Help: My Daughter Needs To Gain Weight

If your daughter is underweight she may tire easily and have difficulty focusing. It's not uncommon for children to have some kind of eating problem, but your daughter's pediatrician should rule out any medical conditions that might be the cause. Your daughter may need to put on pounds if her body mass index is calculated to be lower than the fifth percentile for children of her height and gender as determined by Centers for Disease Control growth charts, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. If a doctor determines that your daughter should gain weight, there are a number of ways you can help.

Causes

Your daughter may be underweight for a number of medical reasons. Food allergies, lactose intolerance or a zinc deficiency can lead to an underweight child. Psychological or emotional stress can cause your child to lose her appetite. If your daughter engages in a lot of physical activity, she could be burning calories faster than she can replace them. She may just be a picky eater or her body may be going through a rapid growth spurt. In extreme cases, diseases such as cancer may inhibit weight gain.

Snacking

To put on pounds, your daughter should eat as much as she can without feeling discomfort. Snacking, eating six small meals instead of three larger meals, may help her gain weight. Time snacks and meals about two hours apart and two hours before bedtime. Ideally, avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat, and include healthy choices from at least three of the five food groups -- grains, fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy, but anything your daughter likes to eat can be offered as a snack. Let her decide how much she can eat, but keep extra on hand in case she asks for a second helping.

Fats and Supplements

Eating food that contains a lot of fat is not recommended very often, but if your daughter needs to gain weight her doctor may suggest high-fat meals that provide a lot of calories. High-calorie liquid supplements may also be recommended. High-calorie drinks are usually concentrated and easy to prepare. Depending on the formula, supplement drinks can contain various amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat.

Tips

Serve your daughter's meals and snacks at about the same time each day to make eating a habit. If she's hungrier at certain times of the day, increase portion sizes at those times. Keep snacks handy so she can help herself. Seasonings may make food tastier for her. Try herbs, spices, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, salsa or lemon juice to see if that tempts her appetite. Your daughter may be more likely to eat if she enjoys mealtime, and having supportive friends or family around in a comfortable environment may help reduce stress.