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Since when was fat the new normal?

Posted by poisonapplesauce • 10/14/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: babies, obesity, weight

Today I took my 18 month old in for shots, he is perfectly healthy, wears size 24 month clothing and has a lot of muscle. The army doc went on a tirade that he was "way too thin" (you can't see a bone on him). He weighs 22lbs, the doctor says that he should be near 35 lbs but every growth chart I see says between 20-30lbs is normal. A 35lb 18 month old just seems... large to me. What do you think? Has America adjusted it's charts due to the obesity epidemic or is a toddler 50lbs lighter than an olsen twin really what he should be?

The army pediatricians in Georgia said he was wonderful, very lean and hyper. But this PA chick is all "put him on a high calorie diet", "I want to see 15 lbs by November" etc.

My boys are very active, as am I, what do you think is average?
When does the parents say outweigh the doctors say?
Should I get a third opinion?

User Comments

10/14/08

ekim941

Sounds like you are the third opinion.

Possibly they are going by a height weight ratio as opposed to the age.

[reply]
1. 10/14/08
  
  poisonapplesauce
  
  that makes sense, he is very tall. I just don't know about 15lbs in 2 weeks... that can't be healthy
2. 10/14/08
  
  ekim941
  
  That isn't. I would strongly question the doctors judgment.
3. 10/14/08
  
  pumpkinlights
  
  "I just don't know about 15lbs in 2 weeks... that can't be healthy"
  
  I wouldn't think so either.
10/14/08

pumpkinlights

I would go for the third opinion or as ekim said, use your opinion as the third opinion.

If he's not noticeably underweight, then I would say he's fine.

[reply]
10/14/08

kdawg68

that's insane. My boy is 4 and he barely weighs 37 pounds. Not all kids can be water buffalo like me.

[reply]
10/14/08

ekim941

Babies should be very plump. When they start walking, they typically lose the baby fat because walking burns a lot more calories than crawling. There is a bit of an adjustment period for their metabolism after a baby starts walking.
I think doctors tend to look at numbers more than patient history. You have to know that when you go to the doctor, you are your only advocate. Since your son is a minor, you have to be his advocate. Gaining 7.5 pounds per week is not healthy (may not even be possible).

[reply]
1. 10/14/08
  
  kdawg68
  
  Yet now that Monopoly is back at McDonald's, I can put that on in one sitting.
10/14/08

poisonapplesauce

Thanks guys, I was started to feel weird about that. He used to be pretty chubby but my 3 year old has him running and chasing the dogs, jumping on the baby-line (trampaline), and they both dance with me and excercise with mommy (their choice). Glad to see I am not the only one that thinks this weight gain thing is a bad idea.

[reply]
1. 10/15/08
  
  SweetViolet
  
  What did he weigh at birth? The "old wive's" rule of thumb is that a child should double his birth weight by 6 months, triple it by a year. So, if he weighed 7 pounds at birth, he should have been 21 pounds at 12 months...which means 22 lbs is underweight at 18 months. I have three kids and two of them followed this rule almost to the ounce. The third one was born a month late and had a high birthweight as a result. By the age of 2 she was normal weight for her height and bone structure (petite).
  
  If he is using lots of calories (being very active) then you should be giving him the opportunity to take in more calories. Juice is a good source of calories that the kids enjoy. Always give water afterwards to get the sugars off their teeth.
  
  As far as the "fat the new normal" question, THIN is not normal. Our minds may be 21st century, but our bodies are aeons behind. We have evolved from the ancient people who could most easily store fat in times of plenty so that they had reserves to live on in times of food scarcity. The fattest lived the longest and therefore lived to procreate...and pass on their genes...long after their skinny brethren succumbed.
  
  We are, on the whole, genetically programmed to gain and retain weight. And small children need more fat reserves than bigger kids and adults due to growth demands...not just growth of the long bones, but growth of the brain.
  
  Although I think a weight gain of 15 lbs. in two weeks is ridiculous (are you sure you heard the PA correctly?), a healthy toddler should have what we adults perceive as fat. Don't let a trendy abhorrence to what is really natural...having fat reserves in our bodies...colour your perception of what is good for your child. If you don't agree with the PA's assessment of your child's weight, by all means, seek another opinion, but be prepared to accept a pronouncement you don't want to hear. As an experienced mother and grandmother, I have to say that 22lbs for an 18 month old seems underweight UNLESS the child is very short, uncommonly fine boned, or had a very low birthweight.
2. 10/15/08
  
  poisonapplesauce
  
  He had a pretty low birth weight, emergency c-section due to abruption.
  
  He eats 5 times a day, not including snacks.
  
  "As far as the "fat the new normal" question, THIN is not normal." I didn't say thin, normal to me is ribs not poking through, not being able to count the bones, little bit of baby fat. It also to me means not having a baby fitting of being on the Maury show (toddlers on their weigh 50-90lbs). He has a layer of fat, can't see bones, he is very small framed but tall (pre baby I was able to wear children's pants, while my spouse is 6'2). His height and head circumfrence were perfect, and mentally is is exceeding his milestones.
  
  "Although I think a weight gain of 15 lbs. in two weeks is ridiculous (are you sure you heard the PA correctly?" yep, she said that shouldn't be difficult
  
  "a healthy toddler should have what we adults perceive as fat. Don't let a trendy abhorrence to what is really natural...having fat reserves in our bodies...colour your perception of what is good for your child." he has fat, I do not want an aneorexic baby, I want a healthy baby. Another detail I should mention is that he was breastfed until 15 months (though at 7 he had supplements of regular food as well) breastfed babies are less fatty statistically
  
  "If you don't agree with the PA's assessment of your child's weight, by all means, seek another opinion, but be prepared to accept a pronouncement you don't want to hear." The first doctor said he was perfect, we had to switch due to a relocation, this is the second opinion which is nearly 100% different than the first, hence my confusion. My 3 year old is 35lbs, he is normal, even slightly heavy according to the growth charts, should an 18month old weigh the same as a 3 year old? This is what makes no sense, so alas I am taking him to a private doctor today out of pocket and will glady follow the consensus of 2 out of 3 whichever way it leans. As you said it is all in the best interest of the child. Nice rule of thumb by the way, going by that he has quadrupled his birth weight
3. 10/15/08
  
  SweetViolet
  
  If he has quadrupled his birthweight at 18 months, he sounds OK to me, particularly if he is small framed like you.
  
  But it doesn't hurt to get another opinion. If the civilian doctor agrees with you, I suggest you ask him to put it in writing so you can show it to the PA on the next visit. The last thing you want is an on-going battle with the person who provides your child with his medical care, and you not having some backup!
10/15/08

Arcticulates

He sounds nice and healthy to me. Did the doctor make any threats towards you if he doesn't gain all that weight in such a short time? Every child is different and have thier own personal growth spurts.

I would seriously think about seeing another pediatrician tho if one is available, because this one sounds like a fruitcake, thinking a child should put on 15 pounds in two weeks, that is totally unreasonable and sounds abusive to me.

[reply]
1. 10/15/08
  
  poisonapplesauce
  
  no direct threats, more insinuations than anything. "If he were eating enough he'd be 35 lbs" lol if they'd see my boy eat, they'd be in awe he loves his food. I think he has a super high metabolism like me, I can eat take out food, pizza, anything and not gain an ounce.
  
  I am trying to get tricare to reassign the boys to someone else, military insurance is kind of a pain when you try to switch to civilian doctors.
  
  lol she is a fruitcake, he had a temp of 100.3 when we first got there and she wrote down 103 and wasn't going to give him his shots and threw a fit that he was out with such a temp. I demanded they retake it because my brother and I clearly heard 100.3, and low and behold his temp was 99.5. I asked her if maybe she got it wrong because it seemed unlikely that a temp could drop so much in 15 minutes and she said "no that happens alot".... yeah.... tell that to any parent that has ever tried to break a fever... ugh
10/15/08

bloggernoob

i have a theory. i think the powers that be wants us all to be fat and stupid. We won't have energy or the intelligence to spot the corruption that is going on with government and corporate world.

Hopefully they will get some drugs out for the starvation gene. whoever comes out with it first, will break viagra's record.

[reply]
10/15/08

psychosolodiver

Since they started lacing our meat with growth hormones.

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10/15/08

Hoeno

Just because you have the intellectual capacity to get through med school doesn't mean you have the wisdom to use what you've learned and to recognize that different bodies have different quirks and what's ideal for one may not be for another just because the text books may give that impression. Many doctors know their books but are failures as practitioners. Maybe switching doctors would be less of a pain than dealing with some casually made, misleading report from a quack about you.

~JD

[reply]
10/15/08

froginnorthgeorgia

A 35 lb 18 month old is enormous to me. My four year old only weighs 30 lbs. But she isn't tall either. We do know two year olds who are 40 inches and 40 lbs.

If he is tall, but still within a healthy weight range; I wouldn't let the PA alarm you.

froginnorthgeorgia.com/frogwp/

[reply]
10/15/08

legbamel

Shoot, my 5-year-old barely breaks 40 pounds and four feet. My kids were thin when they were born, chunked up until they started to crawl, and have been happy, healthy, strong, and skinny ever since. Some days they eat more than I do for dinner and snack between as well, but they burn it right off. I'd agree that a second opinion should give you a very different response and that this woman was (at best) having an off day. Then again, if she's making mistakes with temperatures, how do we know she wasn't reading the wrong line in the weight charts and next time you see her she'll tell you everything is fine. [rolls eyes] I hate it when people can't admit that they're wrong.

[reply]
10/15/08

calais50

My daughter is 4, average height and 35 lbs. My nephew is a year older than my daughter and is the same height and weight as my daughter. The dr. has never voiced any concerns over my nephew. Your son sounds normal.

[reply]
10/15/08

faithsju243

I think your son sounds perfectly normal and you should consider doctor swapping. I think a 35lb child that isn't even two sounds a bit much to me. And to tell you to have the baby gain 15lbs in two wks is down right insane.

[reply]
10/15/08

poisonapplesauce

Update: Today I took him to a local civilian doctor, he is fine. He said some doctors are more concerned with numbers, especially on new patients than bothering to look at the obvious (small size 2 mommy after 2 kids with size 4 1/2 little girls shoes). Stated growth charts are great for generalizations, but do not take into account things such as bone structure, food allergies, older siblings (apparently younger siblings are more active when they are trying to keep up with big brother/sister thus burning more calories). So if you come across such a problem, rest assured that a chart is a guideline but not a set in stone fact.

[reply]
1. 10/15/08
  
  SweetViolet
  
  Bravo!
  
  So, your Momtuition is validated...glad to hear it!
2. 10/16/08
  
  Hoeno
  
  Good for you.
  
  ~JD