OT - Back from the Dr w/ Grace

3 doctors vists today - 2 down one to go Me - gyno - got a thrill there - you know the old, just relax your legs ... Grace - Pediatrician - see below Me -surgeon visit @3:30 this afternoon - I will post this evening. If you read my stressed out post you know that Grace is sick and that I was taking her to the pediatrician (Dr Joe - he is the BEST) today. He thinks the vomitting and diarrhea is a result of a virus. This is good news, we go back on Saturday for follow up. Of greater concern though is her weight ... she had never thrived as far as weight gain goes. Today, she was one pound LESS than she was 3 weeks ago. She is not dehydrated from the vomitting so that is not the cause of her weight loss. She was diagnose early on as Failure to Thrive. I hate to say that because it makes me feel like a horrible mother. How is my baby not thriving, I feed her all that she will eat! I love her, read to her, sing to her, hold her, hug her - you know do all the stuff that good mothers do. She is almost 19 months old and only weighs 18 pounds. She is off the charts as far as her size goes. We have been to multiple specialists, have tested everything from heart mumrurs to cystic fibrosis to a full chromosone panel study. . all were normal. Dr. Joe wants me to start tracking her food intake (again - we did this before for him and a specialist) - So I set her up a fitday account! I have to feed her "added" calorie type stuff, pediasure, butter on her veggies etc. I try to make it as healthy as I can when giving her the fat stuff, like avocados, and cheese but how healthy can fatening stuff really be? Then he wants to see us every 2 - 3 weeks for weight check ups. Anybody have skinny babies? She was born @ 37 1/2 weeks, and weighed 6 lb 12 oz. I was insulin dependent w/ gestational diabetes and really wonder if that had anything to do with her weight. Ok thanks for listening! I gotta go eat or drink something. God Bless, If you are a prayer warrior, please pray for Baby Gracie's health. THANKS! Jen

...this has been bugging me for weeks...what does OT mean at the beginning of subject lines in people's post???? Jen

Off Topic

Jen, i was in your shoes and totally can relate, although I dont know if it was as severe for my Hanna as it seems to be for your baby. Hanna was a healthy baby born on time and weighed 8lbs 7oz. She did not gain weight well at all for the first 2 years. At 1 she weighed 18 pounds and at age 2 she was 22 pounds, the dr's did blood tests and made me track what she ate. She NEVER cried for food or bottles so I had to guess when to feed her, and often she would vomit after a bottle. The blood work showed nothing, and it wasn't until she had strep throat back to back 6 times in 7 months, they decided she needed her tonsils out! Apparently because they were so large, it made it hard for her to eat so she didnt want to, and then she became very prone to strep. She was only 2 1/2 and ever since the surgery she has been eating great and thriving! She remains consistently in the 50% for her weight and height since she was 3. She is 5 now and doing great. I don't know if this could be a possibility for Grace, but I will keep her in my prayers and hope you find out the problem soon! Karyn

Hi Karyn, Thanks for the information. Grace has never had strep, she has been tested a few times for it, the test always came back negative. She wants to eat often, she has her meals plus 2-3 snacks per day and all the milk she wants. We take her tomorrw for her follow up to her vomitting episodes. I am going to ask the doc again if there is any other specialist we should see. God Bless, Jen

Ah Sweetie, I know the pain of wanting to do something for your child and having it be out of your hands. Thank God that you go to a doctor that sees her weight as a concern. Some doctors would excuse it because she is so young. You are doing an amazing job raising your family and I look up to you. I'm praying for a quick diagnosis for Gracie and an easy recovery. **hugs** Dawn

Thanks for the encouragement. I hate being helpless (the control freak in me ...) We take her tomorrow for her follow up to her vomitting episodes. I am going to ask the doc again if there is any other specialist we should see. God Bless, Jen

Jen, my daughter who is now 17 was born 7 lbs 8 oz and had failure to thrive. At 1 year she weighed 14 pounds. We did all the tests you mention and nothing. She was severely developmentally delayed, but the doctors kept saying it was because she had such a rough first year (pneumonia 4 times). Well, it wasn't because of that at all. She is actually autistic and severely delayed. She's a beautiful young lady who now has no weight issues. She caught up by the time she was about 3, but up until then she was off the charts too. I think sometimes there is really no real reason. She'll catch up...

Hi Gwen, Thanks for the information. Grace is right on track developmentally. She does all the things that an 18 month old is supposed to do. We take her tomorrow for her follow up to her vomitting episodes. I am going to ask the doc again if there is any other specialist we should see. God Bless, Jen

Jen, I have no words of wisdom to offer. Just support and hugs {{{{{Jen}}}}}}}}. Hang in there. It will get better. Regards and hugs, Ronna