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Underweight
My daughter is 16 month old her weight is very low she is 7.8 kg and height is 2.5 feet
Please prescribe medicine to gain weight and increase her hunger.
Can i give her appetite stimulating syrup or not??
I am really concerned please suggest me some medicine.
Answers (3)
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Hello
According to WHO growth charts:
Weight is below the 3rd percentile → Underweight
Height is normal → No stunting
This suggests undernutrition but not chronic malnutrition.
This could be due to:
Inadequate calorie/protein intake
Frequent illnesses or infections
Poor feeding practices or long milk-only phase
Iron or micronutrient deficiencies
Many toddlers have reduced appetite after 1 year (normal phase). Focus should be on nutrient-dense foods, not just increasing quantity
Next Steps
Small, frequent meals: 3 meals + 2–3 snacks/day
Energy-rich foods: Ghee, butter, groundnut paste, banana, egg, cheese, paneer, rice, dal
Protein: Add 1–2 eggs/day, dal, curd, and pulses
Iron-rich foods: Ragi, jaggery, dates, green leafy vegetables
Avoid filling with milk: Limit milk to 400–500 ml/day
Use family pot feeding: Encourage self-feeding and eat together
Appetite stimulant syrups are not routinely recommended in toddlers
If iron deficiency or micronutrient deficiency is suspected:
Syp. Zincovit or Multivitamin syrup (5 ml/day)
Syp. Orofer XT or other iron syrup if pale, with poor appetite
Only after pediatric assessment — do not self-medicate
Health Tips
Keep a weekly weight chart
Observe energy levels, developmental milestones
Get a pediatric assessment for nutritional deficiencies or underlying issues if no weight gain in 4–6 weeks
Consider blood tests if still not improving (CBC, iron studies, stool exam)
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Hello,
Growth depends on age, birth weight, diet, and any medical issues. If your child is gaining weight slowly but steadily, and is active and meeting milestones, it may still be normal.
Need to know the birth weight of the child.
Next Steps
For further advice and treatment of the child you should get her checked physically with the paediatrician. As after complete clinical examination only one can advise proper treatment to the child.
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Dr. Anjali Maini
Pediatrician
33 yrs exp
Gurgaon
Weight is at borderline low while height seems good. In seeking a good advise it’s helpful to provide more data about her growth, including birth details and a broad idea about the health status in last 1 year
Few general tips you can follow for a good catch up in weight:
- we will not want to give appetite stimulants for the age - they have significant side effects for a tender age group. But a simple B complex syrup without any other vitamins added ( because others may cause side effects upon accumulation in the body) may be taken for a week or two in a month. Can keep giving so every month
- inculcate fresh fruits and salad items like raw carrot, cucumber to give nutrient dense foods while stimulating a good appetite. They are the best form of appetite stimulants
- there is no restriction of oil till 2 years of age. So give full fat milk and dairy like curd, paneer and cheese. Add extra amount of tadka like ghee or coconut oil or any vegetable oil of your choice. Olive oil provides health benefits in addition to providing calories
- if you take non veg - 1 egg daily in a cooked form is great. Also, chicken and fish in a suitable form - they are easily digestible and well absorbed, are calorie dense
- can make appropriate desserts like rice kheer, badam kheer, custard etc to increase calories of dairy - milk in itself doesn’t provide as many calories. Limit amount of milk to 350- 400 ml per day. Encourage calories from cereal sources. Make shakes like banana shake, avocado shake - add vanilla for a great taste
- again add ghee to rice and roti. If you can add Extra Virgin olive oil, it provides an alternative to ghee. Fried items like poori, parantha are all fine for the age.
Check the baby’s preference - salt or sweet and prepare food accordingly. But sugar is not to be encouraged too much. Take care of dental hygiene
Next Steps
There are plenty of threads on the topic with similar queries, you may go through them
Health Tips
Great idea to make use of this window till 2 years of age to gain a good catch up in weight. Please plot and keep checking the growth profile
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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.