Weight loss is never normal in an infant after the first 2-4 weeks after birth. Infants out of the immediate newborn period should only gain weight. So if your infant is truly losing weight, he needs to be closely followed by a pediatrician to be sure this was just a small period of weight loss that resolved. Babies can lose weight because they got sick or had some other temporary problem. Weight loss can also be a sign of serious illness.
James, your feeding plan seems appropriate.
He may just be ready for more solids. Does he gobble them down?
Love the description! Babies usually regulate their own calories well. As his finger feeding skills improve, he will eat more.
I have known several parents in this exact same situation, so first take comfort that this is not unusual. I remember one of my children also had a dip in growth during toddler months, and it freaked me out. I'll share what I did, but please ask your pediatrician. (Also my child was older than yours is now) I started adding half and half to my toddler's milk. Half milk, half half/half. It added calories and fat to his diet, which i felt he needed. He was a little underweight at the time. I also started a daily supplement with PediaSure. I think both of these things helped. He was a very, very active toddler who started walking and crawling early, so I don't think his calorie intake was keeping up with how much energy he was burning through the days.
Please note: You should never give cow milk or cow-milk products such as half-and-half to an infant. Cow milk products can cause microscopic bleeding from the GI tract and anemia.
James, I think you child needs to be seen by a pediatrician as soon as possible.
Do not take him out of the program. Let him see it to completion. Please.
Heroin addiction is a tragic illness and sadly a growing reality in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and now even the outlying counties such as St. Charles County. I see heroin addicts regularly. Tragically, we have very good good treatment programs for anyone. It is even harder to get a minor into a treatment program.
Heroin addition is often fatal. I only see the ones who show up almost-dead, I never see the ones who were found dead.
I would leave your child in his treatment program. It is probably his only hope. I do not think you will find any other or better treatment program.
If you think about in the terms that Dr. B is laying out here..You need to do what you can to try to save your adult child's life. And this treatment program is a chance at recovery. He may try to manipulate you to get him out. Please, please don't give in.
Remember that your child is an addict. He will tell you anything and push every button on your heart to get out of there. Now is the time for tough motherly love. Now is the time to keep him in the program.
I have an article about Heroin addiction and how it has affected St. Louis. I will post it at the end of this chat.
That would be outside my comfort zone, to let another person's child go to someone else's house without getting permission.
Beth: I would try to have a friendly conversation with the parents of your child's best friend and ask about these other boys, who they were, how their son is friends with them, etc. Ask if anyone knows the parents of these other kids. Ask you son if anything inappropriate went on.
You are within the bounds of reasonableness to say: please let me know in advance if my child will be leaving your house. Or don't let your child play at these other people's house unsupervised. It sounds like you guys might have different parenting styles, and sometimes that cannot be reconciled. Invite the other child to come over to your house or take them places, so you feel more comfortable.
As a mom, I would not invite a child over without telling the parents who else will be there, but there are times when things just happen. For example, one time my daughter was playing with a friend and her friend's sister spontaneously invited some neighbors to play with them in the yard. These things just happen, and as parents we don't always have ultimate control over who our children interact with. I think you have to trust the parents of your child's best friend to know what is safe and what is not.
Tell your child that they are never allowed to move from one friend's house to another location without first calling you.
We only have a few minutes let, so I'll let Dr. B share the articles she mentioned as additional resources. Thank you again for joining us, and we'll see you again in May!
Great chat! Thank you, Dr. B.
Weight loss is never normal in an infant after the first 2-4 weeks after birth. Infants out of the immediate newborn period should only gain weight. So if your infant is truly losing weight, he needs to be closely followed by a pediatrician to be sure this was just a small period of weight loss that resolved. Babies can lose weight because they got sick or had some other temporary problem. Weight loss can also be a sign of serious illness.
I have known several parents in this exact same situation, so first take comfort that this is not unusual. I remember one of my children also had a dip in growth during toddler months, and it freaked me out. I'll share what I did, but please ask your pediatrician. (Also my child was older than yours is now) I started adding half and half to my toddler's milk. Half milk, half half/half. It added calories and fat to his diet, which i felt he needed. He was a little underweight at the time. I also started a daily supplement with PediaSure. I think both of these things helped. He was a very, very active toddler who started walking and crawling early, so I don't think his calorie intake was keeping up with how much energy he was burning through the days.