Why a child would not gain weight, and what has to be done?

If the baby is not gaining weight, firstly, it is necessary to understand the causes, after the consultation with the pediatrician.

Weight is a quite important indicator of the baby’s health. However, we should not forget that the growth rate of each baby is exclusively individual. The optimal way of determining the rate of growth is a special schedule, which takes into account such factors as height, weight, volume of the head and age. The schedule can be given, for example, by the local pediatrician. It is also necessary to take into consideration the fact that small deviations from the average index to the upward or downward direction are normal natural phenomenon. Only at the preventive examination the doctor is able to answer with accuracy whether there is a cause for concern.

Why would not a child gain weight?

Kids, not very well gaining weight, in spite of this, can be completely healthy. Otherwise, there may be several causes. Violation of the feeding is often the cause of slow weight gaining of the infants.

Bowel disease can also cause poor weight gain, since the food is not assimilated properly. For establishing diagnosis, face-to-face consultation of the doctor is required.

If the baby is not gaining weight, it may be due to gastroenteritis (inflammatory disease of the stomach and small intestine), in case of which the body loses large amounts of fluid. In such cases, the weight is not gained, but on the contrary, it can be reduced.

It is necessary to seek immediate medical attention if the child is not gaining weight according to the schedule (too large gap with the average index); if, in addition to a small weight, there are other disturbing symptoms, such as vomiting and fever, which may indicate a prolonged infection; if the weight is reducing. If the baby is sluggish, his reactions are delayed, bowel movements are irregular, urine volume is insignificant - it is a serious reason to consult the pediatrician.

When breastfeeding, there are several criteria by which it is possible to judge whether a sufficient amount of milk your baby receives. The first is the frequency of feedings, which should be at least seven or eight times a day. The second is activity and mobility, healthy complexion. The third is the stool frequency; the average is four times a day. The older the baby becomes, the less need for bowel movement he has.

Criteria, demonstrating that the child is not gaining weight are: the daily weight gain is less than eighteen grams, significant lagging behind the average index of the  weight control schedule, too long sleep duration for energy conserving, dark color of the urine, small amount of it,  sluggish overall condition.

Up to six months healthy children usually gain eight hundred grams a month, and starting from six months - three or four hundred grams. Kids with low birth weight can put on weight more than accepted norm requires.

If the baby is not gaining weight, always pay attention to overall condition of the kid: if he is active, does not look too pale and thin, then, most likely, there is no reason for concern. But, if he gains less than three hundred grams a month, you need to find out the reasons for this shortfall. Here are some possible causes: if you put a child to the both breasts, it may be that he does not get fat milk; reduced levels of hemoglobin can cause anemia, which in turn affects on the rate of weight gaining; frequent constipation or, conversely, loose bowel movements may indicate gastrointestinal diseases, provoking a significant reducing of weight; maybe the baby has got helminthes - to find out whether this is so, it is necessary to make a feces analysis. General blood test will also help in establishing the diagnosis; neurological problems can also lead to poor weight gain by the baby.

Another reason why a child is not gaining weight, may be incorrect introduction of complementary foods. At the very beginning of introduction of complementary foods put the baby to the breast for a short while, as even a small amount of breast milk significantly improves the absorption and digestion of food. As a result the baby receives the maximum amount of nutrients. If the infant does not like the taste of supplemental feeding and he refuses to eat it, and at the same time he has a vomiting reflex, you should consult a specialist to correct the diet.

One of the reasons why the baby is not gaining weight is insufficient amount of the mother's milk, from whence the baby is constantly hungry. If there is enough milk, but the baby falls asleep during feeding, of course, he does not receive the desired portion; and that affects the infant’s weight.

If a child does not gain weight, it may be an unbalanced diet with insufficient fat, carbohydrates, and other essential substances. If the child is no longer an infant, a little butter can be added to a soup or porridge. Products containing a lot of sugar should not be abused, as sugar has a negative impact on the process of assimilation of nutrients and reduces appetite. In case the baby has a poor appetite, intake of vitamin and mineral complexes for appetite improving would be appropriate.

If the baby is not gaining weight, and in addition, there are other warning signs listed above, do not procrastinate a visit to the doctor; it will help to timely identify the causes and to resolve the problem.