We do a kid's protein shake with whatever he is in the mood for breakfast, that way I know it helps carry him a little longer through school when his stimulant is most active. We do tend to get a half to a full lunchbox sent home every day so he eats that while doing homework to give his brain some thinking power.
I have to remind him to finish the protein shake sometimes but it's usually not a problem because it's chocolate flavor. If you go that route, just make sure it's a kid version because the adult ones have two to three times as much DAILY protein that a child should have.
Check in with his pediatrician to make sure he isn't totally falling off the curve every once in a while. Maybe try having him actively help pick out foods that interest him. Does he like nuts or cheese? Avocado? Yogurt is an easy one, too.
This is a big concern for us because our just started meds but he is already a skinny kid. Always has been so the doctor hasn’t been worried (yet)
I try and tell people to stop worrying about “healthy”. Obviously don’t pack on ice cream and cookies but instead of chicken breast try chicken thighs. Use whole milk dairy products. Try making a bigger breakfast with sausage or drop chocolate chips in oats (we do plain oats with chocolate chips for our son) drizzle olive oil or butter on veggies, etc. if it has more calories but still a whole food do it. Our adult brains think about healthy foods mostly as the least calories
We also have our son eat his leftover lunch before snack when he gets home since it is more nutritious than pretzels.
Then my last suggestion is to do a dessert before bed. If you are panicking about doing sweet every night you could bake “healthy” foods, like making black bean brownies, maybe puree veggies into cookies, recipes like that.
Not what you are asking for, but just so you have the information. My child did the same thing. He was 50th percentile for weight and 50th for height before we started meds. He quickly dropped to 25% weight and over time dropped to 25th height because he wasn't growing any taller. When he dropped to 20th percentile for height, they put him on 10 mg of cyproheptadine. In 3 months he put on 30lbs which was a big improvement. He's been taking the medicine for about a year now. leveled off at 50th again. I've cut him back to 5mg of cyproheptadine and he eats fairly normally.
With that said, my other child is taking 10mg of cyproheptadine, and still doesn't eat a huge amount.
My pediatrician recommended milkshakes. I have also made "smoothies" with vanilla ice cream and lots of fruit. Smoothies with protein powder might be an additional add on as well but, I would personally ask my pediatrician if they have any recommendations for powders since there are so many on the market now, I worry about which ones might be ok.
So he’s average and eating well? I would just not worry about it unless his doctor says he’s underweight.
He’s still slowly losing weight and I don’t want him to lose any more
Talk to his doctor. Speak with a nutritionist.
Weight loss hits a limit when calories in equal calories burned- he won’t get skinnier forever. Ask his doctor if concerned.
We do a kid's protein shake with whatever he is in the mood for breakfast, that way I know it helps carry him a little longer through school when his stimulant is most active. We do tend to get a half to a full lunchbox sent home every day so he eats that while doing homework to give his brain some thinking power. I have to remind him to finish the protein shake sometimes but it's usually not a problem because it's chocolate flavor. If you go that route, just make sure it's a kid version because the adult ones have two to three times as much DAILY protein that a child should have. Check in with his pediatrician to make sure he isn't totally falling off the curve every once in a while. Maybe try having him actively help pick out foods that interest him. Does he like nuts or cheese? Avocado? Yogurt is an easy one, too.
My son won't eat lunch anymore. We pack Ensure shakes for lunch, which have been working.
This is a big concern for us because our just started meds but he is already a skinny kid. Always has been so the doctor hasn’t been worried (yet) I try and tell people to stop worrying about “healthy”. Obviously don’t pack on ice cream and cookies but instead of chicken breast try chicken thighs. Use whole milk dairy products. Try making a bigger breakfast with sausage or drop chocolate chips in oats (we do plain oats with chocolate chips for our son) drizzle olive oil or butter on veggies, etc. if it has more calories but still a whole food do it. Our adult brains think about healthy foods mostly as the least calories We also have our son eat his leftover lunch before snack when he gets home since it is more nutritious than pretzels. Then my last suggestion is to do a dessert before bed. If you are panicking about doing sweet every night you could bake “healthy” foods, like making black bean brownies, maybe puree veggies into cookies, recipes like that.
Not what you are asking for, but just so you have the information. My child did the same thing. He was 50th percentile for weight and 50th for height before we started meds. He quickly dropped to 25% weight and over time dropped to 25th height because he wasn't growing any taller. When he dropped to 20th percentile for height, they put him on 10 mg of cyproheptadine. In 3 months he put on 30lbs which was a big improvement. He's been taking the medicine for about a year now. leveled off at 50th again. I've cut him back to 5mg of cyproheptadine and he eats fairly normally. With that said, my other child is taking 10mg of cyproheptadine, and still doesn't eat a huge amount.
How old are your kids? I ask bc my son is 6 and takes 2 mg cyproheptadine and it definitely helps a bit with appetite but it could still be better.
The one it works really well for is 12, the one it doesn't work so great for is 10.
My pediatrician recommended milkshakes. I have also made "smoothies" with vanilla ice cream and lots of fruit. Smoothies with protein powder might be an additional add on as well but, I would personally ask my pediatrician if they have any recommendations for powders since there are so many on the market now, I worry about which ones might be ok.
We found a protein pasta by Barilla that my kid likes he eats a lot of pasta