Child not gaining weight at all

[Rainbowsbeforewegrewup]

I’m stumped.
DD is 8, and I’ve noticed over the last few months she’s looked a little smaller and thinner in comparison to her friends so have started weighing her, and I’m right- over the last month she’s put on no weight - or rather according to my scales she has put on a bit then lost it then put a bit on etc and is today the same weight she was a month ago 🤷‍♀️she’s dropped only one centile
so far from 25th to 9th so gp isn’t concerned as no other symptoms and she’s fine in herself. Sleeps well, eats fine (albeit not loads) and no tummy issues / digestion issues. I’ve been pushing more calorie dense foods but she is quite petite and simply doesn’t eat lots over a 24 hour period.
she does complain more of feeling tired these days, but i just put this down to increase in after school activities and working hard at school etc. as I mentioned gp is not keen to refer for bloods unless she has any other symptoms but looking at her peers and the growth chart, she should be putting on wriggy not staying the same and I’m worried something is causing it given she’s always tracked the 25th centile. Am I overreacting? Looking for problems where there are none? Watching and waiting for 6 months isn’t very relaxing sounding ☹️but If gp won’t refer as he doesn’t feel the need to, I can’t really do anything else I guess as I can’t exactly turn up to a&e with a well child saying she’s not putting on weight but her gp isn’t at all worried. I guess I’m just worried it’s something and we will miss it ☹️

Children’s weight have vary a lot, tracking over one month won’t really give a clear picture. 6 months would be better.
She maybe due a growth spurt, where appetite and sleep increase a lot, then they suddenly shoot up or fill out.
Try not to worry to much, and dot. Make to much of a fuss about the weight, as you don’t want her getting worried or paranoid about it.
If you can add an extra snack, especially a full fat yogurt to her daily intake, that maybe more reassuring for you due to the calcium, protein and calorie content.
I really wouldn’t be concerned at this stage if no other symptoms though.

Thank you so much - that is incredibly reassuring xx

Can you ask the GP to check her iron levels to see if she's anaemic and also a coeliac test? A lot of children this can be an underlying issue.
My son 4 was tired not eating much or growing. Had them done. He's not coeliac via bloods waiting on gastro at the moment but his iron levels were very low. He's on iron supplements and we've put him gluten free as he had a lot of coeliac symptoms not all children do. He's now full of energy and had a big growth spurt in height and weight.

Gp was so reluctant to order bloods as said she checks out fine - looks a good colour, stats all fine, no tummy pain or digestive issues. Tbh made me feel a bit OTT for even raising my concern about her weight. Said he’d only request bloods if she had symptoms which she doesn’t other than weight loss (or no weight gain) and I think if I asked him to check iron and coeliac he’d just repeat the above ☹️

I would demand a some bloods and if they refuse go to a different gp. Ask for her thyroid to be checked as well.

Sorry meant to add:
the odd thing is I think she does eat quite a bit? Today for example:
breakfast: cheese omelette+ bowl of cereal
snack: strawberries and crisps
lunch: spag bol
snack: pastry and handful of nuts
dinner: chicken curry with naan bread
supper: small bowl cereal

not huge helpings but to me this is quite a lot of food for an 8 year old? so she’s hungry and eating just weirdly not putting on weight 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Thanks @sunflowrsngunpowdr do you know what thyroid issues could cause weight loss? I’ve heard of thyroid causing weight gain but not weight loss? Would there be any other symptoms other than weight loss if it was thyroid related? Thank you

Is she thirsty? Using the toilet a lot?

I would try not to worry (easier said than done I know).

Both my DDs are small. DD1 tracks the 25th generally and DD2 tracks the 9th. I've learned not to fret - it's hard because I suspect most children grow and put weight on in strange, non linear ways but it seems scarier when they're small to start with and suddenly drop. Our GP is very thorough but has said that adults (and small babies) will gain/lose over a month, children can stay the same for ages and shoot up, or creep up gradually, or yo-yo without it being a worry.

l understand what you're feeling and am not trying to belittle you at all - and you do right keep an eye. I had a nail biting period last summer when DD2 dropped from the 9th to the 0.02 centile - she hadn't gained anything for a long period rather than losing weight. We sat tight for the summer holidays and I decided I'd go to the GP if she still hadn't gained by the time she went back to school in September. Lo and behold, come September she'd crept up in height and weight enough to take her back to the 9th.

Obviously if she loses weight, or if it carries on a while then I'd definitely raise concerns - coeliac, anaemia, thyroid etc, but I'd look at it over 6 months to a year before worrying.

Drinks well (not excessively) and goes to the bathroom a normal amount, nothing that would make me worry there

Thank you so much for understanding 🌹I do wish was
bigger so losing some weight didn’t feel so threatening, but I’ll try and hold off and wait for a few more months to see how She is doing then, thank you x

But she isn't losing weight, she just hasn't gained any in the last month? Dropping a centile line is not the same as losing weight. Gently, I think the GPs advice to watch and wait is correct. Lots of kiss gain weight slowly.

You say in the OP that she "simply doesn't eat much in 24 hours" but then go on to say she eats quite a lot of food for an eight year old. Again, gently and kindly, this sounds like you're being anxious abd talking yourself into an issue - if your gut feeling is she doesn't eat much you're probably right, she's just one of those people who doesn't have a massive appetite.

My DD2 hovers between the 9th and 2nd centile - she is 4st4lb at aged 10.5 but she is full of life and energy, has shiny eyes and hair and grows out of clothes over the course of a year or two. It's really not like when they're babies or toddlers gaining weight in front of your eyes. Again, no weight gain (or uppy-downy) over a month is definitely not long enough. A poo (out) or glass of water (in) can be a lb!

You are comparing to here classmates but the vast majority of kids these days are overweight. I think she must be fine if she's well and eating a balanced diet A month is no time atall. Please don't keep weighing her you could giver her all sort of problems. Weigh again in 6 months and if she's lost maybe look further into it but for now just ensure she has plenty of healthy food on offer.

Has this only been in the last month, or did you have concerns before? A month is nothing in child weight terms. Stop weighing her, it will be building up in her mind that something is "wrong". You also say about "pushing" higher claorie foods. Again, any pressure is likely to make her eat less, not more.

Make sure that you give full fat versions of things where possible. Have plenty of food available and weigh her again in a few months. One of mine has very restricted eating and hasn't put on any weight in the past year, so I do know what it is like.

My children of the same age stayed the same weight for months, a year even, and eat loads. No weight gain in one month wouldn’t concern me at all, we don’t weigh them more than probably once every 9 months and that’s just for car seat purposes. My eldest is 9 now and is skinny for years, but growing fine and is healthy.

Thank you
so much for helping me, you’re absolutely right I am anxious and I don’t want to pass it onto her so I’ll stop weighing her and see how she is at the end of the summer. Very reassuring to hear of others who have remained a static weight for some time and then grown- and I must stop stating at her in the line up coming out of school comparing her to those much bigger than her 🤦‍♀️it’s not healthy for either of us. Thank you 🌹

My daughter is not quite 4 but how she gains weight is to put on quite a bit of weight over 4-6 weeks then a small amount for 4-6 months. So depending on what month you look at you get a different view of how her weight is changing really depends on what month you look at. If we track her percentile she bounces between the 35th and 20th percentile mostly at the 25th. A couple of times she has touched on the 50th percentile and every time she hasn't gained very little for the following 6 months once she is back on the 25th percentile she starts gaining again

She is under the paediatrician and dieticians for allergies and reflux and they aren't worried when she goes through slow growth phases. She is only on the 1st for height so the 25th percentile for her is a very good weight

I keep an eye on DD's weight as she has always been on the small side especially compared to her height. Weight gain isn't a gradual constant for her. She'll have a phase where the weight goes on quickly and then a phase where she gains nothing at all.

I avoid weighing her often as I don't want to make weight 'a thing' and you will see weight losses if you weigh a week apart for example. It's not a smooth upward trajectory.

DD is under a dietician for allergies who hasn't been hugely concerned by her weight (or rate of gain) at any point.

If your DD still hasn't put any weight on another couple of months on then I'd go back to the GP but I wouldn't be worried at this stage.

My DD bobs about between 15-40 on the percentile lines for weight despite being more like 60-70 for height.