How can I tell if my son is under nourish | ADHD Information
[QUOTE=bettybee215]jacks8897: Thanks for the BMI calculator. It says that he is in the 9th percentile for boys and that he is "healthy weight". (He is 7 yrs, 7 months and weighs 48lbs, at 4ft 1inch) I am still concerned. He thinks he has a 6 pack and its just his ribcage that you can see! He woke up this morning...I gave him a slice of toast with butter (we were in a rush...didnt have time for a "real" breakfast) and a full glass of chocolate milk. He didnt want to finish his 1 slice of toast! I made him eat it...i dont like to do that to him but geez..it was 1 slice! [/QUOTE]
omg how cute!! A SIX PACK!!!! My son gets teased about being too skinny and they boys in 4th grade tell him he isnt *strong*. I tell him thin has nothing to do with being strong and every person is different BUT if he want to be BIGGER he needs to EAT! ..
Next time you are in a hurry, try a granola bar(the FULL fat ones!) or one of those quaker Oatmeal bars to take in the car. I do that if I dont think Ryan ate enough breakfast. I drive him to school so I can *watch* if he eats it.
I dont do med breaks so I try to get the calories in when I can and where I can!
[QUOTE=Nutmegmom] He does like pineapples so I try to puch that whenever possible but he definatly has a sweat tooth (sugar and caffeine cravings)-maybe a part of ADHD..not sure. [/QUOTE] If your son likes pineapple, I have a really yummy high-calorie recipe for you. PM me if you'd like it. If you're familiar with singer Clay Aiken; it is actually his grandmother's recipe.
It's called "Hot Pineapple Salad"-- sounds weird, but it's really good!! Everyone who's tried it has loved it, including picky kids! I make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's easy.Well, I just tried the BMI for my daughter, and she came out underweight!
She's always been thin, and she's not even on medication for ADHD, but I thought
she was OK. She really hasn't been weighed or measured in a couple of
months though, so I was half-guessing, and hopefully I was wrong.Bettybee, I think dark circles under eyes can also be a sign of allergies, so if you're really concerned, maybe you should have the doctor check on him.
"Bettybee, I think dark circles under eyes can also be a sign of allergies, so if you're really concerned, maybe you should have the doctor check on him."
Inspired by music, your right. My son does suffer from allergies. I have thought of that, but his eyes are sunken in and dark...not itchy or red or swollen like they usualy are when his allergies are acting up. Maybe this years allergens are different...idk...
bettybee21539499.5695486111Dark circles under the eyes can definately be a sign of allergies. My allergist refers to them as "allergic shiners" - and both my kids and I get them when we are having some sort of allergic reaction. Sometimes we have red and itchy too, but sometimes not - depends on the stimulus.
Might check it out - I know we get them.
A note on the carnation instant breakfast - my son is a TERRIBLE picky eater - and will not try new things. He will not drink pediasure, or any of the other brands of similar products - we have tried them all. I did what some gals on this board suggested and put the carnation in a milkshake - and poof! It is all gone! He loves it. Here are the recipies I have tried so far - he likes chocolate and mint.
Mint shake - 1 large scoop vanilla ice cream (we use Breyers all natural), 1/2 cup whole milk - 1 pkg carnation instant breakfast (vanilla flavor) - 1/8 teaspoon mint extract (not peppermint)
Chocolate shake - 1 large scoop vanilla ice cream (but you could probably use chocolate) - 1/2 cup whole chocolate milk (we have it around anyway and it has more calories) - 1 pkg carnation instant breakfast (chocolate or vanilla - whichever I have on hand) - 1 large "squirt" hersheys chocolate syrup.
I mix them up in the blender - and it makes a perfect size for him - not too much or he won't finish it all. He loves them! Sometimes we have them for breakfast, but more often than not we have them as a snack after meals. They are loads of calories - and nutrients - and they go down faster than anything else I have tried!
Good luck! I know how hard it can be to get them to eat!
Hi. I am the mother of a 7 and 1/2 year old son with ADHD. He is on 20 mgs of Metadate CD, 1 pill each morning. The medicine takes away his apetite. He has always been a skinny kid. But lately, I have noticed that he has really dark under eyes circles..no matter how much sleep he gets. He also pees on himself often. has anyone else encountered anything like this?My 7.5 year old son also is very skinny..46lbs and was always super skinny. He is never hungry when on meds (vyvanse 30mg) and only a small appetite any other time but he always ate small even before dx. My son does not have dark circles under his eyes but he does wet himself..I think that wetting is another part of ADHD not malnourishment. I just let my son eat whatever and whenever he wants..whatever substanance he gets the better. He does like pineapples so I try to puch that whenever possible but he definatly has a sweat tooth (sugar and caffeine cravings)-maybe a part of ADHD..not sure. I would just monitor his weitht and make sure he doesnt lose too much weight...like 10lbs if that happens take him to the doctors. Oh and make sure he gets a multivitamin every day.I might be freaking out a little, but we just started ds on adderallxr a month ago. He was always a picky eater, but now its just ridiculous. He lost 2 lbs in the last two weeks. Granted he has been sick w/bronchitis and grew 1/2 inch, but he really can't afford to lose any weight. I am doing what ever I can to tempt him to eat. I offer carnation instant breakfast am and pm. He tends to graze rather than eat a full meal so I keep offering healthy choices. But honestly, today he asked for ice cream and I gave it to him. I asked his teacher what he ate today at lunch an it was 1/2 roll and one green bean......I plan on keeping him on his meds but am hoping we can do a med break over the summer and fatten him up.
The doctor said the wetting himself is very common in children with ADHD because of the distracablilty. I have read other moms with similar experiences with their kids. He usually just "leaks" and doesnt go all the way. I can usually tell because unfortunatly I can smell it...whew. It is sad but hopefully he will grow out of it.
My son also grazes when he is at home..I just let him. I encourage the good stuff..but he is soo picky and has a sweet tooth so I usually let him eat whatever. I am going to try the Carnation b/c it sounds like a lot of people here use it and my son does like choco milk. I usually pack his lunch and sometimes it's not touched at all..even the drink..other times he eats like 1/2 sandwich..that is a good day.
As far as the emotional stuff...we definatly have that with our son. Somedays are better than others. I do think its rebound or non meds like in the mornings before it kicks in. He also I suspect he has SID..is very senstitive when it comes to clothing so that really sets him off. These poor kids go through so much and us parents try to hang in there and go with the flow. Thank goodness for this site...I was all by myself questioning all these things about my son..now I see how "normal" all these things are with ADHD kids.
My son does not eat much lunch either. I pack snacky type things just to entice him! He eats a good breakfast and I have just started using whole milk instead of what we use , which is 2%. I am also using butter instead of the low fat margaine we use on his breads, toast, etc. I am trying to get as much fat in as possible where I can.
He eats a pretty good dinner but since we started making him sit at the table to eat verus a snack tray he eats less i notice. Im sure its because he just wants to get up and play...He eats two huge snacks after dinner..either cereal or bread and butter or ice cream. I have bought the carnation instant breakfast but havent tried it yet. He is very picky about *new things*. He hated pedisure and ensure. He loves chocolate milk..but it has to be Nestles!! LOL
Here is a BMI calculator for children. Even at only 59 lbs Ryan still falls within healthy weight. He also has dark circles under his eyes..hmmmm..and he gets plenty of sleep.
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Calculator.aspx
This calculator may help you feel better about their weight. Skinny is not always unhealthy!
Our school also does not monitor their lunches. I tell Ryan he HAS to bring home whatever he didnt it so I can *see*.
I agree with you...thank goodness for this site. For me, its like therapy. My husband is great and all, but he didnt want to believe that there was something wrong....let me not say wrong...maybe different... with our son..he always said that our son was just being a kid, just like he was when he was little. After talking to his mom and his much older sisters who helped raise him, it turns out that my husband probably had adhd back then...but in those days the cure was a good whopping. He has finally accepted the diagnosis...but i need this site to be able to interact with folks who are going through what i am going through and can offer advice and tips to help me keep my sanity cause its not easy. I hardly ever let him go to a sleepover, even if it is my family..cause my son is such a handful, and I feel like nobody understands him because they dont know much about ADHD. I love my son soooo much that I feel like I need to protect him...but i know that it doesnt do him any good. I need to learn how to discipline him correctly...I read that children with adhd dont really get the whole past and future concept..so discipline should be done on a daily basis, a clean slate every day. but just yesterday, he came home from school with a note from the teacher that he was arguing with her. (he tries that at home, always talking back, trying to have the last word). I cannot discipline just that one day and everything be honky dory the next day! I dont know what to do! jacks8897: Thanks for the BMI calculator. It says that he is in the 9th percentile for boys and that he is "healthy weight". (He is 7 yrs, 7 months and weighs 48lbs, at 4ft 1inch) I am still concerned. He thinks he has a 6 pack and its just his ribcage that you can see! He woke up this morning...I gave him a slice of toast with butter (we were in a rush...didnt have time for a "real" breakfast) and a full glass of chocolate milk. He didnt want to finish his 1 slice of toast! I made him eat it...i dont like to do that to him but geez..it was 1 slice! bettybee21539499.3853587963
Nutmegmom: Wow. Sounds like we are going though very similar things. I get so worried with my son wetting himself because even though he changes underwear often, he sometimes gets these horrible rashes on his privates that are very very itchy and painful. My poor baby! I make sure to clean him up really well..but sometimes, he pees on himself and doesnt say anything until I ask him. Sometimes its a little bit where it's in his underwear but not on his pants so I cant tell. My mom worries and thinks that there is an underlying condition that we dont know about and she keeps telling me to take him to the doctor..but i dont know.
Thesamman: Good idea on the carnation instant breakfast. I am definently gonna try it. Does your son really like it? I was planning to get my son some pediasure..but maybe the carnation stuff tastes better. I also worry that he is not getting enough to eat in school. Lucky for you, your teacher can monitor what he eats. They cant in my sons school. The teachers go eat somewhere else and the childrens are in the cafeteria with the lunch monitors. I have even started packing him lunch but there is still no way to determine how much he ate because everything left over gets thrown away. I know that the meds decrease appetite...but my son never really ate much in the first place so this worries me.
Has anyone experienced any after effects of the meds? I have noticed that sometimes, my son is like extra emotional. He can go from angry, to really really quiet, to crying....but usually after the meds are wearing off.
Hey I am new to the site and this is one of my main concerns about the meds... My little guy is 7 and will be 8 in may. I did the BMI check and it says he is underweight. He is 4 feet and 45 lbs..... He likes to eat and honestly I do make him. Any tips????Hi there. I think you've pretty much learned how to tell if he's underweight.I am just going to share with you what I know. My 7 yr old son is now on his 4th medication. First it was AdderallXR. Then it was Vyvanse in the morning and strattera at night. Now it's the patch; Daytrana.
The first 3 only made my son lose weight. It was a slow weight loss. 1 or 2lbs every 2 weeks to a month. The doctor finally got concerned. I had to take him off of the first 3 just because of the weight loss.
Daytrana is doing okay. He still has most of his appetite and he's even gained a few pounds.
The problem with most of the ADHD medications is that their side effects are almost always loss of appetite. I would keep an eye on it. Just to be safe. I hope this helps.
Just thought I would update.
I bought carnation instant breakfast over the weekend. The first one I did was ur regular vanilla milkshake. 1/2 cup of whole milk, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, a packet of carnation. he drank it all up. that same night, be asked me for another one. this time he said he wants it orange. so i did the same shake...just added a spoonful of frozen concentrated orange juice. drank it all up again. I took a sip...it was very delicous. It doesnt have that weird powdery vitamin taste to it (like what nutrament taste like). ***Note..put the carnation stuff b4 u put the ice cream and milk. it will blend better.***
I also bought a wide mouth thermos food jar (worth it..but geez..it cost 15 bucks!)...i let him pick out different hearty soups...mac and cheese...i can always make him pasta and put in there....He's happy about it so hopefully he will eat.
I will start weiging him once a week so hopefully the scale will go uP!
tnewawyer: Looks like our sons are the same age...mine also turns 8 in may. I have made my son eat when I know he needs it...but i honestly dont make a habit of it. My husband use to be forced to eat stuff he didnt like as a kid and some foods repulse him because of it so I refuse to do the same to my son. I just make sure that whatever I cook he will like. I always say that my son is not your typical child. He is not really big on junk food. He loves vegetables, seafood, pasta....he loves savory foods versus sweet stuff. Which is good....but his favorites are the ones that are not gonna fatten him up a little. I am most definently going to try the carnation instant breakfast. He does love ice cream so a milk shake for breakfast will probaby make his day.
Gatorsmom: Thanks for such a great recipe. I am going to definently try it this weekend. I have a feeling he would love it cause he'll be getting an ice cream shake for breakfast!
I surprised my son and had lunch with him at school today. The teacher tells me that my son never eats his lunch! The lunchroom monitor tells me the same thing! Why is it that I hear of this now? I kinda knew that he wasnt eating...I just hoped he was and told him he had too....but why didnt they ever send a note? Obviously they were concerned because they mentioned it to me....but why not sooner?????? They have no problem telling me when he isnt behaving, or when he is late, or when he doesnt stay in his seat...
Sorry guys, just had to vent!
Bettybee..... Kolby is the same way at school. He doesn't really want to eat at lunch. Now dinner time the meds have worn off and he eats really well. I just hate how small he is. Almost 8 and his clothes are a 5 reg from Gap. He can wear some 6's but they have to have that new type of waist that you don't have to wear a belt with. Adhd is so hard at times. I feel like the worst mom. Sometimes I wanna scream to the top of my lungs!!!!!!!!! How old was your son when you first noticed?yes.....i know the pants u r talking about..the adjustable waist ones. I dont buy pants unless they have that. Otherwise, his clothes wont fit! Even when the meds wear off, he still wont eat much...but i am going to the supermarket today to buy some carnation stuff..and anything else that i can think off to plump him up a bit.
I give my dd a real good breakfast. She likes cereal and I have her eat a little protein with it (bacon, hard-boiked egg or cheese.) She can eat in the am we just have to amke her get up and eat (I steal her blankets to get her moving; it's the only thing that works.) Lunch is a loss naturally. Dd takes her Daytrana off at 2:45 pm and is hungry by dinner at 5:15. In the evening she has a large snack. We also minimize the Daytrana on the weekends. She needs if for chores, homework horseback riding and piano lessons. Once these things are accomplished we take off the patch. If she has lost weight from an illness, we go even lighter on the meds. Daytrana is the first stimulant that dd has ever been on where she has gained so much weight and height and I think it is mainly because we can take it off and limit how long it is in her system. She is extra tiny. Under the growth chart last we checked. She's going to be short but she will hopefully be happy, get a good education and go on to college. I'm short too and I never let it get in the way of succeeding in life. I know boys have it a little harder but I think that you can grow well with the use of stimulants so long as there is some time during the day to make up calories.
I've tried temping my dd with various foods but she quickly gets tired of the choices so we really have to limit the amount of time that she is taking her Daytrana.
Excellent news! I am so glad the shakes worked for you too! I know that it has been great for us - ever since the gals on this board suggested it to me. I hadn't thought of orange - my son doesn't like orange - but I bet that would be good as a smoothie/shake. I too found that the carnation doesn't leave a powdery taste - which I am so glad of - because I am sure if it did my son wouldn't touch it! HAHA!
Great news to hear - and continued good luck!
Wow, my daughter is exactly the same way...metadate 20mg a day, losing weight, dark circles, the works. I had never considered the Carnation Instant Breakfast, we have been trying Pediasure, but whatever will work, right? Also with the wetting. It's constant, and to add to the problem she keeps a rash and irritation which makes her hold it which results in accidents that result in irritation....you get the idea. It's a never ending battle of the bathroom, and don't even talk to me about bath time! Thank God for these message boards or I would think I was the crappiest parent in the world.... [QUOTE=Hannah's mom]Wow, my daughter is exactly the same way...metadate 20mg a day, losing weight, dark circles, the works. I had never considered the Carnation Instant Breakfast, we have been trying Pediasure, but whatever will work, right? Also with the wetting. It's constant, and to add to the problem she keeps a rash and irritation which makes her hold it which results in accidents that result in irritation....you get the idea. It's a never ending battle of the bathroom, and don't even talk to me about bath time! Thank God for these message boards or I would think I was the crappiest parent in the world....[/QUOTE]Wow....same exact thing. I have to slather hydrocortisone for the itch and bacitracin for the scratch marks cause he scratches himself until he's bloody. I am taking him to the doctor today and telling the doctor everything. I will update this when I return.