Would you worry if your kid was 99th percentile for weight?

[Anonymous]

My DS was always 95-99th percentile for height and weight as a toddler. He is now a very slim 8-year-old (though still tall). When we asked our pediatrician about it back then. She looked at us and said that since we (DH and I) aren't overweight, there's little chance he'll end up overweight.

If you are a little worried, you can cut back on the milk. But he sounds like a great eater!

[Anonymous]

OP, my son was a big baby - 95th on both height and weight for years. Now he is in first grade and is stretching out a good deal. He wore the same shorts this summer as last summer and will be in the same pants this winter after I lengthen them by the 3.5 inches he grew this year.

My DH and were both big babies and now are average (not overweight) adults.

All to say not all chubby babies are fat kids (sorry 13:14) and not all mothers of chubby babies are fat (sorry 13:14). Don't let this worry you now. You can keep track of it at his ped visits and will know if it should concern you later.

[Anonymous]

Not if his/her height was proportional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The truth? Yes, I would be worried. Most kids I know (my kid is 10) who were chubby babies and toddlers never stopped being chubby and are now just fat.

This is stupid. You have no experience with babies like this.

I have had two babies with these percentiles at 13 months. two. boys. I have big babies.

One is now six, he is 99% in height and 50% in weight. He is a string bean and the tallest kid in his K class.

The other is 2.5 and 99% in height and 70% in weight. He is tapering down and on his way to becoming a string bean but he is still a FULL HEAD TALLER than any other kid in his 2's class at preschool. What can I say, my kids are tall. So no, I wouldn't worry at all.

Worry if he never tapers down at all by age 3.

And ignore your MIL. Even now, every time we visit she can't stop talking about how MUCH MY KIDS EAT. WTF, they are very active. She is used to my SIL's picky children who eat like birds and only chicken nuggets and plain pasta. My kids eat everything and lots of it. I think that is good, I just make sure they fill up on a lot of fruit and veggies.

[Anonymous]

OP, most kids thin out around age 3, but can be pudgy until then.

As long as you are feeding him heathy,me hole foods (I.e. Not things out of a box or plastic container), feed him as much as he'll eat!

[Anonymous]

OP, my DD is the opposite, but I know babies like yours I think. The one I'm thinking of specifically doesn't even seem pudgy to me, just stocky if that makes sense. His parents (and especially his mom) are very tall, so I assume some of the extra body mass will turn into height (he's already 99th percentile for height, BTW).

From what I know from dealing with a tiny DD, if a baby is staying on their growth curves most ped's don't tend to worry. Especially because your DS is meeting (or even ahead) on physical milestones (I have another friend who's high weight & height DD was unable to hold herself up missing several rolling/crawling milestones). Your job is to continue to provide an active environment and healthy meals for your DS. Unless you are told of a medical concern by his medical provider, your job is absolutely not to worry about his weight (and definitely not to transfer any of that stress to him). I'm actually a little surprised that your ped is recommending 2% milk if s/he normally suggests whole for young toddlers (I know AAP recommends 2%, but a lot of peds no longer do). I don't know enough about this myself, but you might want to ask a pediatric nutritionist about the pros/cons of 2% at his age. I'm only saying this since my aunt is a very well-known pediatrician (clinical and research) where she lives, and she feels pretty strongly about whole milk.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like my son. He eventually slimmed down, but not until he was about 3.

[Anonymous]

Both my kids were 90%+ in height and weight as babies/toddlers. DS slowed down around age 3, settling right at 50th % in both height and weight. DD, however, has continued on the 95%ile in both height and weight. She's big but proportional -- tall and all muscle. At 10 yrs old people think she's 13-14 and she wears a larger shoe than I do while still being a couple inches shorter so I think she has plenty of growing left.

As long as he's active, eating healthy food, and tracking on his growth curve, I wouldn't worry. If MIL brings it up, just keep repeating "our pediatrician says he's just fine"

[Anonymous]

Is it more concerning if a DD weighs at the 99 percentile vs. a DS? Given society's emphasis on women being thin and all...

[Anonymous]

If my kid was eating healthy foods, then no I wold not worry. If I was a parent who was feeding my kid junk food all the time and putting soda in their bottle then yes, i'd worry.

Seriously though if he has always been on the same growth curve then no need to worry.

[Anonymous]

To MIL: "The pediatrician isn't concerned, so neither am I. Don't worry, we'll tell you if there is ever a problem."

This is a MIL problem, not a child problem!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it more concerning if a DD weighs at the 99 percentile vs. a DS? Given society's emphasis on women being thin and all...

Weight percentile alone tells you nothing; you need to know the child's height as well.

And from a health perspective, I wouldn't worry more or less based on sex if a child were over- or under-weight. I would expect the emotional issues once the child reached a certain age might be different. But I wouldn't worry, per se; I would just plan to equip them with self-confidence in whatever way(s) I can.

[Anonymous]

If you son was 5 and 99th for weight and 5th for height I might worry, but many babies are big like that.

Mine were 90+th until 2 and now they are average height and super thin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 13 month old is 99 percent for weight, as well as for height. His head size is about the 90th percentile. He was 23 inches at birth and weighed almost 10 pounds. He's always been in the 93-99th percentiles, so his growth charts are steady.

My MIL keeps asking me if I think he's overweight, though, and it is starting to make me paranoid. Is he? He is a big guy -- definitely one of those chubby babies. He's been walking for months now with no signs of "thinning out" as people keep telling me he will do.

His pediatrician did not seem to be concerned, but asked us about his diet, and told us to start him on 2% milk instead of whole. We feed him a very healthy diet, but sometimes I am shocked at how much food he can eat.

If you had one of these big babies/toddlers who is now older, how did they turn out?

I wouldn't worry about it if he is 90-99% for height/length. He's just a big guy.

[Anonymous]

Just one more voice to add saying you shouldn't be worried. Sounds like you're feeding him a nice healthy variety of food.

Also, note that the percentiles are based on World Health Organization numbers. When you think about that range of statistics, it does help to put things into perspective.