My 3 year old is losing weight....there wasn't much of her in the first place, am now very worried.

[keevamum]

As it says my 3 year old who 3 months ago weighed 29 lbs now only weighs 23lbs. She eats quite well. I can't understand it. On a typical day she will eat 2 weetabix with full fat milk, 2 slices of toast and nutella for breakfast. Lunch is usually soup and a sandwich with crisps, fruit and a full fat yoghurt. Dinner varies and this tends to be the meal she is pickiest with but will tend to eat at least half a plate of shepherds pie etcetera followed by ice cream or yoghurt. She will also have a few biscuits as snacks and maybe grapes or apple pieces. She drinks about 4 drinks and a beaker of fullfat milk at bedtime. Does anyone have any experience or advice?

bump bump

Do you weigh her yourself or at the doctor's? What has your doctor said? It sounds like she eats plenty. Is she more active recently then she used to me? Has she recently taken up a class eg. dancing?

I would say take her to the gp. The amount she eats sounds reasonable, though my 3yo dd eats more... but she eats a lot!

Have you measured her height recently? My dd has had about 4 growth spurts in the last 6 months, and lost weight after each- so that may be a cause.

If she is healthy enough in herself and not off her food then please try not to worry. Even a small virus can have a huge effect on their weight even when they haven't been very ill with it. It is of course worth getting some medical advice though.

meant to ask- how much sleep does she have? maybe it isn't enough?

She gets weighed by me on a very accurate digital scale and also by the consultant who is keeping an eye on her and is quite concerned as they have now referred her on to the hospital consultant paediatric team. No I don't think she's any more active than usual, she's always been quite active but then by about 3 p.m. she will have a sleep for a couple of hours. She has been tested for gluten and dairy intolerances that came back normal. What else could be causing it?

She has had a growth spurt but that only emphasises how skinny she looks now all her old clothes are falling off her again. She sleeps reasonably well otherwise although recently has been getting up at night. Could this make a difference?

I find my 3yo needs 13 hours a night- more if it is broken... but she doesn't nap in the day. Of course, they are all different...

Have the paed team not suggested anything?

More calories perhaps?
Useful thread here... on snacks.
Does she ever have night sweats? (linked to low blood sugar)

You must be very worried about her thing is- even a few pounds makes such a difference on their tiny bodies doesn't it?

Oh my god, yes she does have night sweats all the time. What does that mean? Also I feel a bit foolish now but today when I weighed her she is 2 stone again, so 28 lbs not 23lbs as previously stated. So she has only lost 2lbs and I have breathed a sigh of relief but it's still not normal to have not put on any weight in a year is it?

My dd had nearly a year when she put on hardly any weight. She seemed to weigh 2 stone 6 for aaaaaaages! However, she did get taller. Once she'd had the growth spurt, she started putting on weight again.

DD is 3 in a week and weighs just over 26lbs. She barely put on any weight at all between the ages of 18 months and 2.5 years so it is not unusual. She also lost over 2lbs earlier on in the year after a nasty bug. She is tiny but perfectly formed - always been between 9th and 25th centile for weight and height. Compared to what my DD eats, your has a very good appetite (I wish mine would eat more but she obviously eats what she needs).

However if you are concerned then I'd probably take her to see the GP just to check that everything is as it should be.