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Slow Weight Gaining
Dear Doctor,
My baby girl was born on October 11th, weighing 3 kg. However, her weight gain has been slow since the 2nd month. As of May 3rd, her weight was 5.7 kg, and now, at 9 months, her weight is 6.4 kg.
Despite being playful and having adequate food and breakfast, we're concerned about her slow weight gain. We've consulted pediatricians, but haven't seen any improvement or identified the reason.
Could you please suggest what we can do or which specialist we should consult for her slow weight gain?
Answers (4)
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Consult Pediatrician for proper diet chart
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Hello,
Your baby girl was born with a normal birth weight (3 kg), but her current weight of 6.4 kg at 9 months is below the expected range. Most children weigh around 8–9 kg by 9 months, so your concern is valid.
She is playful and active, which is reassuring. She is receiving adequate food, as you mentioned.
However, weight gain depends not just on quantity, but also on:
Type of food given
Feeding schedule
Absorption and metabolism
Any underlying medical or nutritional condition
Next Steps
Diet Review: Ensure 3 meals + 2 snacks daily (include high-calorie foods like ghee, banana, mashed potato, paneer, eggs). Avoid filling foods with low nutrition like biscuits, juice, or excess milk.
Check for Worms:Deworming with Albendazole 200 mg (repeat after 2 weeks) if not done recently.
Growth Monitoring: Track weight and height monthly on a WHO growth chart.
Further Evaluation: Visit a Pediatrician or a Pediatric Gastroenterologist or Nutrition Specialist for:
Detailed dietary assessment
Blood tests (CBC, ESR, LFTs, Iron, Vitamin D, stool test)
Rule out any chronic infections or malabsorption
Health Tips
Possible causes:
Nutritional deficiency or poor calorie intake
Cow’s milk protein allergy or food intolerance
Recurrent infections (UTI, parasitic infestations, TB, etc.)
Malabsorption syndromes (e.g., celiac disease)
Anemia or micronutrient deficiency
Hormonal causes (very rare at this age)
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Dr. Bhatt Vivek Prafulchandra
Pediatrician
5 yrs exp
Rajkot
Consult with Pediatrician physically and treatment
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Dr. Anjali Maini
Pediatrician
33 yrs exp
Gurgaon
A detailed dietary evaluation is needed. You can make a chart of the following:
Please plot all the weights and height measurements you have
What feeding she has had - breastfeeding, bottle feeding, complementary feeds when started. We need to know exactly what precipitated the change in weight gain and how she fared on each of the foods
If any illness was there or change in the family setup
Is there any illness in the immediate family member/ some chronic infection
Next Steps
Some basic tests should be done to check the overall health of the baby including Hemogram, stool routine, urine, RBS, ESR, X-ray chest and a screen for coeliac disease or other malabsorption if suggested by the history
The case is evaluated by a paediatrician
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.