with hidden fats? I don’t mean give him crisps all day but more calorific foods he likes to eat.

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:19

His daily food-

Bowl of cereal or porridge (average sized0

Snack of a biscuit and actamal drink

quarter a slice of pizza or beans or a bag of crisp

Portion of rice and chilli with grated cheese (eats all)

slice of toast

bag of cheese cheddars

small sips of drinks

I provide him with fruit and veg but no way will he touch them. He kicks off

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Caspianberg · 18/08/2021 12:19

I would get it checked out as you are, but it’s not a huge drop, and like most children and adults, weight fluctuates.
Like you say, he’s possibly been a bit more active recently.

PeonyTime · 18/08/2021 12:22

It sounds like hes just that little bit bigger, and a little bit more active and so needs a bit more energy.
Could you introduce a snack or pudding once a day? Ideally something healthy ish - cheese and grapes, carrot and hummus, apple crumble and custard???
It could just be the difference between winter and summer clothes, plus a different set of scales, but it is worth keeping an eye on.

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:22

he would eat pasta all day long...

does anyone think hes very poorly? im so scared that he is poorly and its his undiognosed neurolgical condtion taking him away...hes so healthy though in everyway! he is getting stronger and has taken a coupLe of steps...He even got a certificate for swimming the other day... no seizures for nearly two years ( he stops breathing after seizures and ends up in ICU) .. I'm so scared

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Sirzy · 18/08/2021 12:23

I think it’s most likely a case of because he is more active now he is burning more calories

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:25

ive just given him a crumpet with extra butter on which i would never normally do as i worry about my childrens hearts. His 10 year old brothers figure is so tiny too but its because i can be a Hitler with food and getting them out moving about!!

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Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:26

Sirzy...

So would climbing on the sofa, bumshuffling about faster, holding our hands when walking out and about , be more active to the point where you could loose some weight?

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DonLewis · 18/08/2021 12:27

Take a couple of deep breaths. I can feel your panic.

If he seems healthy and strong, like you say, I'd try not to spiral. You've done the right thing contacting his various doctors.

In the meantime, you could increase the amount of cheese that he has anyway and add slightly more of those calorie dense foods to what he already eats. But it maybe a natural fluctuation that will even out in the end.

Try not to worry too much, your doctors will guide you.

careerchangeperhaps · 18/08/2021 12:28

If he's grown taller and got more active, his calorie needs will be higher than they were last year (for example). If his food portions have not increased accordingly, he will lose weight.
Speak to the GP and see what they say. It might be something simple like adding a calorie rich milkshake to his daily diet or something.

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:32

thanks guys..i gave him the crumpet with cheese on top and he held his throat and gagged like I had given him a mashed up rat with exta rat on top. He like crumpets! Like i said, he like to control us with food and basically doing what hes told... this is something i love about him though as even though its hard work for us, it means that hes doing well well cognitively

on another note...my eldest DS was very surprised when i came in with crumpets and cheese when they have only just had porridge 2 hours ago!!

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Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:37

ill also mention that he had covid about 6 weeks ago but he was fine and i didn't know he had it until his brother got it, who then could tell me he had symptoms.

Can having Covid have made him loose weight? He was as sick as a dog the day before he did a positive lateral flow and a little grumpy...not really off his food more then normal...p.s...still not ate the crumpet!!

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ApolloandDaphne · 18/08/2021 12:39

@GreyCatty

Children need some fat in their diet. Please don't restrict things like butter, milk, cheese etc.

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:42

i think thats where i am going wrong, i dont give them any fat really

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cultkid · 18/08/2021 12:47

Don't feed them shit but don't restrict them either OP because it will create food behaviour issues

My husband is such an over eater of sweets and shit because he was barred from eating them and was raised as a veggie etc

I think a 900g weight loss is prob ok, he could be just as you said low muscle tone and the body waiting to catch up

How much does your other son eat? Are you worried they will be fat?

It's funny the more i see my kids or husband eat shit the less i eat

I have huge food control issues I do try not to push my tiny appetite on them because it's not normal

Children need to eat an awful lot

Sending you so much love i totally understand your panic

Is he other wise happy and healthy with the weight loss? I would take my queue from his behaviour and activity xxx

Original poster

GreyCatty · 18/08/2021 12:53

He is very happy and active. Lat night he was awake until 10.30pm being a little sod (but very funny) and jumping on his bed using his bum muscles.

Crumpets a let down...i made his pasta with lots of cheese...hes now piled all the sofa cushions on top of himself and is hiding under them shouting 'NO!!'

TBH, this is a regular with food, not eating his dinner, so i thrown him a bag of crisp or a banana or biscuit. I can hear him fake gagging from the other room as i type this...FAKE gagging!

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