My 5 yr old is kinda buff - what does that mean?

[Anonymous]

SO, this sounds weird but my 5 yr old DS is kinda buff. Basically, he has broad shoulders, a narrow waist, pecs (!!!), and close to a washboard stomach. He's average height/weight for his age. People have stopped and commented on his body AND on the body of his three year old brother, who still looks like a toddler to me but is developing the same chest/abs as his older brother. My husband and I are kinda freaking out about it. It's certainly not genetic or, if it IS genetic, it's some sort of throw back to a previous generation we never met. We, the parents, are not buff.

If they were 16 years old, I wouldn't give this a second thought. But, they are so young and we have no idea what to think or even if we should think anything. They have no other mature characteristics - round baby faces, high pitched voices, the 5 yr old is less hairy than some of his peers, etc.

Anyone else with same?

[Anonymous]

Many small children are muscley. Mine is. It has never occurred to me to worry about it. Congratulations, you've out-anxiety'd me!

P.S. Your kid is fine.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a born mesomorph with low body fat. The best kind of natural build to have! Lucky him

[Anonymous]

I think I would have it checked out by a pediatrician only because my MIL expressed similar concerns about her adopted son (12 YO) and it turned out to be a genetic condition. Not devastating by any means, but something she is glad to know about so that they can manage it.

[Anonymous]

Go to the pool in the summer and you will see a handful of kids like this. They look oddly cute. Kind of like a bald baby sometimes looks like an old mad. Your head realizes the juxtaposition. It's fine and will probably help if they are athletic. One boy we know like this is now an amazing swimmer at 10.

[Anonymous]

Genetic. Ask your ped, but probably normal.

[Anonymous]

I think it's normal.

[Anonymous]

Since he has the natural body for athletics and sports - get them into these activities. This seems to be like the problem most people would love to have.

Another thing, make sure that they are eating really healthy and nutritious food. Don't start giving them high fat, junk - just so they can become chubby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Genetic. Ask your ped, but probably normal.

Bwa ha ha--then it must skip a generation, because my seven year old is very muscular, but my husband and I are both built like the pillsbury dough boy

[Anonymous]

DH told me he got a 6 pack around age 5 when he was playing a lot of soccer and sports.

[Anonymous]

My two older kids were like this, and it was especially striking with my daughter, who had something resembling a six-pack at age 3. My family tends to be pretty muscular, so we attributed it to that. They are in MS and HS now, and both of them have turned out to be very good athletes (soccer is their primary sport), though in different ways. They are both much stronger than their peers on average, and my son is extremely fast. My daughter is not fast, but excels at long distance running.

[Anonymous]

Double muscled. Google it.

[Anonymous]

My 5 yo son is like this and has been his whole life. He could stand, holding my fingers only, at about 9 weeks old! the downside for me is he is go, go, go and eat, eat, eat ALL THE TIME.

But I'd pay for my stomach to look like his!

[Anonymous]

Beware it can change - my 10yo was like that at 5yo but no longer!

[Anonymous]

Do they have any spider bites? Have they been around excessive radiation or gamma rays? You might have some superheroes on your hands.