IUGR baby - length lagging behind weight

[stillfrazzled]

Re-posted from Behaviour and Development, think I picked the wrong topic:

DS2 born in Jan, five weeks early and 3lbs 5ozs due to IUGR. Luckily no other health concerns and he's doing pretty well (if slightly delayed).

Had follow-up appt with consultant y'day, now he's 6 months. He has made it onto the (very bottom of the) normal weight charts, which I'd be thrilled with - if only his length was showing any sign of catch-up. And it isn't; he's following a curve just below the 0.4th centile.

Consultant said she'd have expected to see some catch-up by now, and if it's going to happen it should be by the age of one. She didn't look too optimistic. If no catch-up, he will have to be referred to growth clinic. The idea frightens me and I've heard there are long-term implications for health (I have not googled as I don't want to scare myself with horror stories).

I had 2 mcs and then three weeks of visiting him in SCBU, so believe me I know there are worse things than being small - but this is the beautiful, smiley, cheerful centre of my world and the thought of him being laughed at or bullied breaks my heart.

Anyone out there with IUGR babies that remember whether height and weight went up consistently, or whether getting fatter was followed by getting longer (DS1 does this, but then he wasn't IUGR)?

My little girl wasn't IUGR but she was born v. small and dipped below the growth charts early on so we were referred to the paeds for some additional tests and monitoring. At 6 months she was still following just above the 0.4 centile curve, and it was only after we started weaning that the catch up growth began in earnest.

Between 6 months and about 10 months she did absolutely pile on the weight and "caught up" to where she is meant to be on the charts (around the 75% centile), where she has stayed ever since (now 16 months).

During this catch up period, her length definitely lagged behind the weight. Has his head circumference been measured? Apparently this is often the first area where the growth shows up.

Hope this helps.

DD1 was an IUGR baby - 4lb at 37 weeks - and did pile on the weight after she was born but never caught up height wise until I'd say about 18 months ago (she was 7 in March). She was around the 25%ile for years, probably from about 18m until 5/6, but it was never flagged up as a concern to me. I was always told (and I remember being as anxious as you are now, quite distinctly) that as long as she kept on growing at a steady rate, the &ile wasn't relevant.... she started off behind, so would always expect her to be behind (height & weight wise). Development was always spot on, a little early if anything.

The difficulty with DD1 was that as she was born at 37 weeks she was classed as full term, and that did her no favours (as you can imagine, at that weight). There was never any allowance made for the fact that I was induced early because of IUGR & pre-eclampsia :(

I wouldn't worry too much about him as long as he is growing consistently. Playgrounds are a long way off yet, alot can happen between now and then :)

Two different and encouraging perspectives, thank you .

DS2's head circ was measured, and has gone from 0.4th centile line (corrected for age) at 14 weeks to 25th uncorrected/50th corrected at not quite seven months.

Big jump, and the consultant actually measured twice because she was so surprised.

The thing I find odd is that I haven't seen the idea of catch-up growth by 12 months anywhere else, but surely as a consultant she must know so much about IUGR? It's really hard, there doesn't seem to be many reliable sources of info.

Bump

I've just been talking to DH about this and he remembers being told by consultants that catch up would probably happen up to the age of two - I don't remember this but DH has a very reliable memory ;)

12 months seems like an awful lot of growing to do in a relatively short space of time to me? I am right there with you that there isn't alot of info out there.

Try not to worry about him too much - he is at a magical age that will pass all too soon, try to treasure every moment of it :)