Contents:
- Medical Video: Healthy Snacking for Weight Gain
- What needs to be done if your child is underweight?
- How can a healthy child raise weight?
Medical Video: Healthy Snacking for Weight Gain
Children often get taller before gaining weight, consequently, they have a body weight proportion below normal on the growth chart. If this happens, you need to increase calories in your child's diet to make sure he gets enough calories and nutrients for his growth and development.
What needs to be done if your child is underweight?
If your child's weight gain seems too slow, you need to take your child to the doctor for an examination. There are several reasons why your child is underweight:
- not eating enough
- health problems that cause the child's weight gain too long or not at all
- stress
- too much exercise
- lack of interest in eating due to anxiety, depression, food allergies or eating disorders
Your doctor can help find the cause of your child's weight gain problems. If your child is underweight, maybe they need more fat and calories for some time, compared to their normal recommendations. Doctors can also suggest physical activity for your child. The right amount of exercise can increase appetite for children.
How can a healthy child raise weight?
If your child does not have special attention to medical conditions, all you can do is give more calories. For some children, providing a good source of fat, such as avocados, nuts and vegetable oil, can provide additional calories to achieve growth. Try to provide healthy and calorie-dense foods and snacks for your child.
However, don't give junk food to increase his weight. Embedded eating habits are small and can be difficult to change if it has become a habit.
Make mealtime fun. Sit together and enjoy food and time together. Involve the child in planning, shopping and preparing food, so that he is interested in food. Also, don't let your child be too busy so he skips meals. Children need to eat frequently to increase their weight.
Here is a list of the high-calorie healthy foods that you can provide for your child:
- Dairy products: Pure milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cream soup, pudding.
- Protein: eggs, peanut butter, pea soup, beans.
- Carbohydrates: bread, mac and cheese, pasta, French toast, pancakes, mashed potatoes and cereals.
If your child chooses food and refuses food, doctors can recommend high-calorie supplement drinks. These supplements have a taste like milkshakes and provide additional vitamins and minerals.
However, make sure your child doesn't drink too much until he is full and skips food. Limit the juice to no more than 1 cup per day and no more than 2 cups of milk per day.
Even if you feel excited to see the development of your child's weight, don't ask your child to weigh too much, because it can make him feel insecure about his weight. However, the doctor will check the development of the child's weight about once a month. Suppose this visit to the doctor is a regular visit and do not enlarge the weight weighing process.
