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Older Preemie

Parecha
0 Recommendations

SO my son is going on 3 in a few weeks, he is healthy doesnt get sick that often , he is a picky eater , and he only weighs 24 lbs.13ozs!! He came from 2 lbs 14ozs at 32 weeks. He is getting tall though 37 1/2 in.
So should I be worried about his weight, his ped. says she wasnt too concerned abd she thinks that just him. I am potty training and cant find underwear to fit his skinny tail! LOL 2t are too big. Is there anyone else whos older preemie weighs less too?

Explore topics in this discussion:

Autism Hormone therapy Child development

22 replies

JoshuasMom

Parecha,

I am the proud Mommy of a now 8 year old 2nd Grade Preemie. He is a very strong and normal elementary school student. At his physical yesterday he proudly weighed in at 52 pounds and is 48 inches tall. Like your little one Joshua-Jesse is still skinny. I am a lot less worried about him because he is a typical growing boy who at time seems like he is going to eat me out of house and home. I say all of that to give you a hope not to be worried about his weight. Trust me I tried pediasure when he was still a toddler and it did not work. I finally stopped worrying and let his body adjust to typical adolescent growth. My Joshua-Jesse has always lagged in the weight and height area. I look back at me at that age and I was skinny as a rail and tall and lanky. As far as underwear to fit, I believe there are XS ones. I am still having to take a pinch in here and there on my son's pants because his lilttle hips are just that.

Owen24weeks

My son is 4.5 and weighs in at 34 lbs. He's been at this weight forever - I feel like he's never going to break 35 lbs. He is also a pickey eater - refuses much of what we try to give him. He's old enough now that he can pick out supplements in his milk and refuses to drink it. (He'll tell me he wants "milk, no sugar" - I guess he can feel the texture of the supplement and thinks it's sugar.) This is after he had almost 2 years of OT trying to improve his eating. I've talked many times to his pediatrician and she keeps telling me that the time will come when he will decide to eat and his appetite will increase. Until then, we're supposed to make sure he gets a daily vitamin and drinks plenty of milk. Whatever we can get down him other than that is a bonus.

laurakennedy77

My daughter will be 4 next month and she just went for her well child check up and she is 36 inches and 28 lbs. That is very small for her age, especially considering that they don't adjust for her prematurity anymore. She is still wearing 24 month or 2T clothing. If she continues growing on the same curve that she has been since infancy, she would be about 4ft. 10 in. as an adult. That is too small in my opinion. My pediatrician reccomended that we should have her seen by endocrinology to decide if growth hormones are warranted given her small stature and slow growth. We have an appointment to see the pediatric endocrinologist on 11/20. We will meet with him and then weigh the pros and cons of the growth hormone therapy after we have more info.
As far as the underpants situation, I have found that the thick training pants tend to fit better. I wash them several times in hot water and they shrink up nicely.

ProjectGemini07

I have a 32 weeker that was also 2 lbs!! Well, 2 lb 2 oz. His twin was 4 lb 13 oz. Totally insane. Today the little guy is 26 lbs and the bigger twin is 34 lbs. I have the same issue w/ little man. 2T barely fit while big man is busting out of them. My ped doesn't worry about Alex (little guy) as long as he IS showing a growth curve. He doesn't even care if he's "on the chart" as long has he IS growing. And he IS. Just not as fast as others...and def not as fast as his "little" brother. LOL!

PS - Mine will be 3 in march! Happy Bday to your little dude, soon!!!

Owen24weeks

Project Gemini, just noticed your photo and wanted to tell you that I think it is absolutely precious!

kageey24

Hi all! I run a NICU Graduate Clinic, we monitor development of the special babies until their 2nd birthday. Once your kiddos reach 2 years of age, they are no longer considered premies! Isn't that great news! Anyway, don't worry about your little ones weight....I have a 6 year old who only weighs 46 pounds....and he is tall as well. He eats everything in sight. His pediatrician says he is OK.

And stop referring to your special one as a premie! They graduated to BIG KIDS!! YEA!

elizagracesmom

Kageey24,

When you say "they are no longer considered premies," can you elaborate on what you mean? Is it that your clinic just doesn't use that term for preemies after their second birthday? Our NICU follow up clinic tries to follow their patients until they are 18 years of age to develop long term data on the effect of prematurity.

There is quite a large body of data indicating that the effects of prematurity, especially for ELBW and VLBW babies can show up well into their early school years and even later.

Anne, mom to Eliza Grace 3/15/06
26w 4d, 575gr
www.eliza-grace-micro-preemie.blogspot.com

katek

I have to agree with Anne about using the term "preemie." Anne said: "There is quite a large body of data indicating that the effects of prematurity, especially for ELBW and VLBW babies can show up well into their early school years and even later."

I think that there is a HUGE problem by avoiding the term "preemie," at least when talking about medical conditions. We NEED doctors to be aware of the long term consequences of prematurity so that they will gain a better understanding of preemie development. It isn't the same as full-term babies...even after they turn 2.

We stopped referring to our son as a "preemie" in his presence b/c we don't want him growing up with that as his main identity. But when talking to doctors and getting advice from parents, the term is quite useful.

I personally find the whole notion of "catching up" once a child hits 2 years of age to be idiotic if one actually thinks about the science of child development. Preemies never "catch up" to their birth age. Development begins when the sperm meets the egg, consequently adjusted age (due date age) makes a heck of a lot more sense. But even then, incubators are no substitute for the womb. Being born early can change brain development (rewiring), affects lung development, can affect eyes and ears, among many other things.

My son started doing things "age appropriate" based on his adjusted age around 9 months adjusted. He's verbally advanced and tall, so he doesn't look off from his birth age. But part of that has to do with the fact that there is a lot of variance in what 2 year olds look like, not because he "caught up." It isn't as though a preemie's body says: "Hey, you're almost 2 birth age, better fast forward your development so that your body will better conform to the social convention of the birthday." Development doesn't work like that.

We just had an ophthalmology appointment today. He needs glasses. That need is a direct result from ROP and the laser procedure that he had in the NICU, which were a result of his being born early. At least where this mother of a 2.5 year old is sitting, continuing to recognize that there are long-term consequences of being born a preemie is important for the well-being of my child.

katek

One more thing. I really dislike the phrase "ex-preemie." It makes no sense. Either a child was born early or he wasn't. Getting older to a preemie isn't comparable getting a divorce.

I was born a 33 weeker. I was and am a preemie. There is no ex. I was fortunate that there were no long-term consequences (although my not-so-robust lungs could possible be a result of that prematurity or just bad genetic luck of the draw or both).

elizagracesmom

The best advice I got from Eliza's neonatologist was that the full effects of Eliza's extreme prematurity would likely not be known until she was at least eight years of age and that the whole "catch up by two" was simply not relevant in assessing brain development. The majority of Eliza's delays did not even come into full bloom so to speak until she around two years of age, when children are being asked to perform more complex tasks.

Anne, mom to Eliza Grace
www.eliza-grace-micro-preemie.blogpsot.com

abbyschrad

I agree with Anne and Kate. When Hallie, my 23 weeker, was discharged at age 2 from our NICU follow up clini, she was deemed caught up on her gross motor skills, mildly behind in her fine motor skills, and truly delayed only in terms of speech/eating. No one bothered to evaluate how well her sensory processing system worked, which I think is a major evaluation flaw since one's sensory system HAS to be thrown off by a traumatic early birth, life in a plastic box with tubes coming out of you and lots of noise and painful procedures.

Anyway, fast forward six months to her evaluation for the school district for early intervention transition to the 3-5 program. At that eval she tested as 32% delayed across the board , which is in the severe range. Turns out that what you are supposed to be able todo at three, relative to two , is MUCH HARDER .

And our NICU follow up clinic never picked up on a bunch of warning signs for autism either: poor eyecontact, nobabbling, GI issues, no words at two, sensory integration problems, motor delays, severe food averaions. So imagine our surprise when that came down the pipeline, too.

So, according to NICU stats, Hallie is pretty much an inspiring success story of a child born extremely prematurely but who shows few effects of her birth.

But the reality is that, while Hallie is inspiring to us, her prematurity impedes her functioningand complicates her life every day and always will.

Abby
mom to Hallie Rose, 23.4 weeker and surviving twin

blogginghallie.blogspot.com

FlorinsMom

In my experience our doctors have focused too much on calories going in (food) and not at all on calories going out (heat loss). We live in a cold climate and our teachers suggested that our daughter could benefit from more layers and warmer clothing. In winter, she now wears 3 layers, thin cotton long underwear, a cotton turtleneck and pants, as well as a wool sweater and wool legwarmers and warm slippers or socks. I have enough trouble getting calories going in, that I am not going to let her waste them keeping warm. :)

I had thought she might complain about the layers, but she has become used to them and now asks for them. She calls her sweaters "like wearing a warm blanket."
I've also had better luck with real wool, rather than polyester fleece. With wool, if she does get sweaty, it will be absorbed and evaporate off the wool. Polyester fleece does not do this.
And the cheapest source of real wool is at thrift stores. Adult sweaters can be washed down to kid size, and sweaters arms can be cut off to make leg warmers:
Ideas for working with felted sweaters:
http://www.slideshare.net/recovergirl/sweater-dress-slide-show

Parecha

Girl Thank you sooo much, yeah pediasure and that is a no! he taste it and is like no mommy!! LOL SO i guess if i cant find x small underwear imma have to use saftey pins!! Thanks again.

Parecha

Thanks everyone Im glad to know im not the only one!! THANKS!!

mygirlsmom

Kaygee24 and Parecha-
I would like to further the comments made by several moms that have responded to this post. Preemies don't "graduate" to become big kids - as many moms on here have noted, even kids that did fairly well in the NICU, mine included, end up showing delays after 2 years of age. A premature infant will grow into a child, but it's prematurity is a fact of life FOREVER. it may not define his/her life, but it can be directly related to their size, behaviors, delays, ability to learn, eating issues, etc., for many years and possibly their entire lives. And for some preemies, their prematurity will never be noticeable or negatively impact their lives - this is fantastic for these families. But, the circumstances of our kids births do have an impact their lives past the age of 2, period. As Anne said, many kids don't even exhibit certain traits or delays until after age 2. My niece has both ocular and reading issues, her doctor thinks are directly related to her prematurity, and not only were these not discovered until she was 4, but she was a 36 weeker - hardly a micropreemie.

My point is that it is very very important for parents of preemies to monitor their children's development. Yes, there are tons and tons of things that our kids will do that will make them big kids, and that's a wonderful thing. And like Kate said, our children's identity shouldn't be tied to their prematurity, but it's equally dangerous to say "well, she turned 2, she's no longer a preemie." It just doesn't work that way, and there is lots of research to back this up. If you run a NICU graduate clinic, I hope you can find more informative ways of explaining this to parents.

JoshuasMom

To All

in my opinion they will always be preemies. That is not to focus on the challeges, but to focus on overcoming them. I detest doctors saying they should catch up by three. Some of us would be inclined to believe that and then get overwhelmed when we don't see results. I say let our precious ones come into their own with our love and patience and God's grace.

Parecha

I so agree entirely! I know my son is a "big boy" and I also am not denying the fact he was a preemie! That will never change, thats why I am asking questions about his height and weight because compaerd to a regular 2 or 3 year old he is not big! Shoot younger children weigh more than him! LOL , I will never deny the fact that he was a preemie and the challanges I have faced. Thank God for this site and other people who go through the same challenges so we can relate, encourage, uplift and give advice to each other!
I know what God can do and I trust and stand on faith at His word for my sons health and total being.
I say this the Doc can say what they want BUT GOD has the final say so. I thank God for the doc. and nurses who have helped along the way and thank God for them always but I also know a MAN that has changed my life!
So thank you all for everyones input, now can I get some comments on other peoples little ones and their weight and height?!! LMBO!!

elizagracesmom

Eliza is 3 years and 8 months. She was born at 26w 4d and weighed 575 grams (1 lb 4 oz). Eliza is now only 27 to 28 pounds and has been in that range for a few months. She is 36 inches tall. At her third birthday, she was about the same weight as your son, but about 33 to 34 inches tall. Eliza has grown on a fairly decent curve, with periodic plateaus that last for two or three months. She generally is in the 3d to 5th percentiles at best. Her height to weight ratio is however in the the 50th percentile. Eliza's pediatrician, GI and endocrinologist have always been concerned about her growth. Eliza has significant feeding issues and was on a very high calorie formula for quite some time and still remains on a high calorie formula to sustain her growth.

Anne, mom to Eliza Grace
www.eliza-grace-micro-preemie.blogspot.com

Chocoholix

My son was born at 36 weeks but he had IUGR and was 4lbs at birth.
He is very tall and loooong and skinny. He will be four next week and we are still in 2T shorts... the pants are too short for him obviously so I need to adjust the waist in everything I buy him!!
For his underwear I buy cotton ones and then wash them in really hot water and they shrink ;)
Well, now 2T fits him but that's when it didn't fit him ;)

We were concerned only when he started losing weight. He is a VERY picky eater so I give him two cans of Pediasure at night to make sure he's got the calories and nutrients as 5 our of 7 days a week, he just doesn't eat enough.

Hang in there :)
Hugs
Tina

charlenefron

Dear keegey24:
My son will always be a preemie - he wasn't born full-term and no amount of time passing or age will ever change that! He's now 4 years old, but we are STILL dealing with issues related to his prematurity. His developmental delays are due to the fact that he was born prematurely. And yes, he is "special" and always will be. He's my miracle and has had to fight for what comes naturally to other children. Officially, after 2 years of age they no longer calculate and "adjusted age" but that doesn't mean that there isn't a need. We're holding my son back a year from starting Kindergarten for social reasons. Our theory is that if he'd been born on schedule, he wouldn't have been eligible to start Kindy until the following year.

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