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Suggest Remedy For An Underweight Child
Question: HI
My daughter is 18 month old. From two weeks she has reduced her food intake and now she just takes few spoons of food. She starts running away the moment she sees that we are feeding her. Previously she used to have breakfast, mid-mrng snack, lunch at 12:30, whole fruit like mosambi or banana at 2:30, then half apple, curd rice at evng 5, egg/omlette at 6:30, dinner and again if she is hungry she used to eat little bit of fruit before gng to bed. Now she just has half breakfast, 5 spoons for lunch and 5spoons for dinner and in between half fruit.
She is already underweight. Not sure what might be the issue.
She is active and plays well though
Is this normal in toddlers??
My daughter is 18 month old. From two weeks she has reduced her food intake and now she just takes few spoons of food. She starts running away the moment she sees that we are feeding her. Previously she used to have breakfast, mid-mrng snack, lunch at 12:30, whole fruit like mosambi or banana at 2:30, then half apple, curd rice at evng 5, egg/omlette at 6:30, dinner and again if she is hungry she used to eat little bit of fruit before gng to bed. Now she just has half breakfast, 5 spoons for lunch and 5spoons for dinner and in between half fruit.
She is already underweight. Not sure what might be the issue.
She is active and plays well though
Is this normal in toddlers??
Brief Answer:
There is no cause for concern
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome to Healthcare-Magic
Greetings of the day
Dear Ms XXXXXXX
Such behaviour is totally normal and there is no cause for concern the baby is cheerful and playful.
Every baby is unique and have their own growth rate, no two babies have same growth. The weight and height charts are for reference and there is wide range for given age which is considered as normal weight for baby.
t is important that you start introducing a variety of food in your toddler's diet gradually. These will provide the calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are essential for his growth. The amount of food eaten would vary from child to child and would also depend on when you introduce a particular food to your toddler. Most of the times it is "Try and Error" method. Lots of patience would be required from your end to find out what is that diet which tickles your toddlers tastebuds which also contains maximum nutrients. You need to try multiple ones and find which your child loves to eat amongst those. Initially it may be difficult from shifting to solid/semi-solid feed from milk based diet, continued perseverance and trying out what the baby likes is the key.
Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.
Take Care
Best Regards
Dr Deepak Kaltari
There is no cause for concern
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome to Healthcare-Magic
Greetings of the day
Dear Ms XXXXXXX
Such behaviour is totally normal and there is no cause for concern the baby is cheerful and playful.
Every baby is unique and have their own growth rate, no two babies have same growth. The weight and height charts are for reference and there is wide range for given age which is considered as normal weight for baby.
t is important that you start introducing a variety of food in your toddler's diet gradually. These will provide the calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are essential for his growth. The amount of food eaten would vary from child to child and would also depend on when you introduce a particular food to your toddler. Most of the times it is "Try and Error" method. Lots of patience would be required from your end to find out what is that diet which tickles your toddlers tastebuds which also contains maximum nutrients. You need to try multiple ones and find which your child loves to eat amongst those. Initially it may be difficult from shifting to solid/semi-solid feed from milk based diet, continued perseverance and trying out what the baby likes is the key.
Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.
Take Care
Best Regards
Dr Deepak Kaltari
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I have been trying different options for feeding her. Sometimes she liked them and sometimes she didn't. Won't she feel hungry if she doesn't eat? Previously she used to cry for food if it is late by few minutes. Since she is playing I am assuming that her calories will be burnt and she should feel hungry :). However she doesn't eat. I have been looking at various recipes online and trying them. Please guide me on how to prepare food for her. She used to eat at least 5 varieties of fruits and almost all the veggies.
Brief Answer:
Diet suggestion given
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
It is important that you start introducing a variety of food in your toddler's diet gradually. These will provide the calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are essential for his growth. The amount of food eaten would vary from child to child and would also depend on when you introduce a particular food to your toddler. Most of the times it is "Try and Error" method. Lots of patience would be required from your end to find out what is that diet which tickles your toddlers taste buds which also contains maximum nutrients. You need to try multiple ones and find which your child loves to eat amongst those. Initially it may be difficult from shifting to solid/semi-solid feed from milk based diet, continued perseverance and trying out what the baby likes is the key.
One recipe which the kid will like is as below
Ingredients needed: Ghee( 2 spoons), Whole wheat flour ( 2 spoons) , Pista( 50 gms), Cardomom ( 6 in number), Almonds( 50 gms), Khajur( Dried dates 50 gms), water/milk
In a pan pour 2 spoons of ghee, heat it, add 2 spoons of wheat flour (Atta), cook it till golden brown on low flame till its slightly golden in color. Add 2 Cups of water or Milk and keep stirring it continuously making a thin water paste(same like sira consistency). To this add powdered mixture of rest of ingredients grinded in mixer (pista, almond, khajur, cardomom).
Supplement baby breakfast with this recipe and also can be consumed at night when baby is hungry. In this way her quota for milk will also be fulfilled.
Other suggestions are
1. Veg soup:
Contents: tomato -2, potato-1 small, Onion - 1 small, Carrot-1 small.
Preparation: Wash all veggies properly peel potato, onion and carrot. Boil tomato in water for 5 to 6 mins so that you can see the skin of tomato cracks. Now gently remove skin of tomato. Add tomato and the peeled veggies to a cooker with 1/2 a glass of water. Add pinch of salt and whistle the cooker for 2 to 3 times (veggies should be cooked well). Now bring it to room temp and blend them in a mixer. Strain the contents to remove any lumps and now boil the soup with cinammon sticks (1 or 2 piece very small one) added to it. Boil it till it reaches the required consistency and then feed LO.
Note: You can add any veggie to make this soup including leafy veggies like spinach, amaranthus, cabbage etc.
2. Pumpkin: Take peeled pumpkin. Dice the pumpkin and then pressure cook it with little salt. mash well with hands and feed it along with rice or as such.
3. Gourds (any ashgourd, rich gourd etc): Make it finger size and then pressure cook it or boil in water till it becomes soft. You can either feed as a finger food or you can mash it and feed it along with rice or as such.
4. Boiled potatoes and carrots. Pressure cook well and mash it with hands and add pinch of salt and feed baby as such.
5. Caramalised plums: Peel the plum. Put it on hot tawa and get it caramalised on both sides and then feed it mashed. Apple also you can do the same way.
6. Poached pear: peel and pit the pear. Take 1/2 glass of water and add cinammon sticks, grated garlic, cloves etc and bring it to boil. Slip the pears into this boiling fluid and cook until its soft and the fluid is just about to disappear. Now remove all the sticks garlic cloves etc from the fluid and mash the pear in the same fluid and can feed the lo. Its really yumm. And for elders you can add sugar and honey while boiling which makes it a decent desert.
7. Avocado apple puree. Take avocado and peeled and diced apple in equal quantity and grind well in blender. Directly feed the baby.
8. Banana: Ripened banana made to thin long slices. Heat tawa add little butter or olive oil and then saute the banana until its soft. mash and feed. If you wish you can add bit of sugar or honey to this
9. Oats and apple breakfast: ground oats and dice apple. Boil apples until its soft and add ground oats cook until oats is done and a yumm breakfast is ready.
10. Daal : Cook daal in cooker with salt and curry leaves added to it. Mash it add few drops of ghee and you can feed it either with rice or as such.
11. Wheat Porridge/dalia/lapsi
12. Home made Ceralac
Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.
Take Care
Best Regards
Dr Deepak Kishore K
Diet suggestion given
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
It is important that you start introducing a variety of food in your toddler's diet gradually. These will provide the calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are essential for his growth. The amount of food eaten would vary from child to child and would also depend on when you introduce a particular food to your toddler. Most of the times it is "Try and Error" method. Lots of patience would be required from your end to find out what is that diet which tickles your toddlers taste buds which also contains maximum nutrients. You need to try multiple ones and find which your child loves to eat amongst those. Initially it may be difficult from shifting to solid/semi-solid feed from milk based diet, continued perseverance and trying out what the baby likes is the key.
One recipe which the kid will like is as below
Ingredients needed: Ghee( 2 spoons), Whole wheat flour ( 2 spoons) , Pista( 50 gms), Cardomom ( 6 in number), Almonds( 50 gms), Khajur( Dried dates 50 gms), water/milk
In a pan pour 2 spoons of ghee, heat it, add 2 spoons of wheat flour (Atta), cook it till golden brown on low flame till its slightly golden in color. Add 2 Cups of water or Milk and keep stirring it continuously making a thin water paste(same like sira consistency). To this add powdered mixture of rest of ingredients grinded in mixer (pista, almond, khajur, cardomom).
Supplement baby breakfast with this recipe and also can be consumed at night when baby is hungry. In this way her quota for milk will also be fulfilled.
Other suggestions are
1. Veg soup:
Contents: tomato -2, potato-1 small, Onion - 1 small, Carrot-1 small.
Preparation: Wash all veggies properly peel potato, onion and carrot. Boil tomato in water for 5 to 6 mins so that you can see the skin of tomato cracks. Now gently remove skin of tomato. Add tomato and the peeled veggies to a cooker with 1/2 a glass of water. Add pinch of salt and whistle the cooker for 2 to 3 times (veggies should be cooked well). Now bring it to room temp and blend them in a mixer. Strain the contents to remove any lumps and now boil the soup with cinammon sticks (1 or 2 piece very small one) added to it. Boil it till it reaches the required consistency and then feed LO.
Note: You can add any veggie to make this soup including leafy veggies like spinach, amaranthus, cabbage etc.
2. Pumpkin: Take peeled pumpkin. Dice the pumpkin and then pressure cook it with little salt. mash well with hands and feed it along with rice or as such.
3. Gourds (any ashgourd, rich gourd etc): Make it finger size and then pressure cook it or boil in water till it becomes soft. You can either feed as a finger food or you can mash it and feed it along with rice or as such.
4. Boiled potatoes and carrots. Pressure cook well and mash it with hands and add pinch of salt and feed baby as such.
5. Caramalised plums: Peel the plum. Put it on hot tawa and get it caramalised on both sides and then feed it mashed. Apple also you can do the same way.
6. Poached pear: peel and pit the pear. Take 1/2 glass of water and add cinammon sticks, grated garlic, cloves etc and bring it to boil. Slip the pears into this boiling fluid and cook until its soft and the fluid is just about to disappear. Now remove all the sticks garlic cloves etc from the fluid and mash the pear in the same fluid and can feed the lo. Its really yumm. And for elders you can add sugar and honey while boiling which makes it a decent desert.
7. Avocado apple puree. Take avocado and peeled and diced apple in equal quantity and grind well in blender. Directly feed the baby.
8. Banana: Ripened banana made to thin long slices. Heat tawa add little butter or olive oil and then saute the banana until its soft. mash and feed. If you wish you can add bit of sugar or honey to this
9. Oats and apple breakfast: ground oats and dice apple. Boil apples until its soft and add ground oats cook until oats is done and a yumm breakfast is ready.
10. Daal : Cook daal in cooker with salt and curry leaves added to it. Mash it add few drops of ghee and you can feed it either with rice or as such.
11. Wheat Porridge/dalia/lapsi
12. Home made Ceralac
Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.
Take Care
Best Regards
Dr Deepak Kishore K
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Answered by
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