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DS is 108cm tall and weighs 18.5kg. He looks such a skinny little thing, always has. When he was a tot still in nappies, the only bulky bit on him was the nappy. It gave him a bum, lol. But seriously, he is tiny. I can't force him to eat, but his skinniness worries me. So, just seeing what others might suggest we can do? The first thing I need to do would be take him to the doctor and talk about this. I guess I just had to get it aired, I am starting to get worried about him.
My son is turned 4 in May, he isn't quite 18kgs yet, height wise I think he is similar. He still fits into size 2 shorts as he has a tiny waist.
Can I ask what is making you feel like your son is underweight?
My eldest would have only been about 16kgs at 4, she only hit 20kg this year at 6. She eats a lot but is always on the go she can't sit still so I burns off. Has he always been small? Is he a good eater? Maybe keep a food diary so the dr can see what he is eating. If you a worried then its a good idea to see someone. Make sure he is eating full fat cheese, milk etc too.
Same as black rose here. She's a lightweight but she eats well (when she wants to) and us just an active little girl. Nobody has raised any concerns with me and she looks as normal as the next kid.
Has someone said something? You can have a 4yo health check at the GP if you haven't already that's bulk billed.
Is it just his weight that you are worried about or is it other things? 18kgs at 4 actually puts him above the 50th centile for his age. My 4.5 yo is a bit tally but the same weight. Yes he's very skinny. Still wearing two pairs of shorts that are 00s infact lol.
His bones stick out and he bruises really easily. But he's a gung-ho, rambunctious little boy. He survives on air most days and then eats as much as me on very few.
Have you got a good MCHN you could chat to?
My 5 and a half year old is 110cms and 17kgs (just). No one has ever told me I needed to see someone.
I would be concerned if he had other health issues. But not solely based on that weight.
My nearly 3yo is 95cm and 11kgs.
You could see a paed? We are seeing one lately and it is helping.
Personally I wouldn't be too worried about it. My youngest DD is 8.5 years old and has just hit 21kgs, she is stick thin, but gee she can eat, usually more than the rest of us put together. She just has a very good metabolism. She is still fitting into some size 4 shorts, she has really long legs, so is now in a size 8 for school pants but I always have to take them in for her, the waist is always too big! The Dr has checked her over, says that there is nothing wrong with her, we were there for another reason though.
Don't stress every child is different!!! I hear you on the no bum, mine doesn't have one either, or hips, which makes shorts and skirt wearing a nightmare!
Black Rose; He is not a very good eater, he used to be though. A food diary is a good idea, I should probably do that, thanks. And we only ever eat full-fat milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc.
PRMG; No, no outside party has said anything, but when I see all the other kids at kinder who are a lot more solid than he is, and also the Man has voiced his concern. I didn't think of it at his four year old assessment, and it didn't come up.
Kim; I am only worried about his weight, everything else seems okay. Your info cheers me up, as does realising that maybe he's not so skinny by fitting into size 3 or 4 shorts. Lol, DS seems to survive on air sometimes. Just thinking, re "everything else", he seems to get sick, a lot. Almost alwyas has a runny nose or a cold-type thing. I think I will try to get back into the MCHN, I just can't remember who the "good one" is.
Lenny and Charlotte; Thank you.
Dinky; Thank you. He just doesn't seem to eat all that much, but if I keep track of it in a diary for a while, maybe I will see that it is. I know every kid is different, and he certainly is different to all our other kids (he's the skinny one), I guess I am just worried if he is too thin and it cause him any health problems.
DS1 will be 6 in December, he only weighs 20-21kg so I wouldn't be worried based on weight only :)
DS is 3.5 and 13.5kgs. He eats well enough and I didn't crack 30kgs til about grade 10. Going by that, he fits into our family perfectly. He has my fast metabolism and eats little and often, like me.
What are yours and his dad's body types? Does he stand out against the rest of the family? Is he extra picky with food or just not overly interested?
I know with food that it can seem like they're not getting much, but keeping a food diary is awesome...I did it for a few weeks with DS and realised he eats more on certain days, and at certain times of the day. Over an average week, it evens out. I also make sure that what he does get isn't empty calories. As for the sickness, work on his immune system.
Meant to also say that, if, after you've kept the food diary, you're still worried, at least you have something to show the doc.
My 10.5yo DS weighs 28 kilos. He eats plenty when reminded. We are with a paediatrician for other issues and didn't have an issue with his weight. He's just skinny. But weight in proportion to height on the charts.
I agree with the food diary - you will probably be surprised at how much he does eat.
And if you are worried - always ask your GP or MCHN.
Best wishes.
Have almost a month to the MCHN appointment, so heaps of time for food diary!
The Man is solid build, and I am slim build. I have a fast metabolism, and eat heaps (even when not breastfeeding). He is just small when compared to DD (who is 28kg), and even Mack, who is 11kg. (obviously he's small compared to a kid that is older than him, that isn't how I meant it, lol.)
Get what you mean! Maybe try a probiotic and good multi vitamin to boost his immune system might encourage his appetite a bit too as low iron can suppress their appetite.
No, I know exactly what you mean. My 7yo is 32kg and seriously tall (she's only a head shorter than me at 165cm). But 32kgs and you wouldn't notice an ounce of fat anywhere she's so strong and lean.
DS has been runty skinny and this weight for as long as I can remember. He just keeps getting taller.
Have read your thread with interest, but nothing to add, until now.
Just wondering what made you think that 18.5kg is underweight for a 4 year old? My DS is 106cm (75% percentile) and 17kg (somewhere between 50-75% percentile) and is 4. Just wondering if I have read the growth charts wrong or if you used another method? (I used the growth charts in QLD red book).
Netix - my DS turned 4.5 today, he is 15kg and 97cm tall. He is in the 5th percentile for weight and 3rd percentile for height. He's a runt. However he is growing at a steady rate, has plenty of energy and is healthy and fine. We had a paed checkup (not due to weight or height) a week ago and the paed was very happy with his development / growth etc. Some kids are at the bottom end of these 'average' sizes, maybe its just our kids :)
Unless he is dropping into lower percentiles and he really isn't eating properly, I wouldn't worry to be honest, sounds like he is just a slight fellow. 4yo are particularly fussy with food too! I was a skinny kid too, I think he gets it from me, once I hit my teens though - Pffft! My DD is catching him fast, she is 15 months and probably about 11 kg, she'll match his 15kg soon enough!!
double post
Try putting your sons details into this bmi calculator for kids:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/b...ages/bmi4child
It's a great indicator of whether your son is underweight.
If you are concerned, see a dietician to review diet and weight. We've done this as DS has many allergies and he was 5.5 years, 19 kg and 121cm tall.
It is important to keep tabs on weight gain as it can affect energy levels and overall immunity and health. I hadn't realized DS had stayed the same weight all year without gaining as he had a year of working out what he was intolerant to and learning how to compensate for it in his diet.
I was actually at the Dr's today and he weighed and measured my 4.5yr old DD. She is 105cm tall and 14.7kg, which puts her on the 30th percentile. She looks healthy and eats healthy, she's just little. He didn't even mention any problem, just told me the stats :) I definitely wouldn't be worrying. Sounds totally normal to me :)
I wouldn't worry, my almost 3.5 year old is only 11kg, some days she eats like a bird, some days she eats like an elephant. But she seems to have plenty of energy and is always happy. I'd only start to be concerned if he was lethargic and looked ill.
My boy will be 4 in a few months and hes only 12 kgs fully dressed and wears a size 2 pants cos of his tiny waist.
Hes a funny eater but hes always full of energy.
My DS has just turned 6 and is 18.5kg and 112cm. He is just little.
My DD just had her 4yr health check and is 107cm tall (90th percentile) and 17.9kgs (75th percentile) and she is lean where as one of my twins at 2yr 4mths is already 95cm and weighs 16kgs, he has no fat on him but is a very solid muscular body type like DH. It is hard not to compare kids to each other but so long as he is growing his weight appears fine.
At DDs health check I was advised that it is at 4 when food may start to become an issue as they are now of an age when they want to start making their own choices and food is an easy one to have control over as well as what clothes they want to wear.
Thank you Ladies, I will post in depth tomorrow when I get to the library, it's just too hard on my teeny tiny phone screen.
I do have a weigh and measure appointment for him next month at the MCHN, but I have not been doing his food diary. I am mainly worried, not from looking it up on a chart or anything like that, but because he simply looks so tiny, and is so often sniffly and snotty and gets sick easily.
Thank you Ladies, I will post in depth tomorrow when I get to the library, it's just too hard on my teeny tiny phone screen.
I do have a weigh and measure appointment for him next month at the MCHN, but I have not been doing his food diary. I am mainly worried, not from looking it up on a chart or anything like that, but because he simply looks so tiny, and is so often sniffly and snotty and gets sick easily.
Hi Netix, Given you say he is sniffly and snotty so,you think maybe his adenoids may be involved, or possible large tonsils. I know of a few children with small appetites as a result of this.
That doesn't sound too bad. My four year old had her four year old health assessment a few weeks ago and she is 13kg and 100cm. They didn't express any concern over her weight.