failure to thrive lacks a precise definition, because it describes a condition rather than a specific disease. Kids who fail to thrive don't receive or are unable to take in, retain, or utilize the calories needed to gain weight and grow as expected.

In addition to the primary doctor, a treatment team might include a nutritionist to evaluate the child's dietary needs, and an occupational or speech therapist. Because treatment of failure to thrive involves treating any disease or disorder causing the problem, specialists such as a cardiologist, neurologist, or gastroenterologist may also be part of the care team.

What's your son's treatment plan at the moment?

More info: http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/weight/f ailure_thrive.html

My son is 2 and doesn't weigh much more than that and he is fine. Does he seem unhealthy other than not weighing as much and being shorter?

Adding butter or oil to his diet probably won't help much. Try adding richer foods instead of processed ones to his diet with protein and natural fats like nut butters and eggs. Using olive oil can be very helpful, as well as cheese and yogurt. Avocados are high in good fats too.

I am also wondering if there are any food allergies here that have not been detected. I had a child who was lactose intolerant, so she was not gaining any weight at all.

If you are looking for more natural approaches, maybe there is a homeopathic doctor that you can take him to first before any invasive and experimental work is done. It also helps to get a second opinion.

I hope this helps and hope your son is better soon!

My son was born at 8lbs and 4 ounces. He was a big baby with alot of fat. When he turned 9months old he got RSV virus and ended up in the hospital for 10 days on oxygen and almost in the intensive care. Specialist came by to see him and one said he had acid reflux. They said the combination of the two things werent good. He has been on medication since. He is on Flovent, Singular, Carofait, and previcid and whenever he starts to get a cold ( coughing ) he uses the aerosal xophonex. This is a daily ritual in dispensing medication for me. He sees the pulmonologist and gastro every 3 months religiously. He had no problems with weight gain prior to this. Since leaving the hospital it has been a battle. He only weighs 23 pounds and has not gained weight for 3 months since his visit to the gastro.

He eats all kinds of food - no cows milk. ( beans, rice, meat, chicken, fruits, ) he eats no egg because it irritates his eczema ( becomes extremely red and itchy. I am giving him the oil and butter on top of all these homemade foods but not working

That is a lot of medication for a little kid. Many children have RSV and recover and do not need the medications later on. Was there some substantial damage that took place that he would have to rely on medication even now? He is not going to get RSV every time he gets a cold. Colds are normal in children and good for the immune system. Can he not handle the strain of a cold for a legitimate reason?

Talk to your doctor about getting off these medications which are probably causing him weight loss....he may not need them. If he does, perhaps there is some other medication which will help him.

Acid reflux can occur in young children as well, but again, they can grow out of this.

The medication he is on is preventative .. most children that have RSV end up being sucestible to colds but when they get it if not on medication they end up worse. I think that the acid reflux medicatin is time to stop but the gastro told me he should cont. I am looking into having a second opinion. My son is always sick he goes to daycare like most kids. When he gets a runny nose he end up with more than three weeks of on and off symptoms especially coughing to the point of gagging. He eventually will throw up the phlegm. I am just not sure if this constant medication really helps him or hurts him. I am thinking of looking for another gastro to get second opinion. I was told by him that after all these test if nothing came up then it was genetics and nothing more. we would then just have to try harder to get him to eat and let him eat what he wanted. He is in his terrible twos extremely active and very picky. He is an extremely happy child so i believe that everything he is on and the weight obsession by doctors only hurts him.

This is exactly what I am thinking. I know children who have has RSV and they are on no medication. I have never heard of children having to take medications for that long when there was no damage or immune disorder. There is a reason why the common cold is called common. We are all going to get them.

Unless there was excessive damage to his vitals, there is no reason at all to keep him on medication. There is only a certain amount of time before the drugs will build up in his system and cause worse probelms. Who knows, you may even find that the phlem will decrease once he is off the medications.

My kids can have running noses for weeks on end. It's normal, and my kids don't even go to day care. Kids just have that. Maybe changing daycare locations would be a good idea too...if he is picking up that many colds then possibly they aren't observing the cleanliest practices over there. I know there is only so much you can control but then again...

From your original post I had thought of him as a sickly child. It seems like you have obsessive doctors indeed who are only out to pad their wallets and the ones of the drug industry.

I think the second opinion is a great idea!