Deianira - Weight increase! and advice needed

[Guest guest]

All,

Just wanted to let you know that Deianira has gone from the 1.5

percentile to the 21st percentile in weight for height! She has gone

from a whopping 31 pounds to 39 pounds in 6 weeks after an

aggressive caloric replenishment regimen! We are very proud of how

hard she has worked to make this happen! We explained that her

growth hormone works best when her weight is between the 5th and

25th percentile, and she has done GREAT!

We began with high calorie/high protein foods and started her on

1 & 1/2 packages of Carnation Breakfast drinks each day. The Periactin

has really helped with increasing her appetite. Now that she is at

the target weight, we are backing off a little and seeing if she can

maintain her daily weights without the drinks.

My only question at this point is that Deianira has assemetry and I

would like to track her height more closly. I believe Dr. H used a

book for her " shorter " leg and I would like some advice on being

able to do this at home.

Can someone advise as to how I can do this? She has a lift on her

shoe and I wondered if I should leave them on for height

measurements; subtracting the height of the sole...

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Danita

[Guest guest]

Denita - such awesome news, and it was great talking with you on the

phone.

(EVERYONE, remember too that Deianira is an older child, 9 years

old. It is much easier to rationalize with an older child about why

they should eat, than with a 2-year-old, like so many of you are

facing. Deianira is an incredibly bright child, and was VERY eager

in her visit with Dr. H, to do whatever it takes to " get taller. " )

Re the measuring -- to be honest, we have always been discouraged

from measuring at home. We don't have a scale in the house

(for any of us to use). Dr. H and her pediatrician said that it

would caus a lot of emotional issues if we constantly were weighing

her, since weight can fluctuate daily anyways.

Both said to bring her once a month to the pediatrician, to " just

casually stop by " , and measure her there. But to weigh her on the

SAME scale each time, and the same way (she wears t-shirt and

underwear and shorts).

Height -- no, don't wear shoes. Instead, find out what her length

discrepancy is (7mm or whatever). Then you can either find a book

that you can keep for measuring, or do what Dr. H does. She uses

those Mead Composition books (black and white striped covers). She

tears out pages inside until the thickness is correct (sometimes it

will take 2 whole books plus 1/2 of another book). Record what you

are using, and bring these everytime you measure her.

This/these books would go under the shorter food. Heels back

against the wall, knees locked. Then with both hands cupped around

her neck and the tops of your hands (where the thumbs are) resting

along her jawline, you will slowly pull up with the head/neck,

stretching the neck. This gives the most accurate height. But the

best measurement is when they do this with a stadiometer, at a peds

endo office. Good luck!

Keep us posted!

> All,

>

> Just wanted to let you know that Deianira has gone from the 1.5

> percentile to the 21st percentile in weight for height! She has

gone

> from a whopping 31 pounds to 39 pounds in 6 weeks after an

> aggressive caloric replenishment regimen! We are very proud of how

> hard she has worked to make this happen! We explained that her

> growth hormone works best when her weight is between the 5th and

> 25th percentile, and she has done GREAT!

>

> We began with high calorie/high protein foods and started her on

> 1 & 1/2 packages of Carnation Breakfast drinks each day. The

Periactin

> has really helped with increasing her appetite. Now that she is at

> the target weight, we are backing off a little and seeing if she

can

> maintain her daily weights without the drinks.

>

> My only question at this point is that Deianira has assemetry and

I

> would like to track her height more closly. I believe Dr. H used a

> book for her " shorter " leg and I would like some advice on being

> able to do this at home.

>

> Can someone advise as to how I can do this? She has a lift on her

> shoe and I wondered if I should leave them on for height

> measurements; subtracting the height of the sole...

>

> Thoughts?

>

> Thanks!

> Danita