Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Is The Ideal Weight For A 5 Month Old Child?
Question: Question for Pediatrician
My son has completed 5 months. His height is growing well i.e. 64 cms as of now., however since last month, his weight have increased only by 200 gms. We have started solids i.e. cerelac, Dal rice and vegetable soup after he completed 4 months along with feeding. Till 4 months he was on exclusive breast feeding.His birth weight was 2.74 kg and current weight is 5.73kg
My questions are:-
1. What should I do to increase his weight gain rate?
2. What can be the reasons for low weight gain, though his height have increased from 62cms to 64 cms last month?
3. He has a common cold, What to do to treat the same?
4. When he should start sitting independently?
My son has completed 5 months. His height is growing well i.e. 64 cms as of now., however since last month, his weight have increased only by 200 gms. We have started solids i.e. cerelac, Dal rice and vegetable soup after he completed 4 months along with feeding. Till 4 months he was on exclusive breast feeding.His birth weight was 2.74 kg and current weight is 5.73kg
My questions are:-
1. What should I do to increase his weight gain rate?
2. What can be the reasons for low weight gain, though his height have increased from 62cms to 64 cms last month?
3. He has a common cold, What to do to treat the same?
4. When he should start sitting independently?
Brief Answer:
Suggestions on diet and development
Detailed Answer:
Hi....
My assessment on your baby. When compared to birth, his height is between 10-25th centiles, but his weight is less than 5th centile. He's failing to thrive inspite of you giving him adequate solid diet.
Answers to queries -
1. Add more amount of ghee to his solid feeds. Make food more calorie dense by doing this so that even if he feeds little, it will be adequate.
2. As the play activities increase along with motor development milestones, some kids expend more energy to play than growth. That's why they falter... Otherwise even after above dietary advice if still low weight, he needs to be investigated.
3. You can use Cetrizine or Levocetrizine for common cold. This is a prescription drug and needs a doctor's prescription for it.
4. He should be starting to sitting independently between 7-10 months age.
Regards Dr. Sumanth
Suggestions on diet and development
Detailed Answer:
Hi....
My assessment on your baby. When compared to birth, his height is between 10-25th centiles, but his weight is less than 5th centile. He's failing to thrive inspite of you giving him adequate solid diet.
Answers to queries -
1. Add more amount of ghee to his solid feeds. Make food more calorie dense by doing this so that even if he feeds little, it will be adequate.
2. As the play activities increase along with motor development milestones, some kids expend more energy to play than growth. That's why they falter... Otherwise even after above dietary advice if still low weight, he needs to be investigated.
3. You can use Cetrizine or Levocetrizine for common cold. This is a prescription drug and needs a doctor's prescription for it.
4. He should be starting to sitting independently between 7-10 months age.
Regards Dr. Sumanth
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok doctor.
Actually till 3 months his weight increased at good rate i.e. at around 700-800 gms p.m.
However, since 1.5 months, his growth rate is slow.
I would add ghee to all his diets, however do you suggest any specific supplements to add on or increase weight?? or any specific diet??
Also, when he was 4 months old, he fell down and got hairline fracture on forehead. Can this be the reason, which could have staggered his growth??
Till how many days, should I wait/monitor his growth, before getting the same being more investigated???
What can be the possible reasons for which he is failing to thrive??
Actually till 3 months his weight increased at good rate i.e. at around 700-800 gms p.m.
However, since 1.5 months, his growth rate is slow.
I would add ghee to all his diets, however do you suggest any specific supplements to add on or increase weight?? or any specific diet??
Also, when he was 4 months old, he fell down and got hairline fracture on forehead. Can this be the reason, which could have staggered his growth??
Till how many days, should I wait/monitor his growth, before getting the same being more investigated???
What can be the possible reasons for which he is failing to thrive??
Brief Answer:
Suggestions of failure to thrive
Detailed Answer:
Hi....
1. There are no specific supplements which can increase growth rare or weight. I suggest not to believe in some medicines which claim to have an effect on weight...They may contain steroids. As to diet as I have already suggested, you need to make the food calorie dense by adding high calorie fats to it like ghee. Nothing specific apart from this.
2. This hairline fracture is not at all related to growth faltering. As I mentioned in our previous interaction, the activity of the baby (In an active baby) may sometimes consume much of the calories which he assimilates.
3. Wait till he completes 6 months. At that time anyhow when you go for influenza vaccination, you can get him examined too and get his growth plotted in a growth chart. That will give us an exact estimate of his growth over a period of time than one measurement.
4. Reasons for failing to thrive can be many like - cardiac disease/ pulmonary complications/ inborn errors of metabolism / recurrent infections/ malabsorption/ immunodeficiency. But I urge you not to get perturbed by the above mentioned conditions.
I take this opportunity to tell you certain scientific facts and relieve your distress -
1. An active is a well kid even if she/ he is not eating well.
2. Development of a kid is as important as or I would say even more important than growth alone.
3. As the kids grow their interest in food decreases and interest in play activities increases so that they eat small quantity. As parents we need to be more patient and feed than less quantity but more aliquots per day. DO NOT FORCE FEED.
4. This age rather than the quantity of the food I suggest you concentrate more on the number of times you feed him and also make whatever you feed him calorie dense.
5. I suggest you not to use appetite stimulants on long run as they may cause drowsiness.
If you need any future medical consultation and suggestions, I will be glad to help. You can approach me at the following link. Please find the link below -
www.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-sumanth-amperayani/67696
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Suggestions of failure to thrive
Detailed Answer:
Hi....
1. There are no specific supplements which can increase growth rare or weight. I suggest not to believe in some medicines which claim to have an effect on weight...They may contain steroids. As to diet as I have already suggested, you need to make the food calorie dense by adding high calorie fats to it like ghee. Nothing specific apart from this.
2. This hairline fracture is not at all related to growth faltering. As I mentioned in our previous interaction, the activity of the baby (In an active baby) may sometimes consume much of the calories which he assimilates.
3. Wait till he completes 6 months. At that time anyhow when you go for influenza vaccination, you can get him examined too and get his growth plotted in a growth chart. That will give us an exact estimate of his growth over a period of time than one measurement.
4. Reasons for failing to thrive can be many like - cardiac disease/ pulmonary complications/ inborn errors of metabolism / recurrent infections/ malabsorption/ immunodeficiency. But I urge you not to get perturbed by the above mentioned conditions.
I take this opportunity to tell you certain scientific facts and relieve your distress -
1. An active is a well kid even if she/ he is not eating well.
2. Development of a kid is as important as or I would say even more important than growth alone.
3. As the kids grow their interest in food decreases and interest in play activities increases so that they eat small quantity. As parents we need to be more patient and feed than less quantity but more aliquots per day. DO NOT FORCE FEED.
4. This age rather than the quantity of the food I suggest you concentrate more on the number of times you feed him and also make whatever you feed him calorie dense.
5. I suggest you not to use appetite stimulants on long run as they may cause drowsiness.
If you need any future medical consultation and suggestions, I will be glad to help. You can approach me at the following link. Please find the link below -
www.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-sumanth-amperayani/67696
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
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. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
