My 10yo is quite skinny. My husband was also skinny as a kid so generally we haven’t worried about it much. But he just had his yearly checkup, and for the past two years he’s gained very little while still growing taller, and his BMI is dropping off the chart. The doc ordered a blood test and it came back fine, no celiac or thyroid issues (PHEW). So we’re back to trying to boost his intake.
He’s not a super picky kid but he can be reluctant to try things. He eats a lot of classic kid food with no problem: mac and cheese, pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, etc. He also tends to eat a ton of fruits and veggies, which I don’t want to discourage or course! I might try PB&J again but he doesn’t love it like he used to.
The doc did say that she tends to prefer that kids eat their calories instead of drink them, but if a protein drink works for him, it’s an option as long as it’s not displacing solid food. I picked up one by Orgain the other day and he doesn’t seem overly thrilled with it. I’d be curious to know if other people have tried other brands and what their kids thought of them.
Anyone deal with this? What worked for you?
Same with me as a kid, same with my stepson now, same with his father as a kid.
Whole milk is the way to go, but be careful about boosting dairy intake. Constipation isn't fun.
We only buy whole milk for this reason! He does drink some sometimes but we might encourage it more regularly. He does have a tendency to get constipated though; sadly that seems to run in my side of the family. His doc worries that constipation will make him feel “full.”