I need some mom reassurances.

[arockkid]

What IS her genetic background?
My daughter has a Turner's syndrome variant....and some of the symptoms sounds just like your daughter. They require much less sleep, and food, with lots of energy....and tend to fall at the bottom of the charts...
That is not to scare you, but is an option.
I almost look at them as being more evolved....
But overall, I would be and am glad, given the rise in childhood obesity, to have a happy, healthy active little peanut.
We try to push healthy calorie filled options, like whole milk and cheese, nuts/peanut butter, whole milk yogurt smoothies, etc.

Anyway, I'd look up Turner's Syndrome....though it's not very likely...because odds are, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[MeatKing]

I agree with what the others said, your doing a great job

A second might is in order, but I would work on sleeping habits first. Some kids are just like that, then they fill out later. I also agree with the taking her off sugar, n juice n junkie food. That is setting her up for other problems.

I would try to figure out her sleeping habits. Where does she sleep? Co-sleeping, crib? shared room with siblings? Maybe you can try switching something up? An older woman once saw me buying paint for dd room, it's a nice bright orangey sourt've colour. She looked at me and said, your gonna have sleeping problems.. I never did, but maybe some kids may with this colour? I clean houses and some people have those black out curtians for there kids room, some white noise machines, there all different. Neat to see all the differnet ways people live. (One of the things I love about my job)

As far as the bruises, you feel there normal bruises your just parionad because of the doc? Don't be, you remember from your other kids, they hurt themselves a lot at that age... They are still a little top heavy and that's life. Your doing a great job, she's lucky to have such a concerned Mom. Just remember to take care of yourself, alot of illness are created by stress and you sound very stressed out right now.


I wish all the best for you and your dd, please also try to treat her the way you did your other kids. I think all the extra special treatment really start other issues. Easier said then done

 

[ChickInDelight]

My middle child was never a good eater. As early as breast-feeding, if she were distracted, it was the end of meal. She seemed not to like food at all. She would not even eat a strawberry or banana. She literally lived on quantities a bird might eat.

She did however, eat sand like crazy and enjoyed treats like catfood. Lack of minerals?

From ages 4 - 7, she seemed to be on a white diet - mashed potatoes, rice, bread and pizza (but never my home-made pizza). Even at McDonald's I would order her a plain hamburger- hold the meat.

Since I realized very early that eating was not her strong suit... and I worried that battles at the dinner table would someday turn into anorexia... I simply offered the food, but never tried to force eating.

The child is a lovely 21 year old now - that still eats very little but binges on what she loves.

My youngest child was always over the 90th percentile for weight. Doctors insisted he must be put on a diet. I felt that he was a big boy with big bones. I always let him eat as much as he liked. He is 17 now, and at 6'2", he fairly recently thinned down to the perfect size.

I have had endless bad experiences with doctors. I have much better results with home remedies. Nurse practitioners are wonderful when medical help is really needed - which is rare.

One of my favorite coping sayings is, "If the child [isn't doing it] by high school graduation, I will worry about it then. Each child matures at their own rate, so don't worry about what everyone else says. [Insert whatever you like in the brackets - potty training, sharing, flushing the toilet....]

Also, I do not recommend stress. I stressed with my oldest child a few times when she walked beyond my reach. How she loved the fear on my face. She became so adept at disappearing whenever I did not have her in a wrist lock. In stores, she would hit the floor, roll under a clothing rack.... I once had the entire staff of JC Penny's walking across the store in a straight line as we beat the clothing racks to find the child that loved to stress-out mommy.

(This child grew to be very independant, a natural leader, and great scholar.)

I have seen some real disasters from over-controlling parents!!!

I suspect I have a similar make-up to your daughter's. I joke that sleeping has never been my strong suit. I grew up eating very little and being extremely active. I was always climbing trees, jumping creeks, riding bikes, swimming... Eventually, I put myself through college on athletic scholarship (while working and taking full care of my horse, graduating early with a BS in Psych and minors in Animal Biology and Computer Science....) No one bothered to test me. All your daughter's tests are normal. I have no doubt you will seek medical attention when it is needed.

You are obviously a wonderful parent. Relax and enjoy the early years. Be sure to laugh out loud daily.

 

[sonew123]

My pediatrician told me 12 years ago, If your child eats enough in one day to equal 1 healthy meal -they are fine. My DD nursed terrible-wouldn't take a bottle either-so I was stuck nursing for a year...I switched to whole milk in a sippy at 10 months old while still nursing a few times a day. had a full mouth of teeth by 1 yrs old. The pickiest eater ever. A few bites here and there was all she would do. So I kept tract of what she ate all day for a month. When you add up all those little bites-at the end of the day she was eating more than a normal sized meal for a child her age. I stopped freaking out my poor baby was starving. She carried on like this for 6 years! Doctors telling me she's on the small end and try this and that-I stuck with my pediatricians initial opinion and she is healthy as a horse-she is 13 5-4' and 115 lbs perfect in every way and smart to boot. She is still a picky eater but she eats now and I don't force it in any way. She may skip lunch or most of dinner but I still watch her total daily intake and she gets everything she needs within 24 hours and then some! Good luck!

(ps she was 3 weeks early too)

 

[Beekissed]

Mother and nurse here, to add my support and reassurances. Every child is different and I am with the rest of the folks who state, if she is happy, active and healthy in other respects you are doing a fine job.

I would, however, if you haven't already, cut out complex sugars and red dyes. My youngest was tested for allergens when he was 4 and when these were introduced, he went completely hyper and couldn't stop moving. Could be part of her excess activity and no sleeping problem....check those labels.

Good healthy, whole foods are best and I wouldn't push food on her....just have sit down meals with the family, offer snacks if she asks and let her get on with the business of being a kid. A lot of kids go through a stage of not eating when they are little...get skinny looking and folks start making comments. Ignore that and roll on...just enjoy this moment. One day you won't be able to fill her up and will wonder where it all goes!

 

[zippitydooda]

When I was a new mother, I worried that my child wasn't getting enough nutrients, and was too picky of an eater.

I expressed my concerns to the pediatrician, and his response was "I've been a doctor for over 35 years and have yet to meet a child that intentionally starves itself. When your child is hungry, he will eat. Just make sure to have a healthy variety of choices available".

Thirty two years later, I know he was absolutely correct. All three of my kids went through weird eating stages, and I just kept repeating that over in my head.... they are all healthy & well adjusted eaters.

Don't sweat the small details..... you will make yourself sick with worry.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

My youngest was born weighing 3lb 12 oz. He was full term. Apparently my placenta had been abrupting during the last month, breaking away on the side opposite the birth canal, so it looked like the typical spotting that can occur that last month. He als measured small, but at about the same that it would have been if he was moving down into the birth canal.

He had difficulty nursing and lost a little weight when I said, this is it, I am going to get him nursing without supplemental bottles. We ended up doing all sorts of tests that ended up showing him to be perfetly normal. And once he learne how to nirse well, that was that, and he began gaining some weight. BUT. He was still very small. I think he was about 5 years old when he finally made it onto the charts. At 18 years he is still on the very small side, but still growing. We have some very small and very large people on all sides of the family; he seems to have inherited all the short and slender genes.

Personally, I would drop the foods that do not seem healthy (including the instant breakfast--there are products specifically for infants to ensure they get adequate nutrition), feed all the healthy foods she likes, and keep offering healthy foods she does not like. Take her off bottles--teach her to use a sippy cup. Limit naps or change their timing if they seem to interfere with nighttime sleep. Some kids still need naps at 5 years, others outgrow them at 1.5 years. You can instead give her a time of quiet activities: books, storytime, puzzles, colouring in a quiet, not brightly lit room.

Do get a second opinion from a doctor that is not affiliated with the pediatricians currently seeing her.

Also, look at her growth charts from the day she was born until now. If she remains on the same level throughout, there is unlikely to be a problem. If she is bouncing around, she is also probably fine, if she is on a steady or increasing decline, there is reasons for concern. Also, look at how she does on developmental charts (things like age for walking, age for pincer grip, age for ...) If she is in the normal range for all of those, there is likely not a concern. If she is well behind in one or more areas, those might need to be addressed.

 

[Nikkumz]

Give her pediasure, my daughter was just like that, 18 pounds still at almost 2 years old, super picky eater, tons of energy loves to play and never sit down and eat.
Dr put her on pediasure and she is now a very healthy 30 lb 3 year old...Plus, the pediasure tastes good so she will always want to drink it!

 

[HeatherLynn]

Quote:
Her genetic background is pretty boring. No birth defects, no one ill or ever having any eating or metabolic issues, no thyroid issues, no cancer, no nothing really. Both sides are really over all healthy but some of us are on the small side. I was being watched for being underweight till I was 6. My mom actually was sent to a special hospital over the summer in Austria because she stayed so underweight. That did not change till she had kids. Most of us are on the petite side. We get chunky later in life but all pretty short. My mom is not even 5 foot tall. Problem is they are comparing her to my first. He has been 100th percentile on all fronts since birth. He is 10 and 5'1".

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I am far from an expert on these matters but have been (still traveling) some of the same road you've been on. My DD was early and weighed in at a whopping 5 lbs at birth. She is extremely active, doesn't sleep well (never has) lives on love and air and is skinny as a stick.

The people who remind you that babies and toddlers won't starve themselves are right. Make sure there are HEALTHY snacks available to her all the time, let her graze. If she's not growing at all then consider supplementing with Pediasure or Ensure. These days there are SO many choices for liquid nutritional supplements. And gummy vitamins to make sure she's getting her daily requirements.

Then remind yourself she is living on love and make sure she gets her fill!!

My DD now is back in "crisis" mode as she is 11 and has fallen off the bottom of the chart for weight. Since she is facing adolescence we are supplementing her diet with Ensure and Muscle Milk. She likes the Ensure and drinks it willingly, not so much the Muscle Milk. The downside there is that they are expensive so see if you can get manufacturers discounts or prescriptions. Our insurer will cover part of the cost if it is prescribed.

We even had the state send a social worker to her school two years ago to see what she brought to school in her lunch! Luckily the school nurse knew us and helped field the situation.

I know telling a mother not to worry is like telling Niagra Falls to stop falling. But, you clearly love and care for your daughter and are doing your best by here. Enjoy her. Love who SHE is, not who other people think she should be.

Peace!