Very small toddler, worried

[Pinkstuffs]

My DS is 16 months, he is extremely small. He was born very small on 2nd centile, no one seemed particularly bothered as he was ‘healthy’ though reluctant to feed and we were discharged from hospital in 24 hours. In his first year he fell to below 1st centile and at his 10 month check up was around the 5th centile for height and 2nd for weight.

I haven’t had his height or weight checked since as to be honest I’m not sure where to go to get it done but he is so skinny and noticeably shorter than all his peers although he is growing. He can’t wear any trousers besides leggings for example as they just fall down. He’s in size 6-9 months/sometimes 9-12 in tops and wear size 3 or 4 nappies.

Im worried about him as I’ve heard most small babies will catch up in the first couple of years but he’s not. He’s not very interested in food and it’s a struggle to get him to eat a lot of the time.

Does anyone have experience of this? I’m hearing about growth hormone deficiency but wondering how I would even go about a test for this and if he’s too young currently.

How tall are you and his other parent?

I’m 5ft 7 and DH about 5ft 11? Not short although quite slim.

Go to gp or health visitor
Get a weight and height check
Review in 3 months
Ask for referral to slt feeding specialist keep a food diary

Health visitor or nurse appointment at the GP? You should be getting him seen anyway if you're concerned.

Weigh and measure him at home, track it in his red book. My ds was premature and was tiny for years. He was investigated for pituitary dwarfism at 18 months but was just deemed small.

He's 13 now and in the right age clothes etc - just took him a while to catch up.

Well, of course you should get him checked out??

For reference DH and I are these exact heights and both of our kids (DS+DD) are 82nd centile for height. You definitely need to get him checked out.

I should add that I have had him checked a lot when he was younger, especially when he was below the 1st centile he was weighed weekly but around 9 months old the health visitor deemed there was nothing wrong with him (he’s meeting his milestones) and the gp has never been interested so I just presumed he must be ok. But he doesn’t seem to be catching up at all?

I'm having similar worries with my 14 month old, so solidarity! He's 8.4 kg and 74 cm. I'm only 5'2, his Dad is 6' but very slim so it might just be genetics but I can't help but worry.

To me he seems to eat ok but it just doesn't stick to him! My HV has asked us to keep a food diary and referred us to the growth and nutrition service, so it's probably worth getting in touch to see if there's similar in your area.

Ds was born at 35 weeks. Take home weight 4-12...he didn't fit into his age clothes until 6 or 7. He was a skinned rabbit for years..
Dh is 6-4.
Ds is getting there height wise but still very lean!! .. Takes a size 5 shoe at just about 11.. Long legs. Scrawny body.
Not worried at all.

In extended family is there anyone particularly short?

It’s worth flagging your concerns earlier rather than later particularly as referral to specialists won’t be speedy.

You’re clearly worried and i think you would be very reasonable to ask for some medical advice. Can you try a different GP?

Push for a referral but also just read up on things you can do at home while waiting. Nephew was similar and under review till age 10. There are supplements like Pediasure that are high in calories and vitamins, etc. Don’t think there’s a magic bullet but some things might be worth a try.

Not sure if helpful but my friends baby at 16 months was in 9 months baby grows and could sit up but not walk. He was tiny and always looked like a ‘baby’ until he was aged 3 and over when somehow he caught up and at 5 just blends into the class being middle in height.

Thanks he has been walking since 11 months so no concern with his physical skills. In fact he is extremely active and barely eats so this is probably partly why he’s so slim!

Hi OP, to share my experience with my DD, we were referred to the paediatrician at our local hospital, not sure if it came through the HV or GP. Like you she's been physically and developmentally fine more or less, but they still saw us every 6 months. She had blood tests once she was 2 and part of that was genetic testing, so that might be worth asking for when he's a little older. Like you we are average heights too so it's fairly unexplained. We also had information from the paediatrician about the option of growth hormones for the future. I think you should ask for a different GP, or you can still call a HV for advice. You need to put your mind at ease if nothing else.

My granddaughter was still in a baby seat aged 14 months that my 5 month old grandson has almost outgrown ! She was diagnosed with coeliac disease aged 4 so maybe you need to chase up GP to get him checked out thoroughly.
For now stand on scales to weigh yourself and then hold baby. It will give you a rough indication as to how much he weighs.Xx
Granddaughter now thriving 😊💪

My daughter tumbled down the charts for length/height between 1 and 2. She was in 9-12 month clothes for over a year!
She ended up on the 1st percentile for height at 2. We were under paeds and dieticians due to reflux and food allergies and she's had a few tests and they are happy she's just small. I'm 5ft2, my dad is 5ft5 and his sister 4ft11. My partner is 6ft now but a tiny prepuberty.

She's now 5 and only just in 3-4 clothes. She has a short torso and can still fit in 18-24 month t shirts! She's a decent weight for her height and doesn't let it hold her back. She's at school with a girl that's 0.4th for height and weight and they both are amazing.

It doesn't hurt to get checked over again.

My DD is the same age, she was 6.6 when born but had to wear preemie clothes as she was so small, by her 1sf birthday she was just coming out of 0-3 and now at 16 months she’s still in 6-9 months soon going into 9-12. I was so worried for ages but spoke to gos and health visitors and none of them are concerned, she has always been a good weight though just on the shorter side but then I’m not tall myself (5ft) her dad is over 6ft

My youngest is now 17, he was a 9lb 8 at birth but slipped down the centipede. He was never chunky but long and skinny. He became tiny toddler and continued to be small until he his his teens. Then he went from the shortest in his year group to
the tallest. He’s still ridiculously skinny but is almost 5ft 11

i think for your own reassurance, get him checked out but I wanted to add my experience for reassurance.

But also , some kids just will be smaller than others with no issues. My DH and I are the same heights as OP, one of the DC was born average across all parameters but slowly ended up off the charts. Nothing untoward in the appointments/investigations that took place. They are 20 now and easily the smallest in the extended family for height and weight. Some people are just small