Little Kids

My daughter weighed 25lb at her 12 month appt and weighed 25lb at her 18 month appt. i think thats just the age they start evening out. I wouldn't worry about it. they are going to be small kids/ adults because their parents are. my kids are going to be small too. I'm 5'4" , hubby is 5'9" so my kids have no chance to be tall except that my dad is tall and my son looks like my dad lol.

Just watch they will hit those teen years and shoot up. may not be tall but they will get bigger

Hey, I have two boys and they are considered in the 5-10% range according to WIC, but they weren't too concerned either. They are healthy, active boys! I think it has a lot to do with your genetic makeup. I grew up as a chunky child til about junior high, then gained weight after having my kids, but now all of it is gone and plus some! My husband was never that big either so, I don't think there is much to worry about. I have an 18 month old and i think he weighs the same as yours. Anyway, hope that helps!

First off don't rely on genetics and doctors, if your gut feeling says otherwise, two cases for ya:
1. My sister in law and her husband are both on the small side. Two children a girl growning at an avarage rate and the boy who is very small. Doctors didn't mind because he eats well and parents are small, until a new/ young doctor saw him and decided to do some test. He has a renal inmaturity that makes him pass potasium or some other mineral through his urine. Since he started on these mineral suplements he has started to grow, he wont make 6ft but will not stay little either.
2. A friend of mine and her husband are also both on the small size, so are their respective families. Their daughter is on the 70th percentile in height and weight.
This is why I tell you do not rely on genetics nor doctors. Use your motherly instinct, if you feel something is not right ask your doctor to investigate a bit further.

Good Luck!

hi there, i have two children who are about in the same weight range as your two youngest. my 5 year old daughter is only 36 lbs and my 2 year old is only 25 lbs. and they are very healthy girls! there weight will go up when the hit another growth spurt, so don't worry it is normal!!
good luck!

Dear Mom of Small Children,

All I have to say is, it is okay. I too have a son who has been in the 5-10th percentile since his one year check up. He is now almost three and yes he is slightly smaller in height and weight then most of his friends, however he can surely keep up with the big kids. My son eats good meals, however not in large portions. He is also very active. Unfortunately our kids are being compared to the kids who were close to thirty pounds at their one year check up putting them in such a low percentile. Personally my husabnd and I love the stature of our son. Their are so many overweight kids and truly it is hard to look at. I will admit, it was hard in the beginning when some one says he was small,however wonderful things come in small packages.

I've got a pip-squeak of a kid, too. (Always in the 3-5% range for height) Ironically, the person most concerned was my 4'11" mother-in-law!!! (bless her heart). I'm 5'2" - husband is 5'5" - exactly where is she expecting these height genes to come from? That being said, my husband is somewhat concerned, because he grew up being a short kid, and he reminds me of how hard it can be during the teenage years. In fact, it wasn't until he was in his 30s that he finally came to peace with it.

We've got a book called "The Short Child" that would probably interest you. See if you can find it online. His thinking is "Yeah, even if he's perfectly healthy and normal, this world can be hard on short kids, especially when they are teenagers. If there is something I can do to change that, I want to at least consider it."

So the 4 year old got a "bone age" test last year, his pediatrician recommended it - "just in case", she said. (He was just over 37" at age 4, the 5th percentile.)
We had to go down to the Children's Hospital (GREAT interior design in the lobby, by the way!) and they took an X-ray of his hand - took maybe 1 minute and the the doc was able to look at the results immediately. Basically, the results were, yeah, he's short, but he's developing normally.

We've also looked a little at hormone therapy. Bascially, it's pretty controversial for children who are "normal, but short". If there's a problem with hormone deficiency, then therapy is more acceptable. For the "normal but short" kids, it may not be effective for one thing. Plus, from what I hear, it's a huge pain. (DAILY injections of hormones.) I am SO not ready for that. But do your own research.

Beyond that, it's basically "clean livin'" - exercise,
nutritious diet, plenty of sleep, and maybe a multivitamin or calcium supplement. (They now make these calcium supplements that taste like caramel candies.)

Personally, we struggle with the "diet" part, because my older kid seems to survive on 100 calories a day. He never seems to be hungry for more than 2 bites. (My husband says "Chris defies the laws of physics! He expends more energy than he puts in!") The "10 calorie kid" has become a running joke, and when he says he's full after just a few bites, we say "Well, I guess that will keep him alive until breakfast." I just have to make sure he gets something healthy in those 2-3 bites. Sometimes I can get him to have a protein smoothie.

A last note, sports can be difficult for small boys, and you may have to get creative to find something that he can excel at. It'll give him a little confidence to know that he's good at SOMETHING before they start doing those "Presidental Awards for Physical Fitness" or whatever they call them. Kids with shorter legs usually can't run as fast or jump as high, and I remember feeling pretty depressed when they did that every year at my school. I felt bad about any kind of sports for YEARS until I was 12 and I discovered I could swim like nobody's business.

Gymnastics/tumbling would also be good, and even some forms of martial arts are particularly designed for people with small statures (like Wing Chun). (My son saw an acrobatics show at the Renn fest, and now he's all excited to find a gymnastics class so he can learn to do that stuff.) If he's REALLY small, consider horseback riding lessons. Maybe he'll be a world class horse jockey! (Most of those guys riding in the Kentucky Derby are like 110 pounds.) :)

N.,
I have a little girl who just turned a year last week and only weighs 17 lbs. and 15 oz. She is in the tenth percentile. She is happy and healthy and developing like she should and I just try not to worry about it. Both myself and my husband are tall and muscular, so at some point she will get bigger. She eats very much like your boys...quite healthy - no junk food. I think our culture has deemed large babies as the norm, so the little ones seem far and few between. I don't think size really matters unless something is wrong.

My son was in the 5th and 3rd percentile for weight and height for so long that one of the workers at the WIC office accused me of malnourishing him. He ate all of the time!!! I didn't think he was ever going to make it to 20 lbs. so that I could put him in a forward facing car seat?!He was always the tiniest in his class and always wore "slims" and those were often too big. Until..., he entered 5th grade and all of a sudden "slims" were too tight. He just turned 14 and now he's eye level with his dad (he's 5'8"), wears a bigger shoe size than his dad, and weighs more than me. Now..., I have him on a "healthy eating and exercise plan"!! I NEVER thought that would happen. Girls often stop growing a lot sooner than males, so I bet your boys are just slow to start. They'll catch up with their peers soon and probably surpass them!

Hi N.,

Do your boys take vitamins? I sell an awesome line of kids vitamins and teen vitamins that are natural. Most store brand ones like the gummies have additives and gelatin. Mine are vegan and natural with 28 fruits and veggies. Not sure they will make them grow but they certainly will assist with growth and boost their immune systems. I also have a baby line that has cured ezcema in many children and adult customers of mine. Works like a charm!
Let me know if you want more informtation.
Thanks,
K.

I think you said it in your request, your children are active and eat the healthy well balance diets they are supposed to. Our bodies respond well to balanced diets and burn it up throughout the day's activities. I wouldn't focus on the weight percentile since think of all the kids out there without an active lifestyle or who are eating high caloric and fatty junk. Those kids are the ones that shift the percentile to higher marks. I would trust your instincts if you really think that there is something wrong, but I would chalk it up to active lifestyle and a bit of genetics mixed in. In the mean time, maybe some research into if there is anything possibilities for help after puberty since I think nature should take its course before you get really concerned.

If you were small and all of your kids are small but healthy, I wouldn't worry about it. My 7yo only weighs about 46 lbs and still wears a size 5. My daughter is 2 1/2 and only weighs about 25 lbs. At her 18 mo check-up her ped did reccommend switching from milk to pediasure. I did this for a while but it is really expensive and she has always been healthy despite being small. Since we moved here, our new pediatrician isn't concerned. Because my kids are very bright and healthy, I've decided not to worry. They'll grow when it's time. (I only weighed 93 lbs at my graduation.)

Not an odd question at all.....You sound like a good, caring mother to me. Honey, just relax. Remember the rainbow has many colors, depths of colors, sizes of colors....Your family just adds to the wonderful differences God has created. Unless SEVERAL physicians agree otherwise, leave them at peace and enjoy every minute of health you have with them. I have a nephew the same way....always the shortest in class, for example. But he is a giant at heart!!! His folks have never treated him any different. He is now aware of it and yes, sometimes it hurts his feelings but he is doing great. So try not to worry....it will rub off on them if you do......

Old Wives tale:

A glass of milk and a few drops of iodine.

Not sure if it really works my mom says it does and she is 57.

Good luck.

Hey N. - Just to put your mind at ease and for comparison sake, my daughter who is almost 20 months weights between 26 and 28 pounds depending on the scales and the day you weigh her which is in the 50% and is in the 97% on height. Now I say this because while you and your husband are smaller - me and my husband are not. I am 5'11" and my husband is 6'2" and both of us have weight to lose. So are children are not far off in weight but as parents our sizes are dramtically different. She was also 10 lbs 5 oz at birth. I don't really have advice on how to get them bigger. I think this generation of children will be different in weight bc there is so much obesity and childhood obesity that parents are behaving differently to prevent. I know that even though I am overweight, we don't snack on junk food. I make sure we have healthy snacks and she gets her "treats" at parties or special occassions. Plus so many companies are no longer using growth hormones in there foods (milks, meats, eggs,etc) that it has an affect on our children also (a positive one in my mind). Anyways, I just thought having a comparison might be helpful. It sounds like you and your family are very healthy - and that is awesome!

Hey N.,
I know how the people you trust, doctors, can sometimes get your brain going on a roller coaster. Your children seem to be doing fine. I have two and honestly, even though some people think I'm silly, they seem to grow more when they are outside more and playing and swimming! Maybe they're like plants, LOL!!! Plenty of sun and water, LOL!! My kids have eczema and the sun light seem to help with their eczema. Even though they are doctors, they aren't definite. One day eggs are good for you then they are bad for you and then they are good for you, etc. As long as they are healthy, don't worry. Your doing a good job! Being told they are in the low end of "average" is better than being told your children are morbidly obese and you're doing something wrong. Being short sucks!! I'm only 5'3" so I'm jealous of you, LOL!!!! Enjoy Life!

Your 6 1/2 year old is 40 lbs??? My 3 1/2 y/o granddaughter is 42 lbs!!! I know she is a little heavy but she is not chubby. She is solid. she use to be very tiny too. I was afraid to grab her arm for fear of snapping it, that's how skinny she was. She is not overly fat but she is big for her age. I attribute the poly-visol vitamins we started giving her after she turned 1. I had the same concern because she was so small when she was younger. I told my daughter to give her the poly-visol (liquid) vitamins in her o.j. After that she started eating everything. Maybe you may want you kids to eat an occaisional fast food meal. That may be where my granddaughter gets her weight but I promise you she does not look fat just tall for her age but she is solid, all my kids were rather solid. It may run in the family.

Yours sounds just like our family! Both my sons (ages 1 and almost 3) are also below the 5th percentile. To compound it, my almost 3yo does not eat very much despite great efforts to get him to eat more. They are both very healthy, and because they both seem to be following the same track, it probably is just genetic and their dr isn't worried at all. I am also 5'4", but my husband, who is 6', said that he was always smaller than average as a child and didn't catch up until he was in high school. Hang in there -- as long as they are hitting developmental milestones and eating a healthy diet, they will probably turn out fine. It sounds like you're doing a great job giving them good nutrition, so keep at it and just let them grow at their own pace. Who knows, they might also spurt up in high school like my husband did.

My daughter is 2.5 and has only gained 2 lbs over the last year and 1/2. We are both on the small side so I'm not reallyh concerned and I wouldn't be if I were you either. There are growth hormones however.

Hi,
I think you will have to chalk this up to genetics. You said that you were small until age 12 and maybe the same goes for you children. At least, you are giving your children the needed vitamins and nutrients for promoting healthy living.
My sons (11 and 2) both have asthma and my 2 year old has eczema and has been taking at least five meds daily to prevent asthma flareups. We have changed our lifestyle re: cleaning products and the lotion I use on my 2 year old. At this time, my 2 yr. olds respiratory specialist is taking him off some of his daily medications. These new products are all natural and have worked wonders for my family.
K. C.

Hi N.,
I'm a chiropractor so here's my input. It sounds like your children are healthy and growing just fine. If you are concerned about it, think about taking them to see a chiropractor. We are trained to master the spine and its development. A condition known as scoliosis can cause delayed growth and is quite common in children. This condition, if caught early, can usually be corrected with our care. Other than that, if they are getting a balanced diet then your doing a great job! Chiropractic is very safe and effective for children! My child has been getting adjusted since she was born and she is thriving! Best of luck with your decision!

I wouldn't worry too much. I've been there. I'm 5'10" myself and my daughter was the smallest baby in our family to date - a mere 8 lbs 10 oz. When she was born, she was in the 90th percentile for height and weight.

At 6 months, she was in the 25th percentile for both. Since she was eating almost 1.5x the amount the pediatrician said babies her age needed, I freaked out! I fed her all day long, we put canola oil in her food, anything to help her gain weight. She wanted a treat? She got cookies, pudding, ice cream, etc. I had nightmares about her having a tube worm or some parasite stealing all her nutrition.

For over a year I was so paranoid that something was wrong. It wasn't until well after her 3rd birthday that she finally hit 30 lbs. We even had cake & ice cream for her to celebrate weighing so much!

Now I just smile sheepishly when her pediatrician and I talk about her growth. The pediatrician knew all along that as long as my little girl was growing and not shrinking, and as long as developmentally she was okay, that there was nothing to panic about.

If you need a second opinion, see another pediatrician, but if you haven't noticed any developmental or growth issues other than weight, I wouldn't worry just yet. If you need to talk to a mom that understands - I'm here!

Dear Ms. N. K.,

From how you described yourself, you sound like a great mom and like you are giving your children healthy, well-balanced meals. Since your doctor is not concerned, if I were you, I would just keep on doing what you are doing.

But, if you're still not happy about things, I would highly recommend taking your family to see a licensed nutritionist for a consultation. In my opinion, they could be more helpful than a pediatrician because many MD's have very little nutritional training. My MD is good with nutrition, though, which has been a great help to us over the years. Also, many chiropractors have excellent nutritional training.

God bless!

My kids are small too... my son was 7th percentile at 4 years old and up to 12th by age five. At his four year checkup she said he's on the small side but that they look more at rate of growth as opposed to actual height. And he'd grown two inches that year, which was great, they said. My daughter was a chubby baby and at around 12 mos. she started to increase in height and not in weight for a while, so I think that's not abnormal. They sound just fine to me... I don't think I'd look for ways to mess with nature! The doctor at the 4 yr. old checkup told me to look for ways to "increase fat and protein calories" and said things like "put ranch dressing on his vegetables..." But that didn't seem healthy to me in the long run since he likes his veggies plain! I think as long as the doctor isn't worried and you think they're eating a healthy diet, don't worry about it.

Hi N.. I wouldn't worry about it if your pediatrician is not concerned. My youngest is 10 months and only weighs 15 lbs. At her last checkup, She is in the 10% for weight and the 25% for length. My pediatrician told me that as long as her weight and height are in proportion with each other and she is healthy and happy then we don't need to worry. Some children are just small. My oldest eats all the time and has always been on the short and small side. Again, my ped is not worried. Also, if they have a high metabolism, they would be able to constantly eat and not gain weight either. Good luck and I hope this helps.

since boys can continue to grow all the way through college, i wouldn't worry about their height just yet. in my family the boys tend to be shorter until puberty and then have growth spurts as teenagers so they end up being fairly average in height. from what you said about your own growth spurt, it sounds like your boys will probably be the same way.

Both of my kids have mild eczema and slight food allergies and one child has a peanut allergy, although not severe.

They have both developed normally, but my son's behavior has been very erratic at times. We went back and looked at the results from the food allergy blood test (IGE test, I think?) and cut out everything that he even had a slight allergy to and BOY, what a difference! His behavior improved, I think, because his skin and digestion are 100% better.

We use goats milk (Kroger, Publix and Walmart) and they are thriving now.

I tried to find a pattern in their diet that would lead to answers about their food sensitivities, but ultimately had to get blood tests.

I wonder, does anyone in your family have Celiac disease?

It sounds like you have very healthy children who are just small due to genetics. As long as they are healthy, active, and the Doctor is not concerned, I don't think you have anything to worry about. =)