Calorific ideas needed please for thin 3 year old

[butadream]

DS is 3.5 and has always been slim - on the growth charts he has always been 92% for height and about 55% for weight, he takes after DH in this way.

However, we all had norovirus last week and now he is only about 45% for weight and looks really thin.

He is complaining about the cold a lot, but we have had the heating on and tucked him up in 2 duvets last night. He also seems more tired than usual.

I am getting a bit worried and think I need to feed him up pronto!

He is a good eater in terms of willingness to try different food but does not necessarily eat a lot in one sitting and won't eat more than 4 times a day.

My ideas so far are: cottage / shepherd's pie with cheesy mash topping, jersey milk with his breakfast cereal, full fat yoghurts, and peanut butter on toast.

What else do you think would be easy to get into him?

fish pie
custard - on its own or with a fruit crumble
soup with cream
lasagne

How could I forget fish pie - it's his favourite!

Thanks for other suggestions too.

Pasta with a cream sauce and grated cheese on top
Pizza
Milkshakes
Potato gratin?

ooh was going to come on and suggest custard (banana custard?) but have been beaten to it. Also rice pudding.

Dauphinoise potatoes often make an appearance in my house as well.

Chicken and mushrooms in cream sauce with rice.

Cheese as a snack, philadelphia on toast/bagel for breakfast.

Roast potatoes...

Soup with chunks of cheese on the side to put in. My slim ds loves the melty cheese bits! Usually asks for 2nds!!

I knew someone who used to add double cream to their childs milk - she was really struggling to put weight on.

What about avacado - you can make guacamole with double cream and full fat yogurt (skip the chilli if he won't eat it made with)

DH whole family struggles to put weight on and needs really high protien diet - he says anything with mince beef - meatballs, spagbol with lots of cheese and not so much pasta,

Fish pie with (again) cream and cheesy mash top.

If they need the fat it's not supposed to be bad so I'm told - they burn it off, it's when they stop doing that it becomes a problem.

chips
olive oil/butter with everything
hummous/tahini
mashed potatoes with cream
cheesy mashed potatoes
avocados -- mashed on toast
pesto
milkshakes -- milk, ice cream and/or with bananas
nuts
sausages

(just wrote a list of all the things that make me gain weight and have to avoid )

Good luck!

LOL I gain weight sooo easily but I can happily sit still eating for hours and toddlers can't! DH is very fit and healthy but at 6'5" 3 square meals a day aren't enough for him, he actually has protein shakes twice daily to keep his weight up.

Picked him up from nursery, fed him about 3in square cheesy cottage pie and a cream yoghurt and some squares of cheese ... still a bit worried though as he is so pale and complaining of the cold again, is this normal for toddler tiredness or do you think it might be something more?

Toast (buttered on both sides!)
Pizza or Pasta
Fried fish fingers

peanut butter milkshakes - made with full cream milk and ice cream

good, good

It gets a bit Elvis, doesn't it!

All good, but just to reassure you, my ds (now 4.5) is 99th % for height and around 20th for weight. I was told (emphatically) by a paediatrician many years ago not to worry about this and not to try to feed him up...as he pointed out, why would I not want my child to be tall and slim?

I have taken this to heart. DS is an excellent eater (but only 3 times a day), does not snack between meals and, admittedly is very skinny, but is also very healthy, active, sporty etc.

So probably not worth worrying about too much....

Flapjacks - you could put some molasses in for iron if you think he will eat it.

Cheesestrings ( I know)

eggy bread with naple syrup. Ditto pancakes.

Scrambled eggs made with butter and buttered toast mmmmm

Thanks fillybuster, that does help, I didn't worry before, it's just the effects of the recent bug look quite bad. Also DH, who has the same build & v active in the same way, remembers being incredibly hungry throughout his childhood, I think boys like him might need to eat more frequently than those around him and also need reminding to eat.

Hope DD gets DH's slim genes too, for her sake.

Thanks for continued suggestions!

Message withdrawn

ooh he would love that

peanut butter milkshakes???

< dies and goes to heaven >

oh yes
a couple of spoons of peanut butter
a couple of scoops vanilla ice cream
splosh of milk
whizz in blender

feel your arteries harden before the first sip.

I wish I didn't know about it now

Will dream of it tonight

could he be anaemic? DS is on Dalivit (prescribed) which has added iron.

I think he might be a little bit anaemic on reflection, so will focus more on iron-rich foods than fat-rich ones for now and see how we get on.

I don't think your DS sounds that skinny, 45th-55th isn't the most average centile range?

My DS is 90th for height and 9th for weight and HV says this is fine,

if you think it might be anaemia have a look at the inside of his eyelid, if he lets you, if it is very pale then go to the doctor and have a blood test.