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Please help - 10 month odl keeps losing weight (long)

10 replies

ready2pop · 19/01/2009 00:49

My 10 month old son, Freddie, keeps losing weight. It comes in fits and starts so he'll slowly gain weight for a few weeks but then suddenly lose it all again. I'm at the end of my ttether and just don't know what to do.

He was only 5lbs 12oz when he was born but then put on weight well and was closely following the 25th centile graph until recently.

Then, oer the course of November he lost about 4ozs which caused our health visitors to have a huge panic. We weren't too worried as he still seemed healthy and over the next 3 weeks he put on a lb or so. Since then, he's carried on gaining weight, although more slowly - perhaps an oz a week. I've just weighed him again though and he has lost a full lb in 10 days.

This means that in effect, he has not gained any weight in almost 3 months.

He has been slightly off his food for the last week, perhaps eating about 2/3 of the normal amount, but I wouldn't have thought it would have affected his weight this much. He still seems to be taking in milk at the same rate (Bf though so hard to tell). He has had a few runny nappies over the last week but again nothing drastic. The only other change is that his sleep has been very disturbed which we had put down to teething.

I just don't know what to do. He is tricky to feed at the best of times and I really can't get any more food in to him. I'm just so worried that he weighs no more now than he did when he was 7 months. I also feel awful that I am obviously failing to feed him adequately.

On top of it all, I'm pregnant again after a recent miscarriage and am terrified that the stress of Freddie's weight loss will cause another mc.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading. Have also posted in food but was wondering if maybe it is more a health issue.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
eandz · 19/01/2009 01:02

i'm soo sorry! but i think at this age (10 months) don't they start to lose a little weight because they are becoming more and more active?

try not to worry too much, someone will be along soon who does know better then me and can give proper advice. for right now, love Freddie, love the new life inside of you and just worry about not knowing. I'll keep a look out on this thread.

BennyAndJoon · 19/01/2009 01:16

You are feeding him fine I would bet.

The only thing I ever tried was upping the fat content - adding cream to mash and porridge and cheese to all sorts.

But I never did weekly weighing etc.

If you are worried could you see your GP?

Aitch · 19/01/2009 01:27

i've said this on the other thread, but really i'd be asking for some more help from a paed. it might be absolutely fine, most probably is, but it's worth asking imo as you are clearly worried.

eandz · 19/01/2009 11:13

oh, and don't forget to add butter. it always seems to fatten me up.

Aitch · 19/01/2009 11:22

as i say, if he's losing weight and not just not gaining it, i do think a referral would be sensible.

eandz · 19/01/2009 13:16

ready2pop
have you been able to make an appointment to see the gp again?

in my experience they are often very dismissive, so i end up having to take print outs of articles after keeping a log. it's really very annoying. even then they just look at me like an idiot who has a printer and lies for attention.

ready2pop · 19/01/2009 20:07

I saw the GP again this morning. She won't make a referral to a consultant (even though we have med insurance that would happily pay for it ) but is going to refer us to a feeding specialist as she says that DS has behavioural feeding issues.

He is a nightmare to feed solid food and each meal often takes over an hour with a lot of tantrums but I'm not sure that is why he is losing weight because, difficult though it is, he actually eats a fair amount in the end.

Still, at least it is a start and she finally seems to be listening to me.

Thanks all.

OP posts:
halfwaythroughjan · 23/01/2009 21:08

You must see a paediatric gastroenterologist and don't faff about with people HV's want you to see as they don't generally have a clue. It's most likely nothing to worry about but you need to hear that from someone who knows what they are talking about. If you have insurance then just call up a doctor you want to see and make an appointment, you don't need a referral and besides, if you want to see someone it's not up to the GP or HV to say no if you are paying, tell them you need a referal letter to x by this date. If you are in london I can recommend some good paeds who will give you correct and informative advice.

walkinthewoods · 25/01/2009 21:44

My dd wnt from 75th centile to 2nd centile from between the age of 3 months to a year. After that she went back up again. I was worrid at the time but looking back it was just one of those things.

What does his chart look like over all? I think there is abig differnce between failure to thrive and normal development/fluctuations. I know that I probably didn;/t help things by getting so wound up at meal times.

walkinthewoods · 25/01/2009 21:47

BTW my dd was dreadful at solids and would sometimes only eat a spoonful or 2.

If he is having tantrums at 10 months, I would seriously back off.

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