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Baby Weight Percentages
What Percentile Is Your Child In, and Does It Matter?
By Lisa A. Goldstein
It's important to remember that where a child is in the percentiles does not mean that the child needs anything done. "Percentiles are of little value," says Dr. Charles Shubin, pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Md. "It's the child's growth that matters."
Dr. Shubin's daughter was always below the 5th percentile and wound up being 4 feet, 10 1/2 inches tall. But her mother is only 4 feet, 11 inches, her mother's mother 4 feet, 9 inches, and Dr. Shubin's mother was only 4 feet, 11 inches too. "My daughter has familial short stature, normal for her," Dr. Shubin says. "Her growth was normal. The same would apply to the other end of the spectrum."
Kathleen Craven's son was in the 5th to 15th percentile for years, and even dropped off the chart for a couple of years. The Boise, Idaho, resident recalls being concerned as a new parent that he wasn't growing, and that he'd be teased his whole life for being short. He's now 5 feet, 11 inches and doing fine after a growth spurt his junior year in high school.
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Baby Weight Percentages by Anonymous on 03/15/2010 11:08PM
I have a sisters little girl which is 3 years shes 17 to 18 pounds and my 12 month is as tall and she does not eat and sucks pacifiers and im so worried they get defensive about it and says well she eats icecream and candys ive observered her she would rather watch tv then eat and shes clearly malnorished we get into fights everytime i say something needs to be done idk what to do if i call the state i wont have a family
Baby Weight Percentages by Anonymous on 03/12/2010 05:00PM
When babies start walking the tend to not gain as much weight or they lose. I would not be worried about that. Don't forget they are moving around a lot and so the weight will either drop or stay around the same.
Baby Weight Percentages by Anonymous k on 03/12/2010 05:03AM
my baby is 8 mo old and her weight is 14.1 pounds. she vomits everytime she eats and can not be comforted no matter what i do, Any ideas what i can do?
Baby Weight Percentages by Anonymous4 on 03/09/2010 10:54PM
Hi everyone, I am concerned about my baby, and he's been staying the same weight for his 11-12th month about 27.5 pounds. He's always been a "fat" baby, but recently he's gotten pretty skinny. Help, please? I'm trying to get him to eat as much as he can (he still drinks formula).
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Baby Weight Percentages by Anonymous on 03/16/2010 07:12PM
and if you dont call the state a child could end up seriously ill, neglected or starving. call anonymously they will have a duty of care to investigate. could you live with yourself if something awful happened and you didnt act on it. Its not your fault its your sisters, but you cant stand by and allow this to go on. My daughter is 17lb she 14 months old. my three year old is 35 lb. Your niece is serverly malnourished. Listen to your head. You can do something to stop this.