Rapid weight gain

[HB36]

I am really worried about my 12 year old daughter. I’m the last 6 months she has put on an awful lot of weight - around 1.5 stone without any change to lifestyle and activity level . She stared her periods 20 months ago but is still very irregular (her last one was back in mid oct). She has had a blood test for pcos and under active thyroid. Both negative . She has become very body conscious as has gone from quite lean to overweight in less than a year . I really don’t know what to do to help and reassure her . Has anyone else any experience of this ?

My DS2 did the same in puberty, like his metabolism slowed down

He had bloods done and was found to be very very low on vitamin D

But the weight gain didn't disappear. He's 19 now and gains weight v easily

I think you should rule out any medical reason then talk to her about in, from a health point of view. See if you can pick up an activity together? Swimming, table tennis

Hi HB36, I saw your message and felt I wanted to write about my daughter’s experience. She was always quite short at primary school and had a tiny tummy, nothing I worried about (although I do remember at 5 her asking me - “Mummy am I fat?”.)… I obviously tried to reassure her but she has two older brothers and always loved her food, and I didn’t want to make it an issue so just tried to keep giving her healthy food and keep her active. She started her periods at 11, then she went through a chubby phase between then and I’d say around 13 1/2. (God when they did that awful weighing programme at the end of year 6 I had a letter saying she was overweight which I never showed her and threw in the bin).I was worried about it, but didn’t want to make things worse so kept in with the activities - she started doing ballet and modern dancing and did a bit of running. Then suddenly she hit 14, the weight started to fall off. We didn’t do anything different in terms of eating etc.

She’s 18 now, still short (!) but size 6, happy, healthy and confident.

I think girls can go through a chunkier stage as their hormones are coursing through their bodies and they are growing out as well as up initially. I think if you try encouraging her in activities she will enjoy, may be this would help?

I do realise how on a knife edge they are at this age, and how sensitive you need to be with weight/body image issues.

Good luck x

Thank you both ❤️ she does regular exercise , swim trains with a club twice a week, hikes and bikes . The level of exercise hasn't changed, I think I will take her to a paediatrician as my gp had not been that helpful as just keeps blaming her diet . I feel like a terrible mum at the moment😥

The fact that you're posting here shows you're anything but a terrible mum!

Your job now is to help her be body confident, whatever her size

Hi Tillly
That is really good advice , thank you . This is my first time on Mumsnet and was a bit nervous and it's great to not be judged 😌

Absolutely! Didn’t want to imply being slim is only acceptable way to be, and of course we would a support our kids whatever their size. ❤️

We're all juggling and learning 😚

Same happened with DD, now 13.5. She's quickly gone from slim to quite overweight and I'm worried sick!

She also has type 1 diabetes which adds an extra level of complication around food. I know what she eat/drinks - or, what I giver her to eat - but I can also see anything else that she's had. Such a tricky age - I don't want her to be obsessed with her body, but also want her to be healthy...

Lostinthecolonies I am the same , I know what my daughter eats and I am so worried too and seem to be in a similar boat . The fact we are both looking at all angles makes me think it might all come out in the wash 🙏 it's no easy is it though . If I get any advice from a paediatrician I can update in this thread x

It's really normal for pre teens to gain a fair bit of weight as it's needed to kick start puberty and usually coincides with a growth spurt.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies DD has slowed down vertically though I suspect there are a few more cm to come. Horizontally though - that's another thing! She's weighed/measured every 3 months to monitor her diabetes so I can absolutely see how/when things have changed. I was 6cm taller & 13kg lighter at her age.
Fingers crossed that the various comments about this not being unusual are correct!

@HB36
Hi op, just seeing how things with your daughter are now? Similar situation and interested to know if time/growth spurt made a difference

Try not to worry, I would say it's due to puberty. I was an underweight child until puberty hit and I then I filled out and gained a lot of weight within a short amount of time. One of my daughters was exactly the same as me. Your daughter still has a lot of growing left and I am sure it will settle down in time.

hi @cocktailanddreams she is still much heavier than she was 2 yrs ago, and also developed large boobs so I am hoping it will all settle down. We are very focused on how strong she is as she runs and does CrossFit and that message is helping but she is still so self conscious and I have to weigh her every 3 months for her update with GP . It’s tough as she is on such a healthy diet and I try not to worry too much but it’s hard not too . How are things with you ?

Thanks for the update, it must be hard to understand the reason or just that's her body shape.
My DD is 12, no periods yet but holds the weight around tummy and arms. From what I've read it's common and this will develop into waist and bust. Just hard to see the changes, so much pressure to look and be a certain way that I worry for her self image.