How can I get my 11 year old daughter to gain weight?

Question

My daughter has not gained weight in over a year. She is very slim. Two weeks ago she had her tonsils and adnoids removed. It was very difficult for her to eat. Now she looks like she has lost weight! We can see her ribs.

She is a very active girl....plays soccer and does gymnastics, but does not have much of an appitite. She is very self conscious of being so thin. I do not make a big deal of it and tell her she is perfect, but after the surgery, I am worried.

Answer 1

Pedisure,

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Answer 2

She can drink things like "Ensure" or "Boost" so that she's getting all her nutrients and it can help her gain weight.  That's what my mother drinks since she has cancer she doesn't have much of an appetite so she drinks Ensure as a supplement for meals and she gained 3 pounds in a week drinking it.

Answer 3

desert everynight high calorie foods those shake drinks that helps gain weight i think they gronala bars like that too

Answer 4

I have two kids on the dead bottom of the weight curve.  Try milkshakes.  Also try drizzling olive oil on veggies, rice, etc.  Avocado, nuts, and nut butters also pack a lot of calories.

Gymnastics is a sport where kids are often urged to be unhealthily slim, and it's not uncommon for gymnasts to develop eating disorders.  Make sure she's not getting unhealthy messages from somewhere.

Answer 5

In your question you said that your daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed.  You do not get that done at Walgreen's (a popular drug store for the reads who have not heard of the chain).  You saw a doctor, more likely a surgeon, none the less both who oversees the procedure.  What is one of the questions they always ask you when you go to the doctor, how much do you weigh?  Follow up with your doctor.  If they were worried about her weight they most likely would have postponed the surgery to make sure something else was not going on.  Has she been back for follow up visits?  I would venture to say that some weight loss is common with this surgery due to it being difficult to eat afterwards.  However, you said she is still active and it sounds like not much has changed in her social life - you probably do not have a lot to worry about.  Skimming over some of the answers I would not put her on a diet (especially starting weight gaining regimes to encourage her to gain weight without talking to a doctor).  You may not even have to schedule an appointment.  Put her on an accurate scale, call the office and talk to a nurse or someone else able to take your call, tell them your daughters weight and ask them to compare this to previous visits to determine if it is "normal" or if there could be a problem - if there is concern then schedule a visit.  You also have to ask yourself why you waited a year to ask Internet readers for advise when you have been going to doctor appointments.  You do not just walk in on your eleventh birthday to get your tonsils removed (its also a less common procedure now days anyway), it requires check ups, follow ups, physicals, etc, etc.  Why didn't you mention something to your doctor then?  Lets not curse at the darkness, instead lets carry a candle - Ask a medical professional!  Good luck?

Answer 6

Just give her atreat or so! Maybe what she likes that make her fat......

Answer 7

I am guessing that she has not started puberty yet.    I can almost promise you that her appetite will increase and she will gain some weight once those hormones start surging!  This happened with my older daughter.  When she was almost 11, she was only 55 inches tall and 65 pounds.   By the time she was 13, she was 61 inches tall and 100 pounds!    

As long as she is healthy, let her just continue on as she is.   The weight will come when the estrogen kicks in!

Answer 8

First you should be very concerned about your child inability to eat or to gain weight. To be able to see yours ribs is clearly a problems. Take your child to see your doctor as soon as you can. There may a under lying problem to her condition at this dramatic loss of weight. I know of situation where felt quite health but this persons ribs were showing. This person was not eating balanced meals.  Life is quite hectic these days. By this I mean that seems to beyond our control. This may be one of causes of the lack of eating. I wish you and your child the best of luck.

Answer 9

My son had his tonsils and adenoids removed a few years ago too. BELIEVE ME, your daughter is going to put on weight soon. Perhaps she's just still sore from the surgery.

I've been told by several Ear, Nose and Throat surgeons that it is normal to have an increase in appetite after this type of surgery.

Don't worry, she'll be fine.

Answer 10

Ask her to eat more??

Answer 11

make her drink shakes as well as eating...

Answer 12

I'd make sure what she does eat really counts, foods that have a high amount of nutrition like yogurt, peanut butter, milk, bananas. Try not to allow her to eat empty calorie high fat foods, things like chips and junk food.

Other than that, I would see a doctor before I did anything radical. Some kids are thin. She'll recoup her weight in time.

My ADHD daughter was extremely thin because of Ritalin. My doctor had me give her above foods especially at bedtime when the meds were mostly worn off. It worked, she filled out.

Now she's 23 and still eats before bedtime and is about 65 pounds over weight. (Shes' been off Ritalin for over ten years.) Food for thought.

Answer 13

mabey u could try and find out what food she really enjoys eating and make more of that food and she might get an appitite.   or u could just wait and see how she goes.