Underweight Child
Discussion
Just had a letter from the LA after National Child Measurement Programme. It suggests my youngest who is Year 6 is underweight for her height.
The BMI is 13.7 which obviously is underweight, but although very slim you wouldn't think she was overly thin. My eldest is also very slim, and has had some teasing at school for being "anorexic".
Both eat well at mealtimes and will happily raid the crisp/biscuit barrel as soon as they come through the door.
Any thoughts as to what if anything I should do?
The BMI is 13.7 which obviously is underweight, but although very slim you wouldn't think she was overly thin. My eldest is also very slim, and has had some teasing at school for being "anorexic".
Both eat well at mealtimes and will happily raid the crisp/biscuit barrel as soon as they come through the door.
Any thoughts as to what if anything I should do?
Just keep an eye on it - the last thing you want to do is to make it a big issue with her, i would imagine that could cause all kinds of problems later in life.
My 5yo is 75% for height and 25% for weight (don't know bmi but she obviously looks skinny) - she is really active and just isn't that interested in food really - she's not particularly fussy, just doesn't eat a huge amount. She likes blue milk so we make sure she drinks plenty. Her diet isn't bad at all, she literally just doesn't eat much!
My 5yo is 75% for height and 25% for weight (don't know bmi but she obviously looks skinny) - she is really active and just isn't that interested in food really - she's not particularly fussy, just doesn't eat a huge amount. She likes blue milk so we make sure she drinks plenty. Her diet isn't bad at all, she literally just doesn't eat much!
If your child is otherwise healthy I'd file it in the bin with all the other letters from people whose job seems to entail causing completely unnecessary worry in life.
If you're concerned speak to your doctor.
My 3 year old daughter is tiny, never been above 3% on the mean weight scale thing that they use, so I've been through this myself.
eta- mine is completely healthy and tough as old boots.
If you're concerned speak to your doctor.
My 3 year old daughter is tiny, never been above 3% on the mean weight scale thing that they use, so I've been through this myself.
eta- mine is completely healthy and tough as old boots.
Edited by ehonda on Wednesday 11th March 11:41
Are you a 'slight' or 'short' family? The genetics are never taken into account by doctors, let along database operators like the ones that manage the school stats thing.
My daughter has Cystic Fibrosis, and one offshoot of that is more difficulty in putting on weight and height. Bearing in mind that she was diagnosed before the age of 1, and is now 11, we were only asked our heights as parents in 2013 (after we moved into another health trust area). Before then I was sick of informing them that both my wife and I were skinny kids from skinny parents, and should that be taken into account?
I don't bother having my daughter weighed and measured in school any more, and certainly don't want her details in any database.
My daughter has Cystic Fibrosis, and one offshoot of that is more difficulty in putting on weight and height. Bearing in mind that she was diagnosed before the age of 1, and is now 11, we were only asked our heights as parents in 2013 (after we moved into another health trust area). Before then I was sick of informing them that both my wife and I were skinny kids from skinny parents, and should that be taken into account?
I don't bother having my daughter weighed and measured in school any more, and certainly don't want her details in any database.
Thanks all for the replies. I was incredibly skinny as a child, so wasn't too concerned over the children at all.
Outcome: I spoke with the doctor's practice who suggested nothing to worry about, and no action required. During my conversation the doctor mentioned how tall she was which surprised me as she is and always has been vying for shortest in her year group. After the call I translated the metric to imperial and now realise they have probably added nearly 12 inches to her height.
Fat lot of useless......
Outcome: I spoke with the doctor's practice who suggested nothing to worry about, and no action required. During my conversation the doctor mentioned how tall she was which surprised me as she is and always has been vying for shortest in her year group. After the call I translated the metric to imperial and now realise they have probably added nearly 12 inches to her height.
Fat lot of useless......
selym said:
The genetics are never taken into account by doctors
Not true - why do we have to consider mid-parental height when considering failure to thrive or poor growth in our outpatient clinics?! Or indeed have genetic specialists that we can refer to?OP - If her growth is good then it's unlikely to be a significant underlying issue. From the sounds of it your GP has already drawn a line under this. Try not to get her fixated on weight as you don't want it to be an issue later in life. If she is well, it is very unlikely to be anything patholgical.
HughS47 said:
Not true - why do we have to consider mid-parental height when considering failure to thrive or poor growth in our outpatient clinics?! Or indeed have genetic specialists that we can refer to?
OP - If her growth is good then it's unlikely to be a significant underlying issue. From the sounds of it your GP has already drawn a line under this. Try not to get her fixated on weight as you don't want it to be an issue later in life. If she is well, it is very unlikely to be anything patholgical.
In my experience it is true. It might have been specific to the trust we were under, but I had to bring it up time and again.OP - If her growth is good then it's unlikely to be a significant underlying issue. From the sounds of it your GP has already drawn a line under this. Try not to get her fixated on weight as you don't want it to be an issue later in life. If she is well, it is very unlikely to be anything patholgical.
Edited to add: I'm not trying to tar all health professionals with that brush, when we went to the RVI in Newcastle the first thing they asked was about the family 'genetics'. no offence meant.
Edited by selym on Thursday 12th March 13:45
worsy said:
Just had a letter from the LA after National Child Measurement Programme. It suggests my youngest who is Year 6 is underweight for her height.
The BMI is 13.7 which obviously is underweight, but although very slim you wouldn't think she was overly thin. My eldest is also very slim, and has had some teasing at school for being "anorexic".
Both eat well at mealtimes and will happily raid the crisp/biscuit barrel as soon as they come through the door.
Any thoughts as to what if anything I should do?
My younger brother had similar attention from the local authority. He was healthy but skinny. The medics put him on some form of "bulking up diet". Forty years later and he's a proper fatty.The BMI is 13.7 which obviously is underweight, but although very slim you wouldn't think she was overly thin. My eldest is also very slim, and has had some teasing at school for being "anorexic".
Both eat well at mealtimes and will happily raid the crisp/biscuit barrel as soon as they come through the door.
Any thoughts as to what if anything I should do?
Personally I'd keep an eye on it and teach your children about nutrition, portion control, health and the importance of exercise. Habits formed now will stick and "painfully skinny" in a child can turn out to be lithe and slim as an adult, so long as a sensible approach to nutrition is observed.
worsy said:
Had a call back from the health nurse today and they have transposed a 3 to a 5 and added 20cms of height. The records have been updated and we'll get another letter, probably stating the same, but not nearly as worrysome as the first set of figures.
Id still double check it yourself. http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalcula...Note that BMI is a guide only.
BTW obesity is an issue and so is malnutrition (not getting enough vits and mins) being underweight isn't something that needs to be worried about if your eating a varied and nutritional diet & drinking plenty of water.
Edited by Foliage on Thursday 12th March 14:34
Foliage said:
Note that BMI is a guide only.
[/footnote]
It is. In fact isn't it nonsense?[/footnote]
I've just checked mine again for a laugh. I have a BMI of 29 and should, apparently, be 2 stone lighter. If I stopped exercising, and eating, I could probably achieve it. But I'd look, feel and be significantly less healthy as a result.
I would think that the majority of male pin-ups would be obese according to BMI.
Eleven said:
It is. In fact isn't it nonsense?
I've just checked mine again for a laugh. I have a BMI of 29 and should, apparently, be 2 stone lighter. If I stopped exercising, and eating, I could probably achieve it. But I'd look, feel and be significantly less healthy as a result.
I would think that the majority of male pin-ups would be obese according to BMI.
Its not nonsense as a simple guide, problem is the NHS take it as gospel when they should be measuring body fat and fitness levels.I've just checked mine again for a laugh. I have a BMI of 29 and should, apparently, be 2 stone lighter. If I stopped exercising, and eating, I could probably achieve it. But I'd look, feel and be significantly less healthy as a result.
I would think that the majority of male pin-ups would be obese according to BMI.
The sample size is way too small every time they revisit it.
I think everyone knows if they are too fat or too thin, and by people belittling BMI I think devalues it as a tool to try and get people to stop pretending to themselves that they don't have a problem. BMI is what we have and as a guide and tool to support and guide people to a healthier lifestyle it has a function. It has a place but isn't the be all and end all.
worsy said:
Just had a letter from the LA after National Child Measurement Programme. It suggests my youngest who is Year 6 is underweight for her height.
The BMI is 13.7 which obviously is underweight, but although very slim you wouldn't think she was overly thin. My eldest is also very slim, and has had some teasing at school for being "anorexic".
Both eat well at mealtimes and will happily raid the crisp/biscuit barrel as soon as they come through the door.
Any thoughts as to what if anything I should do?
Slightly flippant, but ask them why they don't focus their energy on the benefit barrels?The BMI is 13.7 which obviously is underweight, but although very slim you wouldn't think she was overly thin. My eldest is also very slim, and has had some teasing at school for being "anorexic".
Both eat well at mealtimes and will happily raid the crisp/biscuit barrel as soon as they come through the door.
Any thoughts as to what if anything I should do?
Ignore them, concentrate on giving your kids life-long advice on diet & exercise.
I get my occasional lectures from a nice nurse, but one who is nearly as round as I used to be, just lacking 8-10 inches of loftiness. Last but one time she saw me I was rugby prop, now not. Advice was a bit scratchy - felt like offering lots of actual guidance in return.
BTW, as wonderful as my olds are, wish I'd had that advice when diddy
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