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What Causes Increased Weight Gain In A Child?
Question: hi dr, my baby girl is 7 months old. Her current measurements weight - 6.2kg, lenght 63cm, hc 42cm.
Her birth values weight -2.8kg, length - 48cm, hc 32cm. She gained only 100gm between 6 & 7 months. I am concerned about her growth as her food intake has drastically come down in last 3 weeks. Currently she takes 4 feeds in a day. Total about 200-250ml formula (enfamil a+) & solids twice a day approx 3/4th katori (mostly khichdi, apple, banana, ragi). i add ghee & black dates to make her food calorie dense. i have tried a variety of solids even tried changing formula to lactogen but no result. Her pediatrician checked her for infections but said she is healthy. She had Reflux issue but since age of 5 months its under control. Kindly advice
Her birth values weight -2.8kg, length - 48cm, hc 32cm. She gained only 100gm between 6 & 7 months. I am concerned about her growth as her food intake has drastically come down in last 3 weeks. Currently she takes 4 feeds in a day. Total about 200-250ml formula (enfamil a+) & solids twice a day approx 3/4th katori (mostly khichdi, apple, banana, ragi). i add ghee & black dates to make her food calorie dense. i have tried a variety of solids even tried changing formula to lactogen but no result. Her pediatrician checked her for infections but said she is healthy. She had Reflux issue but since age of 5 months its under control. Kindly advice
Brief Answer:
Your daughter is healthy and growing well
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for your query on HCM. I am pleased to be able to help you. Let me assure you that your daughter is indeed growing well. It is not helpful to worry about weight gain in the last one month alone. The important thing is the trend. XXXXXXX babies double their birth weights in six months, and triple it in a year. By that criterion alone, your child has more than doubled her birth weight.
The growth in length is about 25 cm in 1 year, and she is on track for the same, as she has gained 15 cm already in 7 months. The head size grows about 2 cm/month in the first three months of life, 1 cm/month in the next three months and 0.5 cm/month in the remaining six months of the first year of life. She has put on 10 cm already, whereas she should have put on 9.5 in 7 months.
Therefore, by all parameters, she is doing well.
The diet you are giving her is also appropriate for her age, and the fact that she is not taking too much milk is not a problem as she is eating well. I am personally inclined to think that you might be going too fast with the ghee etc. Even giving her food without ghee is all right, as this will enable her to eat more volume of semi-solids, and thereby get a better mix of nutrients like vitamins, minerals etc. Protein is more crucial for brain and body growth than fats in an infant, so avoid ghee and give her all the other things that you are already giving.
There is no need to change her milk except for shifting her to the second level of milk as she has crossed 6 months.
If all this growth has happened despite her reflux issue, it is very, very creditable and you should probably be thanking God rather than worrying about the temporary slowing of the growth, which is nothing abnormal or unusual.
I hope this helps.
Dr. Taher, with regards.
Your daughter is healthy and growing well
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for your query on HCM. I am pleased to be able to help you. Let me assure you that your daughter is indeed growing well. It is not helpful to worry about weight gain in the last one month alone. The important thing is the trend. XXXXXXX babies double their birth weights in six months, and triple it in a year. By that criterion alone, your child has more than doubled her birth weight.
The growth in length is about 25 cm in 1 year, and she is on track for the same, as she has gained 15 cm already in 7 months. The head size grows about 2 cm/month in the first three months of life, 1 cm/month in the next three months and 0.5 cm/month in the remaining six months of the first year of life. She has put on 10 cm already, whereas she should have put on 9.5 in 7 months.
Therefore, by all parameters, she is doing well.
The diet you are giving her is also appropriate for her age, and the fact that she is not taking too much milk is not a problem as she is eating well. I am personally inclined to think that you might be going too fast with the ghee etc. Even giving her food without ghee is all right, as this will enable her to eat more volume of semi-solids, and thereby get a better mix of nutrients like vitamins, minerals etc. Protein is more crucial for brain and body growth than fats in an infant, so avoid ghee and give her all the other things that you are already giving.
There is no need to change her milk except for shifting her to the second level of milk as she has crossed 6 months.
If all this growth has happened despite her reflux issue, it is very, very creditable and you should probably be thanking God rather than worrying about the temporary slowing of the growth, which is nothing abnormal or unusual.
I hope this helps.
Dr. Taher, with regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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