# Poor weight gain/FTT



## *katie* (Nov 9, 2004)

Hi Jeanette,

I'm sorry to be asking you another question again so soon.

Harry was weighed today.  I have left it for 3 months since the last weigh in when I ended up in tears after being told his weight gain wasn't sufficient and that I "should persevere".  

Since then, we've been on a HUGE drive to pump calories into my little man...full fat milk on his cereal, grated cheese on his half of dinner, snacks (that don't affect his appetite for his main meals), and he also still has overnight feeds of milk (up to an extra 6oz).

Despite that, in 3 months he gained....... 1lb.

As this is his 3rd poor weigh-in, and he's now falling off the charts, we've been referred to our hv & gp and given the head's up that we will be referred back to the hospital.

He's not a happy eater, it often requires an exhausting amount of funny faces / dancing / voices to get him to eat.  The latest trick is doing some signing from "Something Special" so that he peeks over my shouder, mouth open, to see if it's on tv and I dutifully shovel another mouthful of food in.    Over and over again until he has eaten his meal.  Though sometimes he can eat the exact same food happily without pause for breath.

Andy has just told me about some queries over his digestive system when he was in nicu...something to do with having a very long chain fatty acid....I unfortunately had no memory til I checked his paperwork just now and it's written there, altho  as an ex-paeds nurse   my only dealings with such things are things I'd rather not visit right now.   And I know is not something you can't comment on.  

Sooooo in the meantime, I was just wondering, is there else that we could/should be doing?     Am feeling a huge sense of failing my little man.

Thanks.


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## jeanette (May 3, 2003)

Hiya Katie

I feel the need to give you a very big   

Honestly, I think you are doing everything you can!

Has he seen a dietitian recently as im wondering if that would be helpful.

Just a few q hun (sorry)
-is he meeting his milestones?
-are his poos ok?
-are you giving him follow on milk or extra vits?

I have just copied this from Babycentre website:

''Ensure that all dairy foods are full-fat rather than low-fat, e.g. yoghurt, fromage frais, cheese.

• Try adding a small amount of soft vegetable margarine or vegetable oil, butter or double cream to savoury foods. Half a teaspoon of margarine or butter can be added to a savoury dish of meat and vegetables without your child being aware of it.

• Use mashed potato as a base to which you can add margarine, grated cheese, or baked beans.

• Use mayonnaise or salad cream as a dip for raw vegetables.

• Try giving your toddler avocado, which is high in calories and full of vitamins and other nutrients and can be made into a dip or mashed into potato.

• Give your toddler some mashed banana with full-fat yoghurt or fromage frais as a dessert.

Your toddler may eat more by having mid-meal snacks, but make sure that these are savoury snacks where possible, as sweet foods can reduce his appetite for the next meal and possibly cause tooth decay.

Resist the temptation to give your toddler an extra bottle or drink of milk during the night as this may become a permanent habit and will usually result in your child having less appetite for solids during the day.

Don't use high fibre foods such as wholemeal pasta and brown rice as it can reduce his ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals. ''

You arent a failure hun, you are doing everything you can for your son. 

Im here anytime for you

jxxx


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## *katie* (Nov 9, 2004)

Hi Jeanette,

Thanks for your lovely reply...hugs and info much appreciated!

Looking through that info we're doing all that already, he does eat a good amount (with effort) and on the very rare night he doesn't wake for milk his appetite is no different the next day.  

The answers to your questions are;

Milestones ~ He has had no formal assesment (will have one when he's 1yr old) but he's doing ok with the exception of sitting up (he frequently still loses his balance/topples and is unable to sit in the bath, we've had to buy him a bath seat), and he loves being on his feet but appears to have no concept of balance and sways and jiggles all over the place. I do wonder if this is weight-associated, ie being not so heavy he's simply not as "solid". Altho he was previously noted to have poor tone I think it's improved massively since he was tiny. He's commando crawling, saying "ta" "mumma" "dad" and "yeee-yeee" (Lilly!). Picks up toys, plays with them, good hand-eye cordination, etc.      His temperament is a little unpredictable...always one extreme or the other, nothing in between! 

Poo's ~ Fine...never much (amount wise) but usually soft.

Milks ~ Yes he's on SMA Red (follow on).

No he's never seen a dietician.  I will see what the gp says (we're going next Thursday) and if it's not mentioned will ask then.

Thanks hun, it's good to see & know we're doing the right things. xxxx


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## jeanette (May 3, 2003)

Hiya hunny

Were they early? (meant to ask earlier sorry).

Its reassuring that you are doing all that is suggested so that shows what a fab mum you are!

Will be back on later to reply re milestones (moomoo being a pain ) but I just want to say..you are a fantastic mum

Jxx


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## *katie* (Nov 9, 2004)

Hi Jeanette,

Thank you   

They were born at 37+5, after I couldn't feel Harry moving & tracing showed erratic/poor heart output. (growth scan had shown no growth in 2weeks and a doppler scan a week after that showed some resistence in his placenta too   )

Thought to have had a "?? hypoxic injury"  long-term with an acute deterioration in general condition, but no clear cause ever found....but heart, liver failure, poor clotting & other probs corrected or near-normal by the time he came home.  Just the poor tone thing for a while.  He was going to be assessed at 9 months but it was delayed til he's a year old so they could assess tone & mobility fully.   I am aware of the possibilities. He's exceeded expectations so far though.  

Oh and big oops, as it may be very relevent I guess, is that he had suspected but never proven reflux.  I say had, because it doesn't appear to trouble him any more & he's on no meds now.

Sorry hadn't really intended to get into all that!

But yep, any milestone info would be useful.  

xxxx


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## *katie* (Nov 9, 2004)

Jeanette, further to my last message just wanted to say the GP has now referred Harry back to the hospital based on a few different concerns which may come to nothing but given his ropey start to life are things that need to be looked into.

Thanks so much for your help with this.

x x x x


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