Does anyone else's son get thinner and a bit unwell during a growth spurt? Is it a 'thing'?

[Moln]

Mine is 12. Pretty sure he gained a few extra centimetres over Christmas (no sure how much but he was at my shoulder and now he's above it).

He's only really just started this growth spurt business, but each time he does he get unwell. Nothing dramatic, he feels weak, queasy and looks pale. Is this normal?

He's go very thin now, 5th percentile for body mass, and that was in clothes in a heavy hoodie too. He has always been slender but seems thinner now - just like he actually stretched when he grew taller. I'm a bit concerned about his weight but he eats well; three decent meals a day, lots of vegetables and fruit, and is quite good with a self imposed limit on treats. He doesn't eat meat, but does eat fish.

I know I might be advised to take him to the GP but there's not NHS where I am and it'd cost the equivalent of just over £50 for me to ask the GP the above.

Mine does look like he's stretched after a growth spurt, but he generally loads up beforehand. 12, too, so this tends to mean he stomps around the kitchen shouting "I'm HUNNNNGREEEEEE!" ad then stuffing himself with carbs.

Your DS might be eating healthy foods, but is he getting the calories and fat in that he needs? There's a lot of nutrients that are fat soluble. He does sound a little anaemic, too - I think you either need to get that checked out or give him an iron supplement suitable for his age group (maybe try something gentle like spatone, mixed with some fruit juice) and see if his energy levels improve.

I have friends with teenage boys and they eat constantly. They are growing at a dramatic rate at that age and need lots of calories. DH needs loads of calories with work and cycling. Would he eat porridge, malt loaf, cheese and crackers?

Mine looks exactly like you describe, he is so pale I feel quite worried about him. He constantly snacks, fruit, crackers, cereal, biscuits, crisps, anything he can get his hands on but struggles to eat proper meals, cos he 'feels queasy'.

He does get like this every few months and I do wonder if it's just his age. He is sporty and was asking to go for a run (in the dark) last night so he has energy - he just looks terrible!

All of mine since toddlerhood have looked a bit stretched when they take a growth spurt. Dd is 12 and is very tired this growing thing does seem to take it our of her. But not seeming unwell at all. One of her friends at school was though. Very very slim, pale, tired but ate well and very active in sports. He mum took her to the Dr and they did tests and a food diary and she was told although eating well. Was eating well for an adult and she needed more carbs and fatty foods like cheese. The mum was trying to lose weight so eating more healthily but not accounting forward growing nearly rlteenage body needing more in the way of calories than she did.

Ds is 9 but very tall for his age. He's definitely going through a growth spurt. Just had to buy new shoes and trousers. He's constantly hungry. Today he's had a massive breakfast, his school lunch, snacks when he got home, big dinner then he went to judo and came back and had a bowl of pasta, bacon and mushrooms. He went to bed saying that he was hungry.

He doesn't have an ounce of fat on him

Today he ate (and this wouldn't be unusual food intake when he's feeling off colour like now)

Shreddies with (fortified) milk for breakfast

Apple and a smoothie (ok so smoothies are particularly healthy) as a mid morning snack

Baguette (demi) with cheese, tomato and cucumber (this would more often be standard slices out of a whole meal loaf)

I gave him a complan when he come home from school as DH bought them yesterday as he too is concerned at his weight

Dinner was quorn nuggets, carrots, sprouts and potato. He had a multi vitamin / mineral afterwards - this where also bought by dh yesterday.

Close to bed he had a bread roll with a bit of cheese.

His fluid intake is exclusively water par the smoothie.

Hmmm that's not that much is it? Or is it? He's not particularly tall and has only just started showing signs of growth spurts since October. He'd eat more when he's not feeling ropey.

moln my five year old could eat that in a day, also has two glasses of milk minimum a day. Try more carbs?

I personally feel that's well balanced and he is eating to his appetite which is positive too (not overeating).

Could you download an app (lifesum springs to mind) in order to log his total calories for a week?
Not sure how many calories a growing boy needs but Dr Google will know!

It could be he needs a portion of cheese with his smoothie, not an apple.

My two though younger, are skinny.
Some days they eat non stop. But always my order of offered food is
Bowl cereal or Slice toast
Apple.

If they get to the apple, then they can have whatever they want after as they are clearly very hungry!

They don't. Their appetites are well modulated. As is their food intake well spread across the day. And for what it's worth, they don't snack. At all.

Multivitamin is a great idea. Have a Google on his calcium intake too. Teenage boys need a lot!

I'd have thought it a hell of a lot for a five year old, might not be a great deal for a queasy 12 year old though.

On normal days he'd eat bowl of pasta with sauce (tends to be a tomato one with several vegetables in it) often as a filler between meals., and a bagel. I'd like him to eat meat but he doesn't want to, so I can't make him.

I'll look into that app Dungandbother - thanks