Very underweight 6 year old.

[Mummyxofx2]

Ok so my 6 year old was born at 6lb 1oz. She stopped growing in utero at 35 weeks and was diagnosed with iugr. She jumped from the 10th percentile line to the 50th by 6 months old but over the years it's like she has hardly gained any weight. She was 7kgs at 6 months and now at 6 years she is only 16kgs and on the 3rd percentile line. I have a doctors appointment for her but it's a couple weeks away.

She does eat a lot almost as much as my slightly over weight 9 year old. Who's 44kgs. Has anyone else had a similar situation?

There is honestly nothing of her. She is a bag of bones I can fit my fingers around her arm and legs. I think there might be something wrong with her stomach as her breath ALWAYS smells like bowel movements and she goes to the toilet 2 times a day. I'm so worried something is really wrong with her =(

 

[SerenityNow]

My eldest has always been very thin, never up to the 10th percentile for weight and always above 50th for height. She is 14, weighs 38.5 kg and is 5' 4". She's perfectly healthy, it is just her build. I think as she goes through puberty she will put on more weight. I was a late bloomer so I'm not concerned.

However, I think you are right to take her to the Dr. Being underweight and chronic bad breath can both be symptoms of diabetes, though it is more of a paint thinner smell than a bowel type smell-- but we all interpret things differently.

 

[Mummyxofx2]

Definitely smells like poop. I always think she farts or the baby has pooped but it's her breath. It's not so much that she is small it's the fact she dropped from the 50th percentile to the 3rd that I worry about.

 

[messica]

If I were you, I'd insist on having her see a specialist. Too many times regular MD's or pediatricians will dismiss a kiddo being on the extreme end of the weight spectrums as "that's just who they are."

In her case I think you're right to worry and would be most concerned about metabolic disorders. There are several that would cause both poor weight gain/growth and bad breath.

 

[SerenityNow]

Whoa, suggesting a metabolic disorder seems like jumping right to the worst case scenario. Maybe that is not the term you meant to use.
At any rate, metabolic disorders are very rare and it is especially unlikely that your otherwise healthy 6 year old has one. They often result in severe developmental and neurological problems.

I don't know if they will compare her centile at 6 mo. with where she is now, babies often move around on the chart before they establish their grown pattern. All 3 of mine changed centile lines in their first 2 years.

My eldest was investigated for FTT when she was 2.5. I can give you some information on what that involved, but I'm in the US so it may be a different protocol than where you are.

We kept a food journal for a week, filled out a huge questionnaire about developmental milestones, digestive complaints, general disposition and behavior. They also took blood. I don't remember all the things they tested for-- thyroid, liver enzymes, celiac, growth hormones -- they may have screened for metabolic disorders that aren't covered by the newborn screening-- it was a long list and several vials of blood.

I think it makes sense to have her looked at, but I really wouldn't worry. If she is otherwise a normal, healthy energetic kid and she eats an adequate amount of food, I really doubt that you will find there is a problem.

 

[Eidson23]

My son is very skinny also. He's never had any developmental problems that I know about, but he has always been "thin". He started a new ADHD medication 3 months ago, and has since LOST 2.5 lbs and grew about 1/2 inch, which worried our doctor even though "decreased appetite" is a common side effect. We've switch meds, but the doctor recommended he gets to drink an ice cream milk-shake every night before bed. Which he has no problem with at all. I add in pediasure or something similar for nutrients.

 

[messica]

Whoa, suggesting a metabolic disorder seems like jumping right to the worst case scenario. Maybe that is not the term you meant to use.
At any rate, metabolic disorders are very rare and it is especially unlikely that your otherwise healthy 6 year old has one. They often result in severe developmental and neurological problems.

I don't know if they will compare her centile at 6 mo. with where she is now, babies often move around on the chart before they establish their grown pattern. All 3 of mine changed centile lines in their first 2 years.

I absolutely meant to say as a mother, if my child went from IUGR - to 50th percentile at 6 months old - to 3rd percentile at 6 years of age despite eating like a horse yes, that would be my concern. And I actually don't think it's necessarily a worst case scenario at all.

Some waxing and waning on a growth chart is absolutely normal but that is about as extreme as it gets and is certainly not any form of typical. I'm really surprised that the kiddo's pediatrician hasn't investigated potential causes already after seeing the tanking on her chart at annual checks.

I'm not sure where you're getting that metabolic disorders are rare

 

[cookette]

Diabetes immediately comes to mind. Doesn't mean she has it, but would certainly be worth ruling out. Let us know, good luck hon!

 

[RinnaRoo]

Diabetes also comes to my mind as well. Is she thirsty a lot?

 

[morri]

Otherwise some kids just are skkinny. When I was in year 5 there was a kid that was shorter than me and she was also skinny. she didnt have a problem with that ever- she was 23kg at 12 years old.
My husband was also always skinny but the advantage is that even now at 55 he is still slim, and if you just seehim front he looks like 40ish and from the silhouette he looks like 30s .

 

[tallybee]

I hope you can get some reassurance from the doctor

 

[Dragonfly]

Ok so my 6 year old was born at 6lb 1oz. She stopped growing in utero at 35 weeks and was diagnosed with iugr. She jumped from the 10th percentile line to the 50th by 6 months old but over the years it's like she has hardly gained any weight. She was 7kgs at 6 months and now at 6 years she is only 16kgs and on the 3rd percentile line. I have a doctors appointment for her but it's a couple weeks away.

She does eat a lot almost as much as my slightly over weight 9 year old. Who's 44kgs. Has anyone else had a similar situation?

There is honestly nothing of her. She is a bag of bones I can fit my fingers around her arm and legs. I think there might be something wrong with her stomach as her breath ALWAYS smells like bowel movements and she goes to the toilet 2 times a day. I'm so worried something is really wrong with her =(

My 5.5 year old is lighter than your daughter at around 14kg. He was always big as a baby, near 9lb at birth. 98 centil right up till after he was vax injured. I am not sure what your diagnoses is. My son hardly eats at all. In and out of peds and docs since it happened. Hes eating a lot better now. Going to google iugr as I am not sure what that is. But really can empathize with you.

 

[kanga]

My son was born in January with severe iugr at 35 weeks and is off the charts small. We don't know if his blueprint for growth is that he will always be small. Or if there's something else, in particular he is under great Ormond street for investigation of a metabolic disorder. So I agree it's something to ask about and be aware of. But as they are v rare I'm sure it's not that but as a mum I'm sure you're grateful to know to ask about this too! Good luck x

 

[Tasha]

Have you been to see the doctor? My daughter is six and weighs 14.5kg, she is small as well and has been under the hospital since January for it but no reason as yet, next appointment is not until July though.

 

[Mummyxofx2]

So I went to the doctors and they have sent her off for blood tests and to do a 3 week food diary to see what she eats. I'm going to actually photograph all the meals so they do believe me that's he eats like a horse. So it's just a waiting game now waiting for her bloods to get back. Thanks all for your concern I will keep you all updated xx

 

[SerenityNow]

Hope the test results come in soon. I know how hard it is to wait when we are worries about our kids!

 

[CandyDay]

I hope you get answers soon. Always hard when you are worrying about your child. Trust your instincts.

 

[kanga]

Yes good luck and keep us posted

 

[_jellybean_]

Hi. Have you gotten results back yet? I hope you get some answers.