Failure to thrive? Hmmmmm?
My BIL2's daugther is about to be 6yo. She wears 4T size clothing and weighs about 30lbs.
They keep her in front of her Pediatrician regularly. They changed Pedies a year ago when the former Doc commented that it may be a case of failure to thrive which apparently requires a mandatory report to CPS.
This little girl is smart, smart, smart, active, and tiny. She also eats like a vegitarian bear. Fruit, Veg, by the pound. They make her eat protein before they will let her scarf on fruit and veg. A few Ozs but she does not get what she wants until she finishes half a dozen appropriate sized bites of protein. She does not like candy.
They are petrified that CPS is going to show up and take her away. They are 2mos from the due date on a son. My BIL is a big man. Tall and husky. His DW is not large nor is she petit.
This is the neice who IMHO is likely a cheat baby as BIL2's wife was cheating their entire relationship and the neice looks nothing like my BIL2. I do not recall how punnett squares work well enough to recall the probability that two blue eyed parents will have a child with brownish/hazle eyes. BIL2 was going to have a paternity test done on his daughter but backed out of that when he and his DW reconciled.
Would having the paternity test done, assuming it confirms that BIL2 is not the biological father, and if biodad is a small individual be a counter to the 'failure to thrive" risk?
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Rags
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No one will take her away but
No one will take her away but CPS would offer parenting and nutrition lessons and will help with other stuff.
I think that if the child is
I think that if the child is actually healthy, a pediatrician worth a damn would be able to figure that out with a thorough physical exam and lab tests. So it doesn't seem likely that they would get reported to CPS just because she's small. Her paternity wouldn't even be material information in that case - if her labs are good, she's developmentally on track in every way except for her size, etc.
I know it's scary to think about, but even *if* CPS did investigate them, they're not going to take her away. They'll inspect the house to make sure it's safe and that there is food available. And probably interview the little girl and possibly her teachers. And then I imagine they'd immediately close the case OR if they still had concerns based solely on her size, they might require nutrition counseling or something. I volunteer as a court appointed special advocate for kids in foster care, and I assure you that CPS everywhere is absolutely stretched to a breaking point. They aren't just out there removing children from home for things that are so easily explainable. The kids that get removed are in very, very bad circumstances where there is immediate danger to their safety.
This is just a thought but...
This is just a thought but... has she been tested for celiac? It can seriously stunt a child's growth. One of my daughters has it and was tiny (I'm 5'8, her father is6'2) and skinny all of her early years yet she ate like a horse. Once diagnosed and put on a gluten free diet at the age of 11, she thrived ( gained 4 inches in 6 months!). BTW, she doesn't look like either of us but when she gets angry or sulks she is the spitting image of my mother!
PS
None of our doctors would listen to me when I brought up the possibility of celiac which is why she was never tested and diagnosed so late.
Wow that's so interesting! I
Wow that's so interesting! I am ceoliac and diagnosed when I was 12. I was always skinny and petite and had gut issues all my life. It wasn't until my symptoms came out of continuous loose bowels and vomiting they picked it up on a blood test and had it confirmed with an endoscopy. When I was out on a gluten free diet my weight came back and have been healthy since. Definitely a good point!
We went to the market one
We went to the market one Sunday morning about 6 months after she'd started being GF and ran into friends. They were so surprised by the change in her ("always such a sickly child") that they sent me an email afterwards to tell me! LOL
Hers was diagnosed after a routine T21 check up (she has Down syndrome and, as such, is in a high risk group for celiac) via blood test and confirmed via biopsy.
Genetic testing? Failure to
Genetic testing? Failure to thrive is a catch all term throwing it back onto the parents. I say find a new doctor , specialist, whatever it takes to do a through look at her health. Maybe she is destined to be a tiny person. But IMO the parents need to be more proactive in finding the answer. If SIL is dragging her feet then she might be hiding something. The truth always finds a way.
Some clarification.
BIL2 and his DW have their daughter working with the regional children's hospital. They did an upper GI endoscopy ~2wks ago and last weekend they were still awaiting the results.
They are engaging specialists.
I just can't get my head around this kid eating like a horse and being a 6yo 4T size. There is no indication that she is unhealthy that I say or that the Docs seem to think. Other than the "failure to thrive" Doc.
She is just super petite IMHO.
Genetics are weird
My dd looks like her stepdad, my DH. I have a brown eyed brunette, and a blue eyed blonde. Neither I nor their Dad have that eye colour. Thank heaven I didn't meet DH until years after they were born. Because one looks more like him than me!
oh, and one is tiny. Like, 5th percentile tiny. But happy, vivacious, and healthy. The doctors saw her spirit and knew we were fine.