Underweight

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Underweight
« on: May 08, 2009, 07:59:07 PM » by KJB1611

I have a toddler who is allergic to milk (not dairy, just milk itself) and is losing weight. What can I feed him that doesn't require milk in order to help him gain weight quickly?

My son takes toddler formula, do you know of any formula in particular that is for underweight babies, or is there such a thing as full cream goat milk that might work for him?

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2009, 08:35:44 PM » by smileyface

Is he eating regular table food? Avocados and eggs would be good. Also, coconut oil would be great. You can put some on all his food, cook his food with it, and put it in smoothies. When my now 2 year old was losing weight, though she was a little less than a year, I started feeding her lots of avocados, eggs, and mixed coconut oil in with everything. One thing I fed her a lot was cooked cereal mixed with mashed avocado and bananas. She loved it. I also would give her egg yolks with coconut oil mixed in. But she was still on pureed food, so I don't know if that would apply in your case. It wasn't long at all that she quit losing weight. I think there is a thread on here somewhere for underweight babies & toddlers. I don't know how to do the link thingy, though. Cheesy

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2009, 09:20:40 PM » by KJB1611

Yes he eats regular table food. That is interesting about the avocados. He loves bananas and normally has at least one banana a day. He also likes guacamole so he probably will like avocados. Thanks for the ideas. Anyone else?

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2009, 09:33:36 PM » by sunshine4th

If you are doing grains, oatmeal is great. I would mix it with coconut oil and maybe some ground flax seed and honey.

Slippery elm is also very nutritious and would help his digestion, you can get it in a powder and add it to his food or they make it in tincture form.

Have you tried cultured dairy like kefir or yogurt? Sometimes people who can't handle dairy can handle the cultured dairy.

I also second the eggs.

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2009, 10:03:02 PM » by KJB1611

He's not allergic to dairy, only to milk protein. So he can eat goats milk, and yoghurt, and cheese etc. I don't know a lot about kefir.

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2009, 10:07:53 PM » by healthyinOhio

KJB,

I know how confusing WTM is for ya, so here is a link with some ideas that may help. Wink

http://www.welltellme.com/discuss/index.php/topic,582.0.html

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2009, 10:39:35 PM » by KJB1611

Thanks, HealthyinOhio! I printed that entire thread and highlighted all the relevant bits. Thanks so much. I hope it fattens him up enough to fit back into his clothes.

He is having treatment for his issues...probiotics and a heap of other things.

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2009, 11:44:08 PM » by denim&lace

Did your little guy ever pull out of this, KJB? I'm still working to get my little girl to grow normally... come to find out she is allergic to milk, all dairy, eggs and probably gluten... Undecided

Putting weight on her has been a challenge, to say the least!

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"Thus it now appears to me that trust, and not submission, defines obedience." ~ Joan W. Blos in 'A Gathering of Days'

Re: Underweight
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2009, 06:20:04 PM » by IMPersuadd

Hi D&L,

Couple of questions - thoughts. :-) When I was up in AK this fall, you referred me to a health food store off Seward Hwy. I was able to get much of what I needed there and my children have similar allergies.

When you say "all dairy" do you include goat dairy also? If she can have got diary, they have milk and yogurts and kefir. The milk is gross for drinking but is OK for cereal and cooking. My children love the yogurts though.

Can she have duck eggs rather than the chicken? If so, they carry those too. :-)

And obviously all the GF flours and mixes. There are also GF cereals and stuff at Fred Meyer in their health food section. They may also have the milk and yogurts - you'd have to check prices and selection. There is a rice dream ice cream for treats, and other snacks in the GF "world". It is spendy, but do-able if you need to.

Unfortunately the weight issue is a struggle even if you can find acceptable substitutes. My oldest (who was our guinea pig with this subject) will probably always be on the small side but is healthy and strong so I just accept that now. Coconut oil is a good fat, as is the avacados someone mentioned. We end up eating lots of meats/proteins as they are "safe". Nuts are good. But I like to soak them and re-dry them the nourishing traditions way for digestibility.

Hope this helps a bit. Will pray for you - I remember the feeling of helplessness as a parent.

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2009, 11:22:39 PM » by AndysJess

So, now I'm concerned! My little girl will be 2 in Feb and is just hitting 20 lbs. Anytime I've taken her to the dr and asked if her weight was ok, there has never been any concern on their part. She is very active and eats normally. She loves pretty much anything, and eats lots of healthy fats and protein.
It's not just that she weighs so little, she is just...tiny! Her hands, feet, everything! She hasn't had a well-baby check up since right before she turned a year, and she only weighed around 14 lbs then. The dr I saw was very open to natural remedies and living, and he didn't act worried at all. So, the question somewhere in there is...should I be worried and acting a little more aggressively??

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2009, 12:15:30 AM » by hi_itsgwen

My little one is petite as well. She always has been. She's just turned 22 months, and is 24 pounds or so. She loves food, and is a good eater and hasn't had any allergic reactions to anything (besides baby sunscreen). She's on track developmentally, so I don't worry about it. I think she's built like my MIL. Wink

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2009, 12:37:11 AM » by AndysJess

Thanks Gwen...Avery is on track developmentally as well. She's super bright and content. Just around here, she seems perfectly normal. It's only when I'm around other moms with toddlers her age that she seems so small. Of course, everyone comments on it. I don't usually worry too much about it because my side of the family is shorter with smaller hands and feet.
DH told me earlier that he wasn't worried about it, so I think I'll just rest in that.

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Helpmeet to Andy for over 10 years. Mama to Drew, Dylan, Cullen & Avery...new baby due in May 2010

Re: Underweight
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2009, 02:00:34 PM » by Dixiemom

My oldest daughter was 4 lbs. 13 oz--full term! The doctors have no explanation--they did lots of checks of my placenta and non-stress tests towards the end of my pregnancy, but everything was perfectly normal. She is just tiny.

She still is. She is seven and is doing just fine. Some children are just genetically engineered to be small. She is healthy and petite and will probably always be tiny.

You are the mother and as long as you don't have a 'gut feeling' that something is wrong, I think you have nothing to worry about. I think our instincts are usually right about these things.

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2009, 08:37:29 AM » by his.silly.wife

Here's a thread on Underweight Infant and Toddlers from the Children's Health section. It's several pages, but lots is covered.

http://www.welltellme.com/discuss/index.php/topic,582.0.html

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2009, 05:30:17 PM » by denim&lace

Hey IMPersuaded - I'm sorry to take so long to answer you.

Actually, she can't have goats milk either. We haven't tried duck eggs yet, plan to in the future, but ya know... it cost a fortune to feed a family of 7 up here and honestly, I just can't budget the extra expense at the moment.

We're eating a lot of soup with rice, beans, celery, carrots, potatoes, chicken or beef... oh, she seems fine on corn. So we do gf cornbread. Green beans, blueberries, bananas, coconut milk and coconut yogurt, apples, applesauce, avocados, sun butter...

We've discovered she can't have tomatoes, strawberries, oatmeal, and chocolate to boot... Still working on finding those hidden allergens that are quietly picking on her.

And I've discovered a food co-op that orders through unfi and azure standard, so I'm able to get things a bit less expensive than we would have to pay in the health food stores or Freddies HF section. I'm on a huge learning curve here and boy what a ride it is!!!

« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 05:33:23 PM by denim&lace »
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"Thus it now appears to me that trust, and not submission, defines obedience." ~ Joan W. Blos in 'A Gathering of Days'

Re: Underweight
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2009, 01:50:35 AM » by mykidsmom

D&L

No potatoes for the kiddos (and probably you too). Tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers and eggplant need to go. They're all nightshades and if they're allergic to one, they're allergic to all. Nightshades are a HUGE allergen.

patti

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Re: Underweight
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2009, 05:51:37 PM » by denim&lace

It really is getting easier to tell you what we can have than to tell you what we can't! Undecided

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"Thus it now appears to me that trust, and not submission, defines obedience." ~ Joan W. Blos in 'A Gathering of Days'

Re: Underweight
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2009, 06:19:30 PM » by denim&lace

So Patti... are sweet potatoes OK?

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"Thus it now appears to me that trust, and not submission, defines obedience." ~ Joan W. Blos in 'A Gathering of Days'

Re: Underweight
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2009, 12:37:30 AM » by mykidsmom

Quote from: denim&lace on December 12, 2009, 06:19:30 PM