AboutMary Pat, R.N. Expertise I am happy to answer general non-diagnostic questions on infant & child care, infant & toddler feedings, discipline, illnesses, and how to access resources for the child with special needs.
Experience I am a pediatric nurse, an R.N. with 40 years experience first as manager of a community hospital pediatric department & 11 years working in a private pediatric practice. I have managed more than 100,000 phone calls from parents in private practice.
Question Hi Mary Pat,
I have an active healthy two year old son. Yesterday I had him on the scale and noticed he was only 20.5 pounds. Two months ago at his 2 year check up he was 27 pounds. Should I be worried? I don't really notice anything else, he is very active, not a huge eater but he will eat meat, veggies and fruit at every meal. Is this normal, or should I be worried, what could weight loss in toddlers indicate?
Thank you for your time!
Jill
Answer Dear Jill:
A six and a half pound weight loss in a two year old would certainly be of concern. If he is healthy, happy, and playful and eats fairly well (normal for this age) I would wonder about your scale. I think your observation would warrant a trip into the pediatrician and have a weight check done on their scale. If he truly has lost that much weight I am sure they will do some testing. We see weight loss like this with gastrointestinal viruses, vomiting and diarrhea and prolonged illness with little appetite.
I would not worry so much until you get him checked out at the doctors so do make an appointment. So often home scales are out of whack so you need to have him weighed on a reliable doctor's office scale. You want him weighed on the same scale he was last weighed on for his check up.
