Ali, the Supermodel

Just my luck that as I struggle with unwanted pounds, Ali, my daughter, struggles to gain weight. I don't really know what the problem is -- she's just not that interested in eating.

Last weekend, we found out, that for her age, she is really quite tall but thin. Poor weight gain can be a signal of other problems which doctors will try to eliminate one by one. For now, though, the order of the day, is to try and make Ali gain weight. Otherwise, more tests may be needed.

I never thought I would see the day when a doctor will actually suggest that kids be given half a scoop of ice cream daily. The objective is to increase the kid's caloric intake and see if there is any weight gain. High calorie foods which have been suggested are: butter and/or olive oil (to be mixed with rice), peanut butter, milk shakes and nuts. It is also helpful to keep a food diary for a week to see if your kid is actually taking in enough calories.

For kids who hardly eat, it is good to check with your doctor as to how much milk they should be taking. Milk, while filling, does not have as much calories as other regular food. So, although you think you may be helping your child by giving her more milk as she hardly eats, you may actually be depriving her of needed calories.

By the way, did you read about that U.S. study which says that laughing 10 to 15 minutes a day can make you lose as much as 2 kilos in a year? Does that mean Ali is a happy child? Does this mean I'm a grouchy adult? :-)

Anyway, I hope Ali gains more weight soon and gets healthier and stronger too. Any feeding tips from readers out there? Did you ever have a problem with feeding your child and weight gain? Your tips on how you helped your child will be most welcome. And oh, Ali does not like Pediasure. We've tried that route.