11yrs old, 1.5 years, no weight gain

[Anonymous]

Took my DD to the doctor yesterday for an ADHD med check and I was surprised to learn that she has not gained weight in 1.5 years. She has grown in inches. The doctor didn't mention anything and her BMI is 13. I'm concerned. She eats a healthy diet and has access to calorie dense foods. But she's on ADHD medications.

Her doctor is on the older side. Should I seek a second opinion? I've tried to give her more calories but she tends to like healthy foods and she eats slowly. She doesn't have any sort of anorexia. She's a very young 11 yr old, so it's not that.

Thoughts

[Anonymous]

My 11.5 year old girl (an oldest child, emotionally very young back then) developed anorexia at that age. Formally diagnosed the week she turned 12, hospitalized a for a week just one month later. I do think you should get a second opinion. Anorexia can present in many ways, not only in a focus on appearance and being slim.

My daughter is now 21 and although she has had many very healthy years, her anorexia has resurfaced in the past year and a half. It is much harder to help her manage now that she is an adult living in a different town. Please do what you can to get your daughter evaluated by a different physician.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Took my DD to the doctor yesterday for an ADHD med check and I was surprised to learn that she has not gained weight in 1.5 years. She has grown in inches. The doctor didn't mention anything and her BMI is 13. I'm concerned. She eats a healthy diet and has access to calorie dense foods. But she's on ADHD medications.

Her doctor is on the older side. Should I seek a second opinion? I've tried to give her more calories but she tends to like healthy foods and she eats slowly. She doesn't have any sort of anorexia. She's a very young 11 yr old, so it's not that.

Thoughts

has she hit puberity?

[Anonymous]

She takes an Amphetamine. Amphetamine's are stimulants. That is probably why she's not gaining any weight.

[Anonymous]

See an endocrinologist. My 10 year old is about a year into the same scenario. Endocrinologist is worried that she didn’t have a big weight gain as that would suggest an impending growth spurt (she is already on the shorter side and moving along with other puberty bits). Endo did thorough blood tests that discovered elevated thyroid antibodies which could suggest autoimmune issue and an overactive thyroid.

We follow up in 2 weeks after pushing protein as much as possible to get her to gain weight. I feel like she eats ALL the time already

[Anonymous]

My dd has always been skinny and needs stimulants for ADHD. She’s in the 60th % for height, but only 2nd % for weight. I requested cyproheptadine to help stimulate her appetite and get her to eat more. It helps, but she needs occasional breaks from it because she builds up a tolerance. Because she’s so thin, I haven’t given her stimulants on weekends and only give her a half dose during the summer months. She’s 17 years old, 5’5”, and still hasn’t hit 100 lbs.

[Anonymous]

Can also be a sign of autoimmune diseases like celiac and diabetes. Did the dr screen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dd has always been skinny and needs stimulants for ADHD. She’s in the 60th % for height, but only 2nd % for weight. I requested cyproheptadine to help stimulate her appetite and get her to eat more. It helps, but she needs occasional breaks from it because she builds up a tolerance. Because she’s so thin, I haven’t given her stimulants on weekends and only give her a half dose during the summer months. She’s 17 years old, 5’5”, and still hasn’t hit 100 lbs.

NP. I do not have ADHD, was 5'5" in 6th grade and didn't hit 100 lbs until college. Some people are skinny.

[Anonymous]

Some kids gain weight and then grow. Other kids grow and then gain weight. If the dr was not concerned and you do not have additional concerns I would just be sure to keep calorie/nutrient dishes around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Took my DD to the doctor yesterday for an ADHD med check and I was surprised to learn that she has not gained weight in 1.5 years. She has grown in inches. The doctor didn't mention anything and her BMI is 13. I'm concerned. She eats a healthy diet and has access to calorie dense foods. But she's on ADHD medications.

Her doctor is on the older side. Should I seek a second opinion? I've tried to give her more calories but she tends to like healthy foods and she eats slowly. She doesn't have any sort of anorexia. She's a very young 11 yr old, so it's not that.

Thoughts

Sounds like you have an eating disorder that you might be passing on to your daughter.

Just because a food is dense in calories doesn't make it "unhealthy", nor is a food that is less dense in calories always "healthy", so perhaps learning more about proper nutrition will help you both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She takes an Amphetamine. Amphetamine's are stimulants. That is probably why she's not gaining any weight.

This. It's obvious to me. Don't you remember moms stealing their children's Ritalin in the 90s so they could lose weight?

[Anonymous]

You have your child take stimulants and then wonder why they won't gain weight? Please look up the studies about height and weight loss and adhd meds. You can't be this ignorant on the topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd has always been skinny and needs stimulants for ADHD. She’s in the 60th % for height, but only 2nd % for weight. I requested cyproheptadine to help stimulate her appetite and get her to eat more. It helps, but she needs occasional breaks from it because she builds up a tolerance. Because she’s so thin, I haven’t given her stimulants on weekends and only give her a half dose during the summer months. She’s 17 years old, 5’5”, and still hasn’t hit 100 lbs.

NP. I do not have ADHD, was 5'5" in 6th grade and didn't hit 100 lbs until college. Some people are skinny.

That’s true, but when a child is already naturally skinny and then you give them a daily appetite suppressant, you worry that you’re making them even skinnier than they would be naturally. I’m fine with dd being skinny. My goal isn’t to make her gain weight. I’m just trying to keep her from losing weight.

[Anonymous]

OP, I am sure you are doing your best!
My son's psych took him off the extended release stimulant he was on for adhd b/c of the appetite suppression around that age. It was really impacting his eating and the dr prioritized growth/weight gain. He switched to taking two doses of the quicker release med, which I know can be challenging with school management.

I'm sure there are some other things, mentioned above, that your pediatrician can check at an annual physical, but that is probably the most likely issue. A big breakfast before taking med helps, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am sure you are doing your best!
My son's psych took him off the extended release stimulant he was on for adhd b/c of the appetite suppression around that age. It was really impacting his eating and the dr prioritized growth/weight gain. He switched to taking two doses of the quicker release med, which I know can be challenging with school management.

I'm sure there are some other things, mentioned above, that your pediatrician can check at an annual physical, but that is probably the most likely issue. A big breakfast before taking med helps, too.

This is helpful