Weight-Related Questions to Ask the Pediatrician (by Your Child’s Age)

1. Weight-Related Questions to Ask the Pediatrician (by Your Child’s Age) Taylor Green | 2nd September 2016

2. There are many reasons parents must talk with their kids’ doctors about the weight-related issues of their children: • Parents can’t differentiate between overweight and healthy weight in children as many kids have had baby fat since birth, while other may look slender. Underestimating your child’s weight at this stage means your child can be overweight, and you may not even realize it. • At various ages, children require different meal planning and physical activities. For example, a pediatrician’s diet plan for the preschooler may be different from the plan for a child of 10-12. • You may benefit from knowing puberty’s effect on your child’s weight. • Pediatricians can help you guide the eating habits of your children at various stages of their lives.

3. Two-to-Five Year-Olds You should ask the doctor about your child’s weight every time you visit, as BMI screening is required at age two. This age is crucial in developing healthy eating habits and choosing the right meals for the kids so they become familiar with them over time. A questionnaire you can follow if your child falls in this age group: • How can we develop healthy eating habits? • What is the right meal quantity for my child? • What is a healthy snack for him? • What about portion sizes? • Does my family need to change its eating habits to encourage my younger kids’ choices?

4. Five-to-Twelve Year-Olds (Grade School Children) For this age group, your child’s weight should rise steadily and proportionately, as they are getting taller. The goal is to maintain a healthy weight through this period. Plus, at this age child start to be more tempted by candy and chocolate and spending the majority of their time watching T.V. and playing video games. You should ask these questions: How can I make my child choose healthy food without pressuring him to do so? How can I discuss with my child the food he sees on TV? What activities are recommended for my child who is spending more time indoors? How can I minimize TV and video game time for my kids? What is the relationship between puberty and a child’s weight?

5. Thirteen-to-Eighteen Year-Olds Teens need calories and nutrients to accelerate their growth, and parents may need to help them maintain their weight at this stage. They are more at risk of obesity and being overweight as they tend to do less physical activity and involve themselves more in video gaming, while having easy access to junk food. Plus, they need to balance their weight at this stage if they show signs of diabetes. Questions to ask: • How can I encourage my child to eat healthier? • What are the healthiest food choices? • Should I take my teenager’s frequent hunger seriously? • How much of a workout does he need in a day? • What do you think about my child’s current growth rate? Will it be enough to help him grown into his weight?

6. Contact Us • The OrganWise Guys, Inc. • 450 Satellite Blvd NW, Suite M, Suwanee • GA 30024 United States • +1 770-495-0374 • http://organwiseguys.com/ • Resource: https://www.organwiseguys.com/blog/weight-related-questions-to-ask-the-pediatrician/

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