Healthy babies usually double their weight by the time they are 4 months old. While every baby is different and each one follows a pattern set for him, doubling weight by 4 months is the course of normal development. In many cases where baby's grow at a slower rate, the baby is fine and growing beautifully; however, in certain situations, slow weight gain or weight loss is a problem that can lead to developmental issues.
How Babies Gain
Although babies lose weight, mostly liquid, in their first two weeks, they begin to gain rapidly in the next few weeks, lasting through the first few months. According to Kids' Health, babies gain on average 1.5 to 2 lbs. during the first six months, which slows to 1 to 1.25 lbs. a month up until they are 1 year old. This natural weight gain is necessary for the baby's physiological and psychological development.
How Babies Grow
Dr. William Sears, noted pediatrician, explains that infancy is the time when babies develop quickest. Outside of womb time, babies' brains grow at their fastest pace starting from the very beginning, as they make nerve connections that become a part of their makeup. Babies learn by making these connections, and they serve as building blocks to each successive stage of development. Proper diet, in the womb and then outside, ensures the right elements for brain growth and infant development.
Causes of Weight Loss
Infant weight loss is a symptom of failure to thrive, the term used for the syndrome where babies or children are significantly below the normal weight level and size for their respective ages. Sometimes there is a medical reason, such as a metabolic disorder or a disease such as cystic fibrosis, or it's hereditary. Other times babies are not feeding properly and are therefore not gaining as they should be. Often doctors simply cannot pinpoint the reason for weight loss and poor development.
Concerns
Infants who are below the normal weight averages for their ages are at risk for life-long developmental issues, according to MedlinePlus, an online resource of the National Institutes of Health. Babies who are diagnosed with failure to thrive often show other symptoms, such as being slow to roll over, sit, stand or walk. Without treatment, they may not be on a path for normal emotional, mental and physical development, and they may not be able to achieve normal developmental growth long term.
How to Combat Weight Loss
The University of Chicago explains that babies can be evaluated and diagnosed through a thorough history and physical examination and the results of the evaluation will determine the appropriate course of action. Poor nutrition is the main cause of weight loss and failure to thrive and the majority of babies can be treated with close follow-up, nutritional and behaviorism modifications, and dietary modifications. With medical intervention, infant weight loss can be overcome; when this is done early, normal development can be quickly restored.
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