General recommendations for children with weight loss

Weight loss, or growth in length/height that is not accompanied by corresponding weight gain in a child, is most often a result of illness and/or malnutrition. Knowing that optimal nutrition during early childhood is essential for the development of a child's full potential, you will try to address this disorder yourself.

Here are some useful recommendations that will help you make the necessary corrections or apply them before visiting the pediatrician.  

During illness

• If the child is in the second year and fed breastmilk, be assured that he/she will ask to suckle more often and breastfeeds will be shorter - respond to his/her need.   
• The child has a weaker appetite and will eat less, but it is vital that he/she gets a sufficient amount of fluids.
• Prepare and often offer your child a variety of foods, of softer consistencies (soups, broths, vegetable potages, pieces of fresh melon, watermelon...) and make sure that these are his/her favorite dishes.
• Between meals, offer him/her fluids, preferably just water, even in small sips, in an amount that is larger than usual because the losses are higher (through stool, skin, breathing).  
• Monitor your child's behavior and respond to his/her needs: give him/her fluids or food in the amount he/she can handle.

After illness or a period of insufficient food intake

(or other economic or social-emotional reasons):

• It is necessary to encourage the child to eat more and/or more often until he/she regains the lost weight and continues to grow normally.
• If the child is younger than 2 years and fed breastmilk, it is necessary to continue breastfeeding in accordance with the child's needs, probably more frequently.
• Pay attention to the recommendations for optimal nutrition in accordance with the child's age, but have in mind that your child's needs are greater at this time. 
• To adequately respond to the child's increased nutritional needs, ensure a high-quality protein diet: various types of meat, fish, poultry, eggs and legumes (peas, beans, lentils) combined with cereals will do; the child will thus get the necessary intake of minerals - iron and zinc.
• It is necessary to prepare higher-energy-density food; therefore, add a teaspoonful of oil or a butter cube to purées (semolina, cornmeal porridge, cereals).
• Continue to feed your child fresh fruits and vegetables that are locally available.
• Prepare food in the  way it is usually prepared in the family.  
• Do not deny food to your child, but avoid offering: additional milk formulas, sweetened fluids and foods (juices with added sugar, carbonated drinks, cakes, sweets...), fried foods, which are unhealthy, fill the stomach and provide energy, but not other necessary and useful nutrients.   

Be sure to consult a pediatrician for an examination and additional dietary recommendations, as well as for determining the dynamics of further growth monitoring.