Part of raising healthy children is ensuring that they maintain a normal weight, diet, and activity level. When weight gets out of control it can cause health problems or be a side effect of a physical or emotional issue. A pediatrician is the ideal person to consult first if you have concerns about excessive weight changes in your child. Dr. Errol Douglas at Gold Pediatrics helps parents with child weight management at his office in Rockville, MD.

What Is a Healthy Weight for a Child?

A healthy weight for a child varies due to age, height, and gender. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a child is in the healthy range when BMI (body mass index) falls within the 5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile. Any number outside of that range is considered either underweight or overweight. Your pediatrician will reveal and record your child’s BMI at each appointment.

Tips for Child Weight Management

• Replace snacks that contain high levels of sugar with lower sugar or naturally sweetened alternatives, preferably fruits.
• Instead of packing chips for lunch, pack small Tupperware containers with easy-to-eat vegetables like carrots, celery, and edamame along with a low-fat dressing or dip.
• Ensure that your child is drinking more water than any other beverage during the day.
• Challenge young people to races, visit hiking trails for fun, and park farther from stores to encourage more walking.
• Choose games for children that inspire activity rather than a sedentary lifestyle after school. Limit the time a child spends looking at screens (smartphones and computers).

Child Weight Management Help From Our Pediatrician

Your Rockville, MD pediatrician will help you come up with realistic and effective strategies to help get your child’s weight to a more manageable level. A pediatrician can also help you identify the underlying causes behind why a child may be eating more or less, such as stress, anxiety, or a behavioral disorder.

Call for Advice and Support

Getting help for a child with weight issues starts with identifying that there is a potential problem with a BMI check. Dr. Douglas can then help you with the next steps for child weight management solutions at Gold Pediatrics in Rockville, MD. Call (301) 517-9710 today to schedule an appointment.