Expert: Dr Kondekar Santosh Venketraman Pediatrician MD, Mumbai India, Online Pediatrician - 7/13/2009

Question
QUESTION: My otherwise 18 months old is fair except for his lower back and his legs. I use johnsons soap and powder for him. What can I do to remove his tan naturally.Also he is a fussy eater. Is there any hunger evoking syrup that u can prescribe that may help his appetite

ANSWER: what you feel as tan , is likely to be soem kind of normal nrown fat that is called as mongoloid spots. it will be more clear ifu send a pic of it. mot such spots disappear by ag 2-3 yr as the skin overlying starts getting thicker.

in fussy eaters, rule out tonsils and constipation. also read some feeding tips at www.infantfeeding.blogspot.com


if teh growth and milestones are normal, i wont recommend any appetisers. theer are may such drugs are available but are not recommended routinely. your doc may give some multivitamin or aminoacid supplements or some meds like say cyproheptadine.

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QUESTION: He weighs just 10.4kgs. His pead recommended Protinex powder to add in his milk and says no Ca and iron are required anymore. What do I do? His length is ok as per doc but I think his weight is an issue. And since he is not fat by any standards, can he still get these mongoloid spots? If no, then please recommend a lotion or any natural remedy that would help me get rid of his tan. Is using besan instead of soap while bathing him a good idea?


Answer
mongoloid spots are normal desite evrything else. apic may help me confirm what you say and what i mean is same. besan isnt recommended. weight isnt bad for indian standards. amount of calcim and iron in milk or proteinex is much lower than the separate syps. milk dominant diets should be discouraged as it may precipitate iron and calcium deficiency. also it may kill the appetite and hence slow weight gain may ensue.