The World Health Organization has adopted averaged weight standards for newborns. But far from all the kids want to fit into them: some are born heroes, while others are born completely crumbs. And despite the fact that today there is a tendency to the birth of babies with a body weight of about 5 kg, lightweight children are not uncommon these days either. As a rule, such crumbs are born on time or a little earlier than the scheduled time, and due to lack of weight and weakness, they eat poorly and may lag behind their peers in their development. We will talk about the features of nutrition, development and care for such kids in our article.
Little children - who are they?
In the womb, all children develop according to the same laws of nature, of course, if nothing prevents them from doing this. But only some babies are born large, while others are too small. They are called lightweight, because their body weight at birth does not fit into generally accepted norms. Such babies who were born on time, but with a small weight, are often diagnosed with intrauterine growth retardation.
Separately, it should be considered such a concept as a premature lightweight child. These babies are usually born with body weight below 2.5 kg and require special attention and care. Premature babies gain weight and develop as a whole according to separate, specially developed standards. They later peers begin to hold their heads, sit down, crawl and walk.
As a rule, babies who are born small are still reluctant to gain weight. This problem is very worrying for their parents, as it may indicate abnormalities in their physical development.
Birth weight and abnormalities
Normally, the body weight of a newborn when it is born is 2800-4000 g. Children who do not fit into this framework require close attention from neonatologists and pediatricians.
But it is important to consider the period of pregnancy the baby appeared. It is one thing if a small child born at 40 weeks old was born with a weight of 2 kg, and another if a baby with the same weight was born for a period of 32 weeks. In the maternity hospital, neonatologists use specially designed tables for the correspondence of the child’s weight and height to gestation.
By the way, the growth of the child must also be taken into account when determining deviations from the norm. This can be done using the Quetelet index. To determine its value, the weight of the child in grams must be divided by his height in centimeters. The resulting value should normally be in the range of 60-70 units. But before making unreasonable diagnoses, it is important to take into account the height and weight of the parents of the child, as well as with what body weight they were born.
The reasons for the birth of children with low body weight
There are a lot of factors contributing to the fact that the child is not gaining enough weight. In medical practice, the following main causes of birth of lightweight children are distinguished:
- mother's age is less than 20 or more than 40 years;
- diseases of the expectant mother during pregnancy: chronic pyelonephritis, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, anemia and others;
- gestosis (late toxicosis) of pregnant women;
- malnutrition, bad habits, poor social conditions;
- harmful working conditions.
All these factors contribute to the fact that the baby is gaining too little in the womb.
But the reasons for a small weight gain after birth are slightly different:
- baby's refusal to suckle due to physical weakness;
- non-compliance with breastfeeding tactics, as a result of which the newborn receives only front milk, less caloric and nutritious;
- previously transmitted infectious disease.
Features of feeding newborns
The nutrition problem of small children remains one of the most serious today. Many babies who are premature or born with critically low weight cannot suck on their mother’s breasts for a long time or they don’t have this reflex at all. In this case, it is recommended to feed the baby with expressed milk, and before colactation is established, colostrum. The choice of how to feed the baby depends on his age. In general, a baby who has reached the age of 36 weeks or his weight has exceeded 2500 g, may well suck on his mother’s breasts on his own.
Calculation of the milk necessary for the child is as follows:
- If the weight of the crumbs exceeds 2500 g, the total amount of milk needed per day is calculated by multiplying 150 ml per 1 kg of body weight. The resulting value should be divided into 8 feedings. Give the baby a calculated amount of milk every 3 hours.
- If the baby weighed less than 2500 g at birth, in the first 24 hours after birth he should be given 60 ml of milk. Further, this amount increases daily by 20 ml until the total daily volume reaches 400 ml. This amount should be divided into 8-12 feedings every 2-3 hours.
If the child does not eat up and does not withstand 3 hours between feedings, it is recommended that he is additionally given a breast upon request.
Indications for tube feeding of small children
If feeding a child born with insufficient body weight or earlier than the due date, breast or bottle becomes impossible, then the baby is fed through a tube. Usually, such a decision is made by doctors because of the lack of a sucking or swallowing reflex in the crumbs. The amount of milk necessary for the child is calculated based on the duration of his birth, body weight and general condition.
Tube feeding is indicated in the following cases:
- with deep immaturity of the body of the newborn, when its sucking and swallowing reflexes are not developed;
- in critical conditions of the newborn after childbirth;
- at low points on the Apgar scale.
It is worth noting that lightweight and premature babies are especially in dire need of breast milk. It is natural nutrition, laid down by nature itself, that will allow the baby to quickly catch up with its peers. If breastfeeding is not possible, then the crumbs need to choose a special mixture for small children. It is characterized by increased calorie content and it contains more protein and other nutrients that are so necessary for the baby to accelerate muscle gain.
Development of underweight children
Small children have a high risk of deviations in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. And since such babies, due to their weakness, continue to gain mass poorly, their physical and mental development, the formation of immunity is also at risk.
Pediatricians and neonatologists draw a parallel between the parameters of weight and height of small children and their development:
- Children born with normal height, but low weight are usually restless in nature, low and uneven weight gain, but generally develop normally. By the year they practically do not differ from their peers.
- Children who are low in birth weight, but their growth is only slightly behind the norm, can lag behind peers in psychomotor development. Their inhibitory reactions predominate.
- Children with proportionally low weight and height also develop more slowly. Also, they are sick for a long time and often due to reduced immunity.
- Children with deep lags in height and weight as a result of intrauterine developmental disorders. They have a delay in the development of bone tissue, psyche and other body systems.
Care for a premature newborn baby at home
Children whose birth weight was less than 2500 g are placed in a hospital. In hospital conditions, the baby, along with his mother, is under the constant supervision of doctors until he begins to eat and assimilate food well. Then the baby is discharged home, where for the first time he will need special care and a specially designed feeding regimen so that he can quickly catch up with his peers in weight.
Doctors recommend breastfeeding of small children. But in some cases, additional supplementation with a special mixture may be required, which will make it possible to quickly fill up the nutrient deficiency.
Since small children have weak immunity, they are recommended for hardening. But they should be carried out in a strictly individual order, since such kids are easily overheated and supercooled. You should start with air baths for 3-5 minutes, gradually increasing this time. It is equally important to ensure close bodily contact with the baby.
How to help a child gain weight and catch up in the development of peers?
If the baby is breastfed, mom needs to pay special attention to her diet. It is recommended to increase the use of liquids: low-fat milk, compotes, fruit drinks. Boiled or baked meat must be present in the diet. On the recommendation of a doctor, vitamins should be taken. To offer the baby to the baby should be on demand, when he is in a good mood and does not want to sleep.
How quickly the baby will gain weight is influenced by both internal and external factors. In order for the baby to grow stronger faster and receive a sufficient amount of oxygen, it is recommended to walk with it longer in the fresh air. In addition, lightweight children need constant monitoring by specialists.
General advice for parents
Small children are often only outwardly different from their peers. But due to their weakness, they need even more care and maternal warmth. They are recommended to apply skin to skin as often as possible, providing the necessary bodily contact. It is equally important to provide good nutrition and conditions for normal mental development. Only in this case, small children can outgrow all their problems and grow up to be full-fledged, in all senses of the word, people.