Your daughter may be underweight due to insufficient calorie intake. However, she should be evaluated by her pediatrician, because there are medical concerns that cause a child to be underweight and prevent healthy weight gain. Metabolic and thyroid disorders, cardiovascular and renal problems, parasitic infection and other conditions may be to blame, according to the pediatrician-written KeepKidsHealthy.com website. Nutritional deficiencies are also a concern. Any underlying cause of your daughter's low weight requires treatment. In other instances, adding calories to your daughter's diet from healthy sources is necessary. All efforts to help your daughter gain weight should be supervised and approved by her pediatrician.
Step 1
Schedule three full meals and at least two or three snacks so your daughter adjusts to eating at certain times. Keep a positive attitude about eating and refrain from bribes or threats, so as not to make feeding a power struggle. Make meals pleasant and leisurely to encourage your daughter to enjoy them.
Step 2
Give your daughter full-fat, full-calorie foods and drinks, rather than reduced-fat, light or diet alternatives. Use whole-milk dairy products, for example, as a nutritious source of calories. Opt for butter over margarine.
Step 3
Incorporate relatively high-calorie fruits into your daughter's diet. Buy bananas, avocados and assortments of dried fruit.
Step 4
Have your daughter snack on nuts, which are both nutritionally and calorie-dense. Mix them with dried fruit and small pieces of dark chocolate for a healthy, kid-friendly snack high in calories.
Step 5
Serve your daughter drinks after meals, and avoid letting her fill up on beverages during the day. Use high-calorie formulas for babies, and buy 100 percent fruit juices.
Step 6
Find additional sources of calories to combine with your daughter's typical meals and snacks. Add cheese to eggs, sandwiches, pasta and any other dish to which it is an appropriate accompaniment. Serve fruit in full-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. Put peanut butter on crackers, celery and other foods. Top meat and poultry with gravy. Use condiments liberally. Sprinkle instant breakfast powders into shakes or over meals.
Step 7
Base meals around starches such as pasta, rice and potatoes, and proteins such as meat and beans.
Step 8
Talk to your daughter's pediatrician about giving her daily supplement beverages that provide calories and nutrients.
Tips and Warnings
- Although you may think your daughter should get less physical activity to prevent her from burning the extra calories you feed her, this is not the case. Exercise is crucial to a child's healthy development and overall health. Children older than 5 should get at least an hour of moderate physical activity every day, advises the National Health Service.
- Refrain from any impulse to boost your daughter's caloric intake with junk food and empty calories, says Baby Center. Stick with high-calorie, nutritious foods. This promotes overall health and helps instill proper eating habits for life.
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