Child's weight below 3rd percentile on growth chart. How worried should i be?

Question

My daughters weight is just under the third percentile and has been since she was about 8 months old.(she's 18 months now). She has never lost weight, is developmentally meeting all her milestones very well, is VERY VERY energetic, spunky, talkative and has only been sick(with croup) once in her life. She doesnt have a huge appetite but I would say she eats well. Her pediatrician is not concerned but watching her closely. My 4 year old was also low on the growth chart (about 20th) but is now at the 50th percentile. Im 5 foot 2 and my hubby is 5 foot 8. We were both scrawny as kids too.

Has anyone else had this experience and their child has eventually caught up? I really trust her pediatrician, but should I be worried?

Answer 1

My daughter was below 5th %ile and is now 50th %ile. I think as long as the kid is eating well, and pooping and otherwise good (only sick once? take that as a good sign), you shouldn't worry. I know it's hard when they're small because eveyone is always talking about fattening up the babies...but your sounds as healthy as a little horse, imho.

Answer 2

Thats just like my son.  He's 7 now and only 40 pounds, 3' 6"!  But, that's how our whole family is.  It's exactly what I expected of my children.

My brother was the same way.  He didn't really "catch up" until much later, like after high school.

My doctor explained it like this:  there is nothing 'wrong', his bones are just behind, it's like they think they are a few years younger.  in turn, however, they will grow a few years longer than average.

Answer 3

You should only be worried if she is losing weight.  My daughter is 18 months old and weighs 19.5 pounds which is off the charts but her height is 50th percentile.   Her pediatrican isn't concerned because she is gaining weight at a steady pace.  (She was 5 lbs, 3 oz when she was born...2nd percentile)  She eats a lot but she moves non-stop!  My niece is 4 and 30-31 pounds.  My brother, sister, and I were also very scrawny kids so I think that maybe it runs in the family.

Answer 4

It sounds like you have absolutely no reason to worry. Your doctor isn't worried. He just wants to be sure he notices what's going on so he can be sure to do his job. She sounds like a great kid and there is nothing you need to do except stop worrying. Let her be just how she is and enjoy her! Don't make an issue for yourself and for her where there needn't be one.

Answer 5

My little sister (now she is 19) weighted 22 lbs at 4 years old. (My 18month old weight 24lbs now!) and doctors were always worried about my sister and wanted to do tests. My mom however didn't think it was needed and left her be. She is now 19, 5'4'' and 110lbs. She is still skinny as can be but she eats like a horse and is very very energetic. So I wouldn't worry about her.   (my mom always brings up that my sister was only 22lbs when she was 4, so I don't know how much she weighted at other ages, but I do know that she has always been tiny, and never really sick)

Answer 6

I'm 5 foot 4 and my husband is 5 foot 7. This sounds exactly like my first son. We have taken him to a pediatric specialist because our pediatrician (despite her reassurance that he was although a bit petite very healthy) suggested that getting a second opinion might alleviate our fears. The specialist said the same thing. He still grows in between the 25% and 40%. Then our daughter came....

She is constantly OFF the entire chart. For the first 8 months she was in the 75-85% for everything then she plummeted. Now for the last year she hovers in between off the chart and the 10% for height and weight. If your child actually becomes in the "danger zone", they will tell you. If the condition is diagnosed with in the first year it's called "failure to thrive". We have had to feed her some special high calorie formulas (even after the one year mark). She continues to be on a high calorie diet. However, everything about her is totally normal. Her weight is perfect for her height. She eats a balanced diet with plenty of healthy foods. Because she is meeting all her milestones fantastically and all her blood and test results have been normal, we just have to wait and watch.

We are coming to accept that our kids are just petite. I have also learned to take into consideration that the society we live in varies hugely. We are an "average American" family. That could mean anything! Our daughter may seem small to us, but if she was looked at by, say, a Japanese pediatrician then she would probably be totally normal and not that petite at all.

I know it's easy to worry about our kids but try not to be paranoid (It's difficult, really...I do it all the time myself). It sounds like you are doing everything right already. It's nice that your child has parents as concerned about them as you are, what a lucky kid.

Answer 7

you did not say where she has been on the chart previously. In my experience there is not a problem unless they dramatically jump or fall in the charts OR if like my son, they gain weight but their growth curve tends to flatten a little more each year. He grew steadily, but every few years he dropped a few % on the chart. In 5th grade the school nurse called us and let us know he had fallen off the % chart. She referred us to a health department program called "bureau for children with medical handicapps" that pays for the expensive testing for potential handicapps. My older son was tested by a pediatric endocrinologist and found to need growth hormone shots. He has been on them for 18 months and grown more than 4 inches and gained 20 pounds and is STILL the smallest 7th grader I know. your best bet is to have her checked by an endocrinologist to rule out any growth abnormalities.

Answer 8

No need to be worried.  If your child is acting healthy and you have a family history of being a scrawny kid, likely there is nothing wrong with your child.  Any time a kid is not consistent with growth charts, they do watch, but usually there is not a problem.