Shrinking baby

[hatmum]

Hi

I have been lurking for years but maybe it's time to break into conversation! Ds2 has dropped from 50th centile for length (as at birth, 8mo and 12mo) to the 5th centile (as at 18mo - now)! Should we be concerned? Ds1 is average, I am 5'4" and dh is 5'11".

hatmum I'm not really sure about this - have you checked with your health visitor or doctor?

Doesn he look normal ie not too skinny etc. Does he eat well? I thnk it's normal for toddlers to lose weight once they start crawling and walking, particularly if they are very active.

Well done for posting at last! Do you have a lot of hats by the way?

HV didn't seem v concerned but it was in the middle of a v busy baby clinic; she reckoned they would look at him again at the 2yr assessment. I'm trying to be laid back but he is ridiculously small for his age compared with every other baby around (boys and girls) tho' it does make him seem particularly clever. Atm he has a big fat tummy, eats for Britain (always has done)and is v active. He's fab but I guess 50 to 5 just seems like an enormous drop - not just a normal distribution variation.

Lol at the hats - I do but it's coincidence!

There comes a point where kids start to grow in spurts rather than steadily, so may be he's just gearing up for a spurt, or perhpas he's just little. I wouldn't be too concerned if the hv isn't and if he seems generally well and full of energy and if he is still growing, albeit slowly.
Keep an eye on him and ask for him to be checked again if you feel he's really not growing but otherwise I'd assume he's just doing it at his own pace.

My ds is 10 now but he was like this and I worried myself sick but he is still little but full of life and rarely sick.Don't worry he'll catch up!

If it was a busy clinic, did she measure him right?

Why not leave it a month or two and then measure him again and see if he is now consistently on the 5th centile. It may be that he's due a growth spurt, which will shove him back up the centiles.

But if he's still dropping, then ask the HV for a referral - or go to your GP. (... and I am the mother that was not conerned about ds dropping from 91st to underneath the curves for weight - but it was a slow and steady drop and he did eventually start a slow and steady progress back up - and he was thriving throughout!)

They are unlikely to do anything until he is older anyway.

Hi Hatmum. Similar experience with my DS who has not put weight on since September - he was 2 in April. You say length rather than weight? How is his weight? My GP and HV say if weight crosses percentile lines then this should be investigated. My ds is also a great eater and very active, but has frequent infections and enlarged adenoids and tonsils. Things they look for at his age are food intolerances (eating lots but not absorbed - how are his nappies?) Also at this age, growth hormone takes over development. I would get him seen by GP to put your mind at rest. (You can tell I've spent a lot of time looking into this with my DS!). HTH

Thanks for all the replies. Weight is fine - has followed the 25th centile to a t since birth (so was on the skinny side I guess if length was 50th) but now has a big fat tum since he's still 25th weight but just 5th for length. Will not worry until 2yo assessment and see what they say then; he may just be the short one!

Hatmum, The advice here sounds good. We all come in different sizes... DH and I are tallish 5'10 and 6'. Our ds1 is only on the 7th centile for height (25th for weight) and has been since about his 2nd birthday as well. He is now 7, very active and healthy. We worried ourselves silly at first but then had a good look at the family tree and discovered that there are some really short people in our family on both sides. (Our Grandmothers were under 5' and DH's dad is about 5'7" our dd and ds 2 are both above the 97th centile for height and on the 50th and 25th for weight...
Hope this helps a little.

Strawberry, Have you ever seen an ENT regarding your ds' tonsils and adenoids? (Sorry for hijacking) Our ds (2 in Feb) has been given a date for tosilectomy and adenoidectomy in 2 1/2 weeks and I am PETRIFIED! I know that it is in his best interest to just get it over with but I hate to make the decision...

Not sure how the wink got there...Should only be a ) !