Parents Question about height

[sleeping judy]

dd's BMI is also on the higher side but they always just say "I see you're still doing gymnastics. You are very strong and fit."

 

[mamaplum]

Oh I dont want to talk about bmi. My 4yo son who has a gi condition is considered severely obese when they looked at his bmi which was 18.2. The kid is skin and bones but solid muscle. So the nutritionist was getting on to me and I said mam please take a long look at my kid. Because of his limited diet he eats better than anyone I know. And you can see his ribs how is that obese. She got all pissy with me because according to het chart he is. She is an idiot!!!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Oh I dont want to talk about bmi. My 4yo son who has a gi condition is considered severely obese when they looked at his bmi which was 18.2. The kid is skin and bones but solid muscle. So the nutritionist was getting on to me and I said mam please take a long look at my kid. Because of his limited diet he eats better than anyone I know. And you can see his ribs how is that obese. She got all pissy with me because according to het chart he is. She is an idiot!!!

Yes she is an idiot. Its not about just one number.

 

[gracyomalley]

There is very little supporting data for the use of BMI in pre-pubertal children - and almost none in kids under 5. Even norms are questionable. And yet people are putting 2 year olds on low fat diets, etc....Makes both the mommy and pediatrician in me crazy!!!

DD came out of the womb short and round. She's built like Simone Biles, not Gabby Douglas... She was a full cm below the height chart for her first 4 years - I kid you not - and did end up having bone age done at one point when she flattened a bit. Her aunts on her dad's side are all 4'9". I'm barely 5'0" on a good day. (although I am short for my family - but my Gpa was 5'1"...). She couldn't reach low bar without a block for her first 2 competition years....vaulted on zero until puberty (3-4 now). I remember sitting in the bleachers at her first L5 meet and parents around me commenting that "there's no way that kid is old enough to compete this level"....(she was 8, by the way) and she was the shortest kid at state 4 years in a row....her BMI has always been in the 80% range - and her physicians have always commented to her how very strong and healthy she is....(of course they are my friends, but still). At puberty she hit the 5% for height! (she'll fall off it as the other girls start growing faster...). Her brothers also have BMIs above average - even the skinny lanky (for a gymnast - I think he's actually average height for age) one...its all muscle. Compared to their friends from taller families, my kids eat like birds.

Workup versus observation for drop off in height/weight gain should always be based upon a kids own personal curve and other aspects (energy level, health, any other symptoms, etc.). It is important sometimes to look for an underlying cause, though - and if all is good then let a kid be who they are meant to be.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

There is very little supporting data for the use of BMI in pre-pubertal children -

Workup versus observation for drop off in height/weight gain should always be based upon a kids own personal curve and other aspects (energy level, health, any other symptoms, etc.). It is important sometimes to look for an underlying cause, though - and if all is good then let a kid be who they are meant to be.

Yep its just information, a puzzle piece, it not stand alone and I don't get the kid BMI thing either, because they are using a percentile as part of what you call obese, which makes no sense. So you could be a perfectly proportioned kid higher on the curve and get labeled obese just because most of the kids are smaller then you. Some of those taller older kids if you put them on the adult BMI chart and they would be fine. But what do I know

 

[Amusibus]

My daughter just turned 9. She is 58 pounds and 51 inches, which are both around 25th percentile I think. She was around 80-90th % at age 3 and 4. My other two children have always maintained around 80th percentile. I think in my gymnast daughter's case, the reason for the growth problem was she had abdominal migraines and multiple food intolerances thus was on a very restrictive diet for a very long time. She thankfully is outgrowing this condition, and we know the right way to feed her, so growth has taken off in the last year or two. But yes, in answer to your question, I think most doctors do get concerned not at low percentiles but at decreasing percentiles.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

My son is off the charts for height for age (8) and looks more like an 11 or 12 year old. That said, his BMI (for age) is obese. He is not obese at all. His Dr did his height for weight percentile instead and he came out exactly at 50% height for weight. Here in America the BMI is heavily dependent on age. Silly when kids have such variations in height. It makes me crazy!

 

[gwenmom]

DS was in the 15th percentile at 3. Now at 13 he's in the 48th. Some kids just grow later IMO. Dd was in the 45th percentile until recently. Now she is in the 32nd. That worries me more than 'catching up'. Now if it continued to jump then I might be concerned

 

[GYM0M]

I know this thread has dredged around for a while & many people have commented that a 'drop' or stagnation in growth is cause for concern. I've been around the block a time or two with DD's height and I just want to say that this is not always applicable. My dd has NEVER been on the charts for height so there is no way to measure if she has 'fallen off.' Just as I begin to grow concerned, her pants (currently a size 5T) seem too short. She cannot wear a size 6, too big in the waist, too small in the legs, but at least I know she's growing

 

[ascarter1]

My almost 11 year old is 25% for height and 10% for weight. Our pediatrician said that as long has her height/weight ratio was close he wasn't concerned.