Low weight percentile is frustrating.

Re: Low weight percentile is frustrating.

• kmv68

  April 2012

  My DD is at the 7% for weight and I am more worried than her pedi.  (I think b/c DD1 was always between 95-100% for weight as a baby).  My pedi insists that she is just petite and is developmentally where she should be and beyond on a few things so there is nothing to worry about.  

  Is DS where he should be developmentally?  You can say no to any test they want to run.  Go with your own gut.  GL
  

  

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• JuneBug0611 member

  April 2012

  I kind of understand the blood work and urinalysis, and those aren't terribly invasive or risky so I'd probably let her do it just to rule anything out, but what does she want to x-ray for?  Did she say what she thinks she might see in an x-ray?  I'm leery of exposing LO to much radiation at this age or ever.  It seems like there are articles in the news all the time about the dangers of too much x-raying, and doctors failing to track how much radiation patients are really being exposed to... even dental x-rays.  So I'd ask a few more questions before agreeing to that, just to understand what she's looking for and why she thinks it's worth exposing LO to radiation. 

  Someone has to be on the lower end of the growth chart, and it's not necessarily a sign that they're not healthy, particularly if they're meeting their developmental milestones, are active and not lethargic, etc.  But then again presumably she has a reason for wanting to check these things.  I'd just ask questions to understand if she really thinks something is wrong, or if she just does these tests routinely if someone is at the low end of the growth chart.  If you don't want to do the tests, see if she is willing to hold off and see how LO grows between now and his one-year appointment.  (Obviously you are the final decision-maker, but it's best if you can get the doctor on-board too.)

   

  
  

  
  

   
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• jcsumm0 member

  April 2012

  I really would ask her to plot his growth on the WHO chart. (or print one out and do it yourself)  Not only are the percentiles different, the curve itself is different, to show that BF babies slow their weight gain down around 9 months.  You might find that he is not dropping percentiles at all.

  With that said, I know how frustrating it can be.  My daughter also had some issues gaining weight.  We did a bunch of blood work but that was it.  It of course didn't show much, and her weight gain has been better.  Like PP said, I would go with your gut.  Look at his weight compared to other BF babies and see what you think.  ((hugs)) hope you get things figured out soon.

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• Kristin Johnson member

  April 2012

  She wouldn't really answer my questions at the last appointment. DH is going with me tomorrow. I'm fine with the blood work and urinalysis, but I'm with you on the X-ray. I'm not really sure what she would be looking for. He.s in the 20th for height and weight, and like I said developmentally he's fine.  I'm afraid she's going to say to quit breastfed ding, and I'm not sure that's nessecary. He's a strong boy, andnreallybactive. I would think that if there is a nutrition problem, he would be weak and behind.

  

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• CarlaAndJames member

  April 2012

  so he was in the 5th percentile and now he's in the 20th+?  I'm not sure I understand how that's not gaining effectively? My daughter dropped from the 70th to the 40th to the 25th percentiles at her 3/6/9 months appointments. Her dr didn't bat an eye, said she's perfectly healthy and wouldn't be sleeping all night and smiling all day if she was starving.

  Is there another pedi in your area you can visit, at least for a second opinion? I don't like that the dr wouldn't answer your questions last time you were there.

  
  
  

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• Kristin Johnson member

  April 2012

  CarlaAndJames:

  so he was in the 5th percentile and now he's in the 20th+?  I'm not sure I understand how that's not gaining effectively? My daughter dropped from the 70th to the 40th to the 25th percentiles at her 3/6/9 months appointments. Her dr didn't bat an eye, said she's perfectly healthy and wouldn't be sleeping all night and smiling all day if she was starving.

  Is there another pedi in your area you can visit, at least for a second opinion? I don't like that the dr wouldn't answer your questions last time you were there.

  He is in 20 for height and head. Sorry. Typed to fast. 

  

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• M&M227

  April 2012

  We've had growing issues as well.  DD is formula feed and was having  reflux issues so she actually was off the bottom of the charts and was loosing weight.  The first time we saw the GI he labeled her as Failure to Thrive and Short Stature...  Not what I wanted to hear.  She's back on meds. and we're adding extra formula powder to her bottles to make them 27 calories per ounce instead of 20.  She's doing much better and growing again and pedi. is much less concerned.  He even plotted her on the WHO chart last visit to reassure me that it's ok to be smaller and most the world is.  

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• AshleyPT member

  April 2012

  Zoe drops every visit and they never care. At this age, you'd be able to tell if they weren't getting what they need. It's different at 4 weeks. She's 5th for weight and 50th for height. I would never let them do an x-ray without a very good explanation for what they were looking for and how that would change the plan. I think blood work around this age is pretty standard. But really, at 10 months - something would be off if they were hungry.
  

  
  

        

  
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• LollyBug18 member

  April 2012

  DD was always above 70% for weight until her 9 month appt. Then she dropped to the 5th. We didn't see our usual pedi bc she was on mat leave but the one we did see never batted an eye but suggested we offer more solids. Never mentioned supplementing or weaning or any sorts of tests. Then when we saw our usual pedi a couple months later, she was more than happy with DD's growth, both physically and developmentally. I don't understand why your pedi is so concerned. Someone has to be at the bottom. I think if you don't get good answers with YH there, I would go looking for a second opinion if not a new pedi. I mean, there's probably no harm in the blood work just to be sure but to not offer good explanation for it other than being low in the charts isn't cool to me.

  

  
  

  DD born 5/15/11

  DS born 11/12/12

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• Kristin Johnson member

  April 2012

  jessiegirl10.18:

  C started in the 3rd percentile, topped out at the 5th percentile at 6 months and was in the 1st percentile at 9 months.  Her growth line is fine so my pedi isn't worried.  Is there anything else going on with your LO to make them worry?

  B seems really healthy. He's an active healthy baby. He gets ear infections, but what baby doesn't?

  

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• frugalwife member

  April 2012

  M is at 10% right now. He was 70% at 2 months and has been trending down ever since. The only thing our pedi said was to offer more solids and maybe some snacks. She said when they are this active they shouldn't be going more than 2 hours without some sort of food. M's cousin, who is 5 days younger, fell off the charts at 6 months. I want to say she was ~11.5lb at the time. Their doctor told them to add a tbsp of butter to her solids everyday. She's been getting a tbsp of butter everyday since and was 15lb 4oz at her 9 mo appt the other week. I think adding butter is a little weird and wanted to ask my pedi if she had ever heard of it, but I forgot.
  

  
  

  
  

  

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• LauraOTR member

  April 2012

  We are in the exact same situation here. I EBF and LO is around the 3rd %ile. He is 17lbs11oz as of a few days ago. He is around 5-10 for height, though his head is somewhere between 25 and 50. He was around 25th percentile at 3/4 mo and has consistently dropped since then.

  At birth, he was only 5lb, 12oz (also 3rd percentile), so the doctor said he is just settling back into his curve. He still fits many of his 6 mo outfits (at this point, I don't know if he'll fit his any of his 12 mo summer outfits). He's super active and meeting all his milestones. He's only had 2 colds ever, and is otherwise very healthy.  I'm still constantly worried, though and always trying to get higher fat foods into him (eggs, cheese, yogurt). He has consistently gained .5lb a month. Is your LO gaining?

  I almost wish my doctor would do some tests to make sure everything is fine, and if he is still gaining slow at his year appt, I'll ask him to. I don't know why your doctor is asking for xrays, though, and I agree with others to ask why.

  

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