faltering growth in babies & children | Paediatric Dietitian
Helping your child grow well — without pressure or stress around food
Is your baby or child struggling to gain weight, dropping across growth centiles, or simply not growing as expected?
Faltering growth can be worrying for parents. You may be wondering whether your child is eating enough, whether something is wrong, or what you can do to help — especially if mealtimes are already difficult. You may have been told to "just add more calories", encourage your child to eat more, or offer nutritional supplements — but knowing how to do this in a way that works for your child and your family is often much harder.
As a specialist paediatric dietitian, I can help you understand your child’s growth and nutritional needs, identify what may be contributing to their difficulties and develop a practical plan to support their growth. Without judgement. Without pressure. Without unnecessary dietary restrictions.
Does any of this sound familiar?
You may be wondering:
how should my child be growing?
how much weight should my child be gaining?
why is my child struggling to gain weight?
is my child getting enough nutrition?
what can I do if my child just won’t eat?
how can I increase their calorie intake?
is my child drinking too much milk?
does my child need any supplements?
You don't have to work it all out on your own. I can help.
What is faltering growth?
Faltering growth is a term used when a baby or child is not gaining weight or growing as expected.
Every child is different, and being naturally small does not necessarily mean there is a problem. What matters is looking at your child’s individual growth pattern alongside their diet, feeding, development and overall health.
Sometimes faltering growth is related to a child simply not getting enough energy or nutrients from their diet. It can also be associated with difficulties such as:
a small appetite
fussy or selective eating
difficulty progressing with solids
feeding difficulties in general
food allergies or intolerances
gastrointestinal symptoms
high milk intake affecting appetite
increased nutritional requirements
underlying medical conditions
Ready to talk?
If you're worried about your child's growth or simply want professional guidance on how to support their nutrition, book your free discovery call to discuss what you're worried about and how I may be able to help.
How can I help?
Together we can:
discuss your child’s growth history in detail
explore their eating and drinking habits
identify key areas that may be affecting your child’s nutritional intake and in turn, their growth
explore ways to improve their nutritional intake through practical advice that fits into your family life
FAQs
No. You don't need to wait until your child is significantly underweight before seeking advice. If you are concerned about your child's growth, appetite or nutritional intake, an assessment can help identify whether there are areas where their diet could be improved and provide reassurance where appropriate.
Does my child need to be underweight to see a paediatric dietitian?
1
How can I help my child gain weight?
2
The best approach depends on why your child is struggling to gain weight. Where appropriate, I may recommend ways to increase the energy and nutritional content of meals and snacks without simply asking your child to eat larger portions. This might involve making small changes to foods your child already enjoys, reviewing meal and snack routines, or looking at their milk and drink intake.
Will you recommend high-calorie foods or supplements?
3
Not necessarily. The first step is understanding your child's individual needs and current diet. Sometimes relatively simple changes to meals, snacks and routines can make a meaningful difference. If an oral nutritional supplement is appropriate, I can discuss the options with you and explain how they could fit into your child's overall nutritional plan.
My child drinks a lot of milk. Could this affect their appetite?
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It can. Depending on your child's age and individual circumstances, a high intake of milk or other drinks may reduce their appetite for meals. We can look at your child's overall intake and decide whether changes to their milk or drinks could help support their appetite and nutritional intake.
What if my child refuses most foods?
5
A very restricted diet can be stressful for both children and parents, particularly when you are also worried about growth. We can explore what your child currently eats, their feeding history, mealtime patterns and any difficulties around eating. Depending on your child's needs, I may also recommend involvement from other members of the healthcare team, such as a speech and language therapist or occupational therapist.
Will you weigh my child during the appointment?
6
If recent, accurate measurements are available, these can be useful when assessing growth. We can discuss what measurements are needed and how your child's growth should be monitored. The aim is to look at your child's overall growth pattern, rather than focusing on a single measurement.
How quickly will my child's weight improve?
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Every child is different, so there is no single expected timeframe. The rate of weight gain can depend on your child's age, starting weight, nutritional intake, appetite, medical circumstances and the reasons for their faltering growth. We can agree appropriate goals and discuss how progress can be monitored over time.
Can you work alongside my child's NHS healthcare team?
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Yes. With your consent, dietetic care can complement the advice your child is receiving from their GP, health visitor, paediatrician or other healthcare professionals. Where appropriate, working alongside your child's wider healthcare team can help ensure everyone is working towards the same goals.
Want some help?
If you would like support with your child’s faltering growth, book your free discovery call to discuss your concerns and whether I can help.