weight gain

hello renee.my daughter has not gained much weight in the last 6 months..she is 2 and a half yr and she is very picky..i give her pediasure ,cheese and yobaby yougurt everyday..she also drinks only 8 or maybe 10 oz of milk per day...i  am trying hard to make her eat.but still nothing ever works..pls help me

[Renee Radenberg]

Her weight is just below the 50th percentile and her height is just above the 25th percentile for her age. She is normal for her age. That is good you are giving her Pediasure, however, give it to her in place of milk. Try milkshakes (milk and ice cream blended) or yogurt smoothies (yogurt, frozen fruit, and ice cream blended) which is cheaper than Pediasure. To ‘broaden her tastes’ is to engage her in the kitchen more. Children love to be a part of making food. Have her help you with preparation of food and setting the table. Hopefully this will increase her interest in other types of food. The most important thing is to relax. Sometimes it takes 5-9 times to introduce a food that they will accept, however, if they do not want it you have to not make a fuss and let it go. Give her the food she likes. Hoped this helped.