My 2 1/2 year old Premie still behind on the growth chart :(

Lottie410

 I know you have all heard oh they will catch up by the time they are 2. Well that isn't the case with my little guy he was born at 30 weeks and was in the NICU for 7 weeks. He is where he needs to be as far as motor skills ( actulay a little ahead) but he is behind in speech and growth 15% on the regular chart and 25% on the premiee chart. I have people come up to me all the time and are like oh he is so little and skinny, I fell like I have to explain but I shouldn't have to, and yes I do feed him and he eats a lot by the way!!! so my qustion is how many of ya'll are dealing with this and how do you cope. I just hate it because he is a boy and I feel it is hard to be a small boy.

IncogNeato

Do you know how big you and DH were as babies? IMO 15% isn't "behind," it's just small. Not everyone can be bigger than average. By definition, half of the kids out there are below 50%, KWIM?

 My daughter just barely made it ON the growth chart at around 9 months and then fell off again around a year. She still is at 0% for weight and 10% for height. She's healthy, she eats, she's just little. Her pedi is not concerned at all.

FWIW I was a small kid, too, and I'm not very big as an adult, but that's genetic.

 

ETA- I hope that didn't come across like I'm diminishing you concerns. I just hear so often that people are worried that their child is behind because he/she is smaller than average, when I know that many kids are supposed to be, and it's totally ok for them.

Lottie410

Yeah I was a avrage sized toddler but my husband was a big toddler. All the men in my family and my husbands family are all well over 6 feet. Hopefuly he will hit his grow spirt soon.

Kadyra

My son was born at 36 weeks for IUGR. Less than 1. He's three now birthday was Friday. He's 25 for height and 10 for weight. We get comments on his size all the time. But seriously? Eff those people and their giant children. 95 is not "normal" either. Kids come in all shapes and sizes. If they've never seen a bell curve, enlighten them.

TriciaandSean

My son is very little, 1-2% for height.  He has his 2 year appointment in a few weeks and he's maybe 31".  He is 20-25% for weight, so more normal in that area, but even some full term babies are little, I think we would have a little guy regardless of when he was born.