“If my child is losing weight, is there a problem?”
For the past week, my daughter has been gradually losing weight. It's now worrying me. Her eating pattern seems fine, so I don’t know why she is losing the weight. Should I be worried?
2 Answers
I feel if she is losing weight very fast in one week, more than 5 lbs, and has any associated symptoms like fatigue, sweating, etc., she should be evaluated early. This can happen if she has any hormonal or emotional or any gastrointestinal problems. If she is in the pubertal stage, it can be temporary. If the weight loss is more than 4-5 lbs per week, she needs to be medically evaluated.
How old is your child? Usually, small children < 2 years old do not lose weight unless vomiting or diarrhea. If this is a teenager, weight may vary a few pounds, but excessive weight loss should investigated. Is there any fever, vomiting, or diarrhea? Is she trying to lose weight? Is she actually eating the food on her plate? Persistent weight loss is worrisome and should be investigated.
