still not catching up..

[hiphophooray]

Hi ladies! I have a beautiful 2 year old DS who was born at 34 weeks. He was big for his gestational age during to my diabetes but was slow to gain. He has always been tiny and is a very crap eater. At almost 2.5 he is barely 22 pounds, and 1-2%ile. I thought by now he was suppose to be caught back up? Hes been tested for celiac and thyroid problems but all negative. i just cant help but worry there's something more going on, or something ive done wrong. Everyone always comments on hos small he is and im seriously sick. of it, its never how smart or cute, just how SMALL. Ugh. His dad isn't a small guy but im very petite, so I wonder if this plays a role as well. Has anyone had any experience with this?

 

[kanga]

My son was 1 last week and was born small and at 35w. He's not catching up. Is your son following his line? Mine isn't and so the doctors are investigating.

My son has suspected mitochondrial disease and an inborn error of metabolism which may explain things. But we have no definitive answers yet.

We have seen a dietician too which was useful.

 

[minties]

I wasn't born prematurely, but I was very small at 5lbs 11oz and 46cm at 40 weeks. My brother was 5lbs flat at 39 weeks.

I bet a lot of it is due to his genetics? I stayed small and was always around the 1st-3rd centiles until I fell off the charts around age 4. I attained an adult height of 147cm.

My daughter was 7lbs 15.5oz at 39 weeks but also quite short. She has stayed very short and people used to ask me if she was 6 months old when she was 11/12 months.

 

[hiphophooray]

He has pretty consistently been following his lines height is a little better %ile than weight. He doesnt like to eat much and he prefers fruits and veggies over anything. I butter and cheese up his food but it hasn't seemed to help much. He didn't care for pediasure drinks either. I am 5ft 110 lbs, DH is 6 ft 200 lbs, but we were both pretty skinny as toddlers/ preschoolers.

 

[hiphophooray]

Kanga I am sorry to hear about your son, hopefully everything turns out to be okay!!

 

[hiphophooray]

He had bad reflux when he was born too, so his ped wanted us to only give him 4 oz at a time even when he wanted more to prevent baby episodes, sometimes I think n it's my fault because I limited his intake, and now he fills up quick

 

[misspriss]

DS was born at 33 weeks, he is 21 months and just 20lbs. He gets the "He is so small!" comments a lot too. I have always taken it as they can't believe how small he is for how grown up he acts, as something positive.

I am short but not small, DH is average. Other people in my family are short and small.

Also, DS only took 2-2.5oz bottles when I was working (we BF'd when I was home), sometimes they just only eat a little!

 

[mummy3]

My 31 weeker is tiny, weight not so much but height he's never scrapped the 1st centile. He is on and off failure to thrive, he has a allergic condition (eosinophilic esophagitis) that makes him unable to have food just formula at 18m. He went up and then dropped right off the charts so we knew something was up alongside his symptoms, if the line is being followed I wouldn't worry too much. Its always good to keep a close eye though and be followed by the pediatrician

 

[sunnylove]

Sounds pretty normal, OP. I actually know a lot of 2 year olds personally (all healthy, full-terms) who are under 25lbs. And don't worry about "catch up growth," I personally don't believe in that. Development starts when sperm meets egg, not when a baby is born.

 

[25weeker]

My 5 year old is 30lb and 100cm. She was always on 0.4th centile and moved up into 2nd recently. My son was term but he is only between 9th & 25th at 16 months so although better not particularly big.

I spent years worrying about her weight but she has consistently followed the line and is healthy so have learnt to ignore the comments.

 

[hiphophooray]

Thank you everyone! May I ask where everyone is from? It seems like in America the charts are different then other countries, and hes not such a small percentile on another chart (I cant remember who but a lady here compared her chart with mine back when he was a baby.) Our LOs were the same size, but her DS was a higher %ile than mine.

 

[misspriss]

The US has two charts, the CDC charts (US only, based on majority formula fed children) and the WHO charts, which are used many places, and are based more on breastfed children with some formula fed. These WHO charts more appropriate for ideal growth in children under 2 years. The CDC charts show average, but not ideal growth.

My ped uses the CDC charts and never used his adjusted age, he always used his actual. I went home and put his information on the WHO charts at adjusted and actual age. The numbers did look better/higher %-tiles, which may be why you are seeing a difference. The most commonly used charts in the US are CDC (it's what they use after 2 anyway) and show average American baby growth, which is apparently a little bigger than average according to the difference in the charts.

 

[hiphophooray]

Thank you MissPriss that is very helpful! His ped goes by his actual age, and the CDC charts I believe as well.

 

[misspriss]

Yep, now after age 2 that is what the recommendation is in the US. I think the WHO charts go higher though, but because of the influence in diet and lifestyle they prefer to use the "American" charts in the US.

I still reference the WHO charts to estimate how big DS will be at 4 or 5, because he should follow right along those. He's a tiny little squirt still.

 

[misspriss]

Has your doctor said anything? My doctor is always saying how well DS is growing each time. He has not expressed any concern over his overall size, just that he continues to grow.

You are petite I'm 5'0", but weigh more than you. DH is only 5'9", so pretty average.

 

[minties]

We use the WHO charts here in New Zealand

 

[justplay91]

I was born at 36 weeks, 5lbs 1oz, and by the time I was 18 months old I only weighed 18 lbs. I wasn't even on the growth charts until I was 8 or so, I was so tiny. My mom is 5'0 and my dad is 6'3 so I think they assumed I'd be somewhere in the middle. And now that I'm an adult, I am. I reached 5'4. I never really had a growth spurt, I just grew very slowly over a long period of time and gradually caught up with my peers. It sounds like that is what is happening with your son as well. Good luck