Underweight toddler

[onami]

My grandson who has just turned three is extremely thin.  He is in the 1% percentile for weight and has been that low for nearly 2 years.  He has had numerous tests but no one has come up with a medical problem or a reason for his disinterest in food.  He is bright, happy,and energetic.  His height is average, and apart from rather frequent colds is healthy.  His mother has been breast feeding him until very recently, but it is hard to believe that her decision to breast feed this long could be the reason for his low weight. In your experience do children like this start eating normally and catch up to their peers?  Any suggestions on what may be wrong?

[ehoberg]

You may be just used to seeing fat kids.

The surgeon general's recommendation for nursing is "2 years best, one year at least."  

He will put on weight.  Are his parents tall?  Are they short?  Usually only kids of really tall parents should be chunky.  Otherwise,

the FDA has skewed growth charts, fat and calorie regulations and even the clothing industry has shifted sizes because we are a fat nation.  We are so afraid of skinny models afflicting us with anorexia while our nation is rampant with the eating disorder that manifests in obesity.  

As long as the kid doesn't exhibit signs of retardation, he's probably getting everything he needs.  Fat in infancy assists in brain development (that's why it's so crucial to BREAST feed) and if he's working fine, he's probably just fine.

[ticked]

my daughter has never been on the charts and she is normal.  She weights now 26lbs and she is 3 1/2 yrs old.  Her friends are all around 30-35lbs.  I have been told to see a dietitian but i refuse because she is very active and always have been, her brother is exactly the same.  We live in an obese society.  What exactly is normal??  I am sure the child is fine unless he is lethargic.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It is very likely that breast feeding for so long is directly related to your grandson's low weight. The fact that his height is average for his age indicates that he will gain in stature now that he has been weaned from breast feeding.

[rusalka]

The breast feeding may not be the problem as in some cultures children are breast fed even upto the age of 5.  He may not though have been getting enough from the breast and needed supplementing with solids. It is a slow process to move from the breast to solids and of course the breast has been a close connection to mum not just a food source but emotionally as well.  Leaving small bowls of a variety food around a child can snack on at anytime can help as toddlers graze on food while on the run usually.  Vegetables, fruit and cereals. Has the doctor diagnosed him as underweight and offered some suggestions or vitamins to increase his appetite? They can help and some supplemented drinks.