Failur to Thrive.....

I know more than i ever wished to know about Failure to Thrive because my son is in that situation! he is 23.5 lbs and is 2 years old. We struggle daily to get him to try anything new we can possibly try. But his main intake of calories is still the formula, Similac Alimentum! As of late, he has been trying new things, like anything with Ketchup or Sauce on it. Myself and his dr's and Therapists all think this is odd, due to the severity of his Acid Reflux that we have been dealing with since day one. Hes on a daily dose of Previcid and Zantac to try and calm the reflux but it dosn't really do much anymore. But we all also agree that if he is willing to try it, let him have at it.
The one thing you don't want to do when your child is not gaining weight is to try and self diagnose. That never works out! Thats what Dr's get paid for. So if you have any concerns about your childs weight, height, or calorie intake, make sure you seek the advice of your childs Dr! Children for some weird reason grow slower as they age! Some parents seem to go with the old time remedy, feed them more they will gain more weight, or they will have a growth spurt and catch up. Sometimes thats not the case. In most cases, your childs height and weight are genetic from you and your partner and also nurtitional status and weather or not your child has any health issues. If you are uneasy about your childs development physically, Please consult a dr. about his/her issues. Ask them for a full evaluation of your child. They may want to go ahead and do some blood work and other testing on your child to try and figure out what the issue is! I have been through all of that with about 6-10 Dr's for my son. I can't stand to see him cry from having his arm pricked for blood but i just tell him this might figure out how to make you big and strong!
if after all of that, they still can't find an underlying cause to your childs low weight they may refer you to a Pediatric nutritionist and try and help you up the amount of calories your child takes in and help with some ways to get your child to eat a little more or experiement with new foods for more calories. My son has issues with swallowing foods, so his dr suggested we get an Occupational and Speech Therapist along with the Food Therapist, to try and help him develop his speech and learning a little better. And always remember, don't be offended if someone tells you what to try with your child or says your not doing something the correct way. They are there to help! Take their advice and run with it, you never know, it could be what changes everything.
I am a very worried and paranoid parent! I always research everything and talk to whoever i can to find out the true facts on anything they say is wrong with my son. I advise everyone to do the same. This is your childs health and well being we are talking about here, you always want to know exactly whats going on and what to do to fix it. Ask as many questions as you can and want, and address everything and research what you can before making any decisions.
I have did my fair share of research and i love https://magicfoundation.org Magic Foundation is a great website for information about your childs growth! You can request to talk to another parent that is having the same issues you are with your childs growth and find out all the answers to all your questions. Its worth a click.

Till Next Time
Keep Smiling and keep the Kidos Happy and Healthy