7 year old gained 20 lbs

[Andrea26]

My fiancee and I are really concerned because our 7 year old has put on 20lbs in 3 months..She went from 45 lbs in july to 65 lbs now.. We have tried to watch her intake and limited sugary drinks...But she continues to gain weight... We are very concerned she is in the 95 % percentile for he height and weight..She is 3 feet 11 inches tall but a lot larger then the majority of her classmates..I really don't know if we should start limiting her calorie intake or if maybe this is more a medical issue..There history of thyroid problems in her fathers side of the family which starts around puberty but she's young for that..please help...

[Jessx3]

My four year old daughter has put on a considerable amount of weight recently.  She was 41 lbs. in March and now weighs 52 lbs.  She has only grown 11/2 in.  It is starting to worry me because her appetite has increased so much.  She had a tonsilectomy in March and I was warned she would put on some weight, because she would be able to swallow easier, she would want to eat more.  I blew it off thinking it wouldn't be a problem with my daughter.  At first, the weight gain was slow, so I thought she was just going through a growth spurt.  But at a recent physical, she was charted to be 50 percentile for height and 95 percentile for weight.  Naturally my heart sank.  I started watching her eating habits more closely.  I found that she was sneaking snacks at times she wasn't allowed to have any.  She also was finishing food off of her brothers plates when they were finished with them.  I am really starting to get worried.  I don't want her to feel like I am trying to make her diet, but her clothes are all starting to get too tight.  And more recently, on Halloween, her costume didn't fit her, and it fit her perfect last month.  I am starting to get depressed about this.  What can I do???

[Renee Radenberg]

For your daughter's age, her height and weight is above normal and in the higher percentile, as you mentioned. It is recommended to increase children's physical activities to loss weight, and not lower calorie intake due to the need of calories for growth. Have your child go and play outdoors, run, walk, and dance. Limit time in front of the TV or non-active-video games. There have been studies showing the longer the length of time a child sit in front of the TV, the greater the weight gain. I suggest you do limit high sugar drinks/snacks and replace with milk/yogurt or fruit/popcorn/cheese. High sugar drinks (soda and juices) and snacks do not give the child nutrients they need. Thank you for your question.