12 year old has grown just under 3 inches and put on no weight in 2.5 years

[Anonymous]

We changed pediatricians (because we moved) but I'm reviewing records and my son has consistently dropped further and further down the height and esp weight chart.

at almost 10 he was 53" and 67 lbs (about 50% in height and weight)

at 12 he is 56" and 68 lbs (25% height and 5% weight).

would you see a pediatrician? someone else?

[Anonymous]

He is growing more than 1 inch per year so I don’t think his height growth is worrisome.

As for his weight, sometimes dr office weights can vary a ton. Depending if it was winter (heavier clothes, boots) or summer and morning or afternoon (full of food). My son sees a couple specialist and gets weighed a few times per yr at the dr that gets recorded in his online chart. +/- 5 lbs is pretty normal sometimes weeks apart. Some offices make him take of shoes and coat, some tell him not to. Not saying this is your case, just a detail to think about before letting concerns set in

[Anonymous]

Does he eat? My daughter didn't gain weight (but did grow) from ages 12-14. Her doctor was only (moderately) concerned because she was only eating around 800 calories a day. When we got that under control, she started gaining weight (and the doctor stopped being concerned). No one suggested seeing a specialist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does he eat? My daughter didn't gain weight (but did grow) from ages 12-14. Her doctor was only (moderately) concerned because she was only eating around 800 calories a day. When we got that under control, she started gaining weight (and the doctor stopped being concerned). No one suggested seeing a specialist.

That doctor is dangerous. She should have been hospitalized during the increase in calories to monitor for something called refeeding syndrome. I’m glad your daughter is ok now, but that was dangerous as hell.

[Anonymous]

Talk to a pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

Op here.
At this trajectory he would be 5 feet at age 16. We are not tall (5’3@ and 5’9” but he was predicted to be about 5’9” when he was little (he was like 90th percent height and weight as a toddler).

He is very thin. He eats but not like his friends eat. I’m trying things like chocolate milk etc.

[Anonymous]

When is the last time he had a checkup?

[Anonymous]

Any signs of puberty? Deep voice? Underarm hair? Stinkiness?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here.
At this trajectory he would be 5 feet at age 16. We are not tall (5’3@ and 5’9” but he was predicted to be about 5’9” when he was little (he was like 90th percent height and weight as a toddler).

He is very thin. He eats but not like his friends eat. I’m trying things like chocolate milk etc.

Does he *like* to eat? How many calories do you estimate he eats a day? What are his typical meals?

[Anonymous]

He had a basic checkup with our new pediatrician in august, who didn't flag anything. No sign of puberty except he can get a little stinky after exercise, but honestly my just turned 10 year old DD seems closer to puberty (breast buds, stinky pits, the start of pubic hair).

He doesn't seem hungry a lot---we do try to get him to eat and have laid off on being as healthy as we would like in favor of getting calories in.....he eats for breakfast a large bowl of cereal or a frozen waffle; weekends we try pancakes waffles, muffins etc, he will eat a bit more, but then claim he is not hungry for hours. He hates eggs unfortunately but will sometimes eat turkey sausage. sometimes he does oatmeal with bananas.

lunch I will pack him an orange, carrots a bag of pita chips, a z bar and a sandwich or leftover pasta with meatballs or slice of pizza (he'll eat the latter). He will often come home having eaten half the lunch, maybe the fruit and the 'main.'. He will eat goldfish or something for a snack. He certainly has a sweet tooth and will have cookies and milk, for example, but I try to keep it to after meals, since otherwise he won't eat dinner.


Dinner-he will have a turkey or regular burger, salad, veggies and maybe a small dessert. Or pasta with turkey meatballs but one bowl, not two. He will eat 3 slices of pizza, since he loves it, but if we have tacos, he will have a tiny one with rice and beans only. He's a lot better about his food aversions, which were strong when he was young, but this seems more like appetite in general.

He does martial arts 2x/week and swimming 1x/week.

I estimate he is getting around 1600 calories a day. My 10 year old daughter eats more (and more variety) than he does (she also weighs more than he does...).

[Anonymous]

Does he like smoothies? You can pack a lot of calories and nutrients into a smoothie.

[Anonymous]

Anyone short on either side of the family
kids could end up shorter than their parents
We are 5’6 and 5’8
15 yr old DD is 5’8”
13 yr old DD is 4’11”

DH’s siblings are short

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He had a basic checkup with our new pediatrician in august, who didn't flag anything. No sign of puberty except he can get a little stinky after exercise, but honestly my just turned 10 year old DD seems closer to puberty (breast buds, stinky pits, the start of pubic hair).

He doesn't seem hungry a lot---we do try to get him to eat and have laid off on being as healthy as we would like in favor of getting calories in.....he eats for breakfast a large bowl of cereal or a frozen waffle; weekends we try pancakes waffles, muffins etc, he will eat a bit more, but then claim he is not hungry for hours. He hates eggs unfortunately but will sometimes eat turkey sausage. sometimes he does oatmeal with bananas.

lunch I will pack him an orange, carrots a bag of pita chips, a z bar and a sandwich or leftover pasta with meatballs or slice of pizza (he'll eat the latter). He will often come home having eaten half the lunch, maybe the fruit and the 'main.'. He will eat goldfish or something for a snack. He certainly has a sweet tooth and will have cookies and milk, for example, but I try to keep it to after meals, since otherwise he won't eat dinner.


Dinner-he will have a turkey or regular burger, salad, veggies and maybe a small dessert. Or pasta with turkey meatballs but one bowl, not two. He will eat 3 slices of pizza, since he loves it, but if we have tacos, he will have a tiny one with rice and beans only. He's a lot better about his food aversions, which were strong when he was young, but this seems more like appetite in general.

He does martial arts 2x/week and swimming 1x/week.

I estimate he is getting around 1600 calories a day. My 10 year old daughter eats more (and more variety) than he does (she also weighs more than he does...).

What you described isn’t even close to 1600 calories, especially if he is only eating half of his lunch. You need to look into getting him to eat more caloric foods. Nut butters, avocado, full fat dairy, etc.

[Anonymous]

My DS was late to start puberty but when he did, he started eating like a horse. It was like someone flipped a switch. Now he pre and post eats before and after meals. He has gained 20 lbs in a few months. He grew 4 inches per year between age 12 and age 15. He actually developed scoliosis because he grew so quickly. He is now 5'5"ish and now around 120lbs. He is nearly 17 now and is probably done growing.

[Anonymous]

OK, its not normal for a 12 yo boy to just be "a little stinky" after exercise. 12 yo boys STINK after hard exdercise, even the ones who wear deoderant (is he wearing deoderant?)

That is not a kid-in-puberty appetite. He could be hitting puberty really late...but not gaining weight at all in a few years is not normal for any age child.

My just-turned-13 yo boy eats easily 3 times that much food in a day.

I would get him checked out by a pediatric endocrinologist.