10 Reasons why a child may not grow
We are always concerned about the growth of our child. We always worry for the health of our child.
Is my child having a correct weight gain? Does his/her height ok as per the age? Is he/she eating right?
Each child grows differently but, on an average, they achieve certain milestones nearly at a similar time or age bracket. But if you observe certain deviation from the average, there could be many reasons why your child is not growing.
Some of the common reasons are-
- The most common reason (90%) inadequate intake of food.
- Feeding problems with caregiver resulting in poor intake.
- Infection and Illnesses affecting oral cavity resulting in difficulty in swallowing like Ulcers, Tonsillitis, Pharyngitis, Cleft Palate and Cerebral Palsy.
- Recurrent Vomiting due to Gastroenteritis, Gastritis, GER (Gastro- Esophageal Reflux) and in rare cases Pyloric Stenonis.
- Inability to digest food due to poor capacity of the pancreas, In this case, children complain of bulky, frothy, loose, foul smelling and greasy stools.
- Disorders of the bowel can also cause children to have poor weight gain.
- In some cases,Hyperthyroidism can cause increased metabolic rate and loss of calories resulting in weight loss.
- A child with a heart disorder (like VSD) that leads to heart failure may also not feed well.
- Rarely, kidney failure or other kidney disorders will affect weight gain (as well as height) by affecting certain mechanisms of growth.
- Some children may have genetic disorders that affect weight gain and require evaluations by specialists.
It is advisable to consult the child specialist near you for proper guidance. And the above-mentioned points are indicative or symptoms for you to understand the problem.
If you have any queries related to child diseases like stuffy nose, cold, cough, fever, stomach ache, or queries related to vaccination and immunization, visit Felix hospital and meet the child specialist.
To book an appointment visit www.felixhospital.com or you can call 7835999444