Community› The Bump Message Boards› Special Needs
Special Needs
New Discussion

Failure to Thrive/Malabsorption

capemomcapemom
in Special Needs

Background: ?At her 9 mo. appointment, DD had lost 3 ounces from her 7 mo. appointment (16 lbs. 6oz to 16 lbs. 3 oz.) ?At that point in time, they ran a ton of blood work, all of which came back normal. ?This all coincided with her beginning to eat a lot of solid food, so we decided to try a gluten-free diet and monitor her weight. ?She gained those 3 ounces back within 2 weeks, and one month after that, she had gained another 10 ounces. ?At her appointment today (one month after her last weigh-in) she was back to 16 lbs. 14 ounces, 2 ounces less than last month. ?

Our pedi has now referred us to a pediatric GI and nutritionist at Children's in Boston. ?He also said we can re-introduce gluten since a gluten-free diet doesn't seem to be helping. ?I had also been weaning her and he suggested that I not drop any more nursing sessions until we meet with the GI. ?

She eats everything we put in front of her BUT refuses to drink cows' milk. ?She also poops up to 6 times a day. ?

I have been doing as much research as I can online, and it seems like most of the malabsorption disorders are usually accompanied by developmental delays or physical deformities. ?DD walked before 10 months and has between 15 and 20 words, and is otherwise developing appropriately. ?

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? ?I'm sorry this turned into such a long post!?

Report Reply to Post

Re: Failure to Thrive/Malabsorption

  • FalioleyFalioley member

    I'm sorry this has been so confusing for you. :( That's frustrating. 

     I would agree with your doc that if there's no reason to be doing a GF diet, I would try to get whatever food in her that you can. Have you given her some higher-calorie foods like avocado? That could help. Our son Cole wouldn't drink cow's milk unless we added Carnation Instant Breakfast to it. That helped get some extra calories in him (Cole is typically-developing but fell off the growth charts during a picky phase). 

    Also, we saw Dr. Deborah Duro at CHB for our son Dean (he had a G-tube) and she was great. I don't think we saw any nutritionists there.  

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • capemomcapemom

    Thanks for your response. ?

    She actually loves avocados, so we give her those a lot. ?She really will eat anything and eats a ton; it is definitely not a quantity issue. ?We've been making sure to give her a lot of healthy fats--avocado, olive oil, etc. ?She actually drank quite a few ounces of cows milk today, so maybe we are headed in the right direction. ?I've tried flavoring her milk with chocolate and vanilla, but I haven't tried Instant Breakfast yet; thanks for the great idea.

    ?Hopefully Children's will call within the next few days to set up her appointment. ??

    Report Reply
  • SweetMonkeySweetMonkey

    I make "milk shakes" it's cows milk, instant B-fast and 1/4 avacodo, if I use the chocolate flavor instantB-fast sometimes I'll add some peanut butter too - to make a "reese buttercup shake"

    I can't link it b/c I am at work, but on the baby center there is a Failure to thrive board! check it out!

    imageimage
    Max 4-08-08 and Michael 2-03-91 (19 years olds)
    image Both boys were born w/ hirschsprung's disease, you find yourself facing this dx, please feel free to ask me any questions.
    Report Reply
  • JOEBunnyJOEBunny member

    I can't really tell how old she is from your post.  She sounds like my DD.  She was FTT from 6 months to about 3 years at various times.  I used high calorie formula instead of milk from 12 mo-24 mo.  She still gets carnation instant breakfast.  She is 4 and weighs 31 pounds with clothes on, which is fine.  Great even.  She was 16 pounds at 1 year, 20 pounds at 2 years.  24 pounds at 3 years.  It is only this year that she has "caught up."  I did find GI helpful.  My DD poops 4 times a day at least, even now.  She pooped more when she was younger. 

    My DS is FTT too.  He is 20 pounds 4 oz at 15 months and 60-75% for height.  We are taking more of a wait and see with him, but he had a blood draw today to rule out any massive issues.  

    Report Reply
  • capemomcapemom

    She won't drink Instant Breakfast or formula :( ?She will drink those nasty yogurt drinks, though, so I guess that is better than nothing. ?I'm really not concerned at all about the rest of her diet; she eats a ton of food and likes everything we have given her.

    ?She just turned 1. ?

    We got an appt. at Children's for 7/16. Meanwhile, we have been weighing her at home and have gotten weights between 17 lbs 8oz and 18 lbs 2oz over the past few days, on two different scales. ?I think I may ask for a repeat weight check because it was nearly impossible to get her to stay still at the pedi's office last week. ?I'm beginning to wonder if his reading/her losing weight was incorrect.?

    ?Thank you all again for your responses. I'm sorry it took me so long to get back here to read them!?

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"