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My boy who will be 14 in June. He is in the 5th-10th percentile for height and weight. We, as a family started eating grain free and real, whole foods last April. He has completely embraced it and now says grains give him a tummy ache.

The year prior he was on prevacid for gastritis and for never having felt hungry. Now he eats more than his dad, but still has only grown 2 cm in the last year.

Any advice on what might help him grow? We are going through tons of sweet potatoes already. (regrettably we gave him tons of soy milk as a kid and I am a bit neurotic imagining what that might have done to him)? What do you think the harm would be in letting the pediatrician give him growth hormone? (she tried to give him "boost for kids" )

thanks a million, Lisa

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Because I missed this piece in my earlier post, I'll comment here. Avoid the growth hormones. If he were older and, say, had poor bone density or other signs of failed development, it might be something to talk about with HIM (say 16 or 17), but I wouldn't start meddling with the body at this point where it is still in such flux. You don't know what his body's going to do on its own yet, so I think it's too soon to talk about giving him something to 'yank it along'. – Firestorm Mar 2 2012 at 20:29
I agree, meddling scares me. if HE is really making an issue about it in two years, we can talk. – lisa Mar 2 2012 at 23:22
Hey Lisa! I already replied earlier, but I just saw today's MarksDailyApple success story about a little boy who finally started growing after eating Primal, here it is: marksdailyapple.com/27515 The little boy is only 6 years old, but I thought you might like giving it a read :-) – a mesmerizing trickster Mar 3 2012 at 2:05
seriously dont sweat it. I grew up on soy milk, sandwiches and what not. I was never particularly tall, then hit 16-17-18 and grew to 185cm. You grow when you grow – killer Nibs May 14 2012 at 23:44

7 Answers

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Children need lots of fat, not carbs. (note: I'm not saying you should drop carbs, but if you want him to grow well, then fat is more important. Don't stuff him on carbs, stuff him on fats)

Feed him as much saturated fat and cholesterol as possible.

Fatty fish, shellfish, fatty meats, eggs, cream and butter, liver, avocado, coconut, animal fats like lard, duck fat; marrow from bones. All that good stuff.

Feed him as much fat as he'll take in.
Also sharing this link in case there's something of interest there =)
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health

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So don't stop him from drinking from the gravy boat again. ha ha thanks for the link – lisa Mar 2 2012 at 23:25
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All paleo foods help kids grow, that's what food is for. And someone always has to be in the 5th-10th percentile, that's how normal distributions work. I'd say make sure food is available so that he can eat as much as he feels he needs. Beyond that, steak, eggs, gallons of milk (if allowable).

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If he can eat dairy, then cheese, raw milk, kefir, low sugar ice cream.

Also, make sure he is getting enough minerals, esp. Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc.

Get his Vitamin D tested and make sure it is sufficient.

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1 
 Thanks - he knows he can have all the food he wants, anything in the house, any time. He likes dairy, except for milk (doesn't feel good - even when it is raw) - so I will get more diary stuff today :). He tells me the other kids are so much bigger because they got to eat food with growth hormones (yeesh) He takes D but that is a good idea, I will check his levels. – lisa Mar 2 2012 at 17:26
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Don't forget to let him know that there are a LOT of people who aren't physically tall, but who are giants among humankind. It isn't the size of the package, it's what you do with what's inside!

  • Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues – who at 5'3" (160cm) is STILL an amazing basketball player.
  • Woody Allen (legendary film-maker) is only 167cm
  • Beethoven was only ~160cm
  • Bono is only 170cm
  • Andrew Carnegie, admittedly one of the richest and most philanthropic men in the modern world, stood at only 152cm!
  • Ghandi stood only 160cm
  • Gus Grissom (the astronaut) was only 165cm
  • Scott Hamilton (Gold medalist and world-class skater) was only 162cm
  • "Slam Dunk" champion Spud Webb was only 170cm

It's also important to note that some boys don't get their growth spurt until they're 17 or 18 years old. My ex-husband was ~165 cm until his freshman year of college, then sprouted to 180cm in his 2nd semester of freshman year!

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Great List, thanks - he loves cool not tall fellows, like Wes Welker He does acknowledge that everyone "spurts" at different ages, but it is hard to see his sister 2 and 1/2 years younger, grow taller than him. thanks for the support. – lisa Mar 2 2012 at 17:19
Girls mature physically at a younger age than boys do. That also means that they will be taller than boys during puberty. Trust me, I know, I come from really big families! Around puberty the girls are taller than the boys. So it's not strange at all that his sister is taller. He will catch up later, promise! – a mesmerizing trickster Mar 2 2012 at 19:50
cool (I was an only child) – lisa Mar 2 2012 at 23:20
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If I'm anything to go by (and I may not be), the fact that he suddenly has a big appetite may be a good sign. I know I was ravenous as a kid, but my body was smart... it was storing up all that food energy (even to the point of making me a bit chubby) for my big growth spurt. I went from being chubby enough to make my mom freak out and put me on [big name diet plan] to me growing 10" practically overnight and having my mom freak out and accuse me of being anorexic [I wasn't. I was skinny because I just grew 10 inches and used up all that extra chub in the process.]

So, you can see why I think his new found appetite is promising.

But then, that doesn't mean he's going to be tall. And I don't really see that as being a big deal. As long as you're feeding him plenty of nutritious foods (which it sounds like you are), he's going to get as big and strong as he's meant to be. And that's just fine.

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that gives me hope - thanks I thought he was eating more because the food is so much YUMMIER now (his word). Or because he can feel hunger better since going grain free (reducing inflammation?). I am not aiming for tall, but after years of not growing and stomach pain - and the doctor talking growth hormones (we declined so far), seeing him next to his classmates makes me wonder (they have on average about a foot and 50+lbs on him). he is perfect just the way he is :) – lisa Mar 2 2012 at 18:23
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Make sure you are giving him daily probiotics to improve his gut health...you can feed him all you want but if it is not absorbing properly its not helping him. sounds like he has compromised gut function already, so this would be my #1 suggestion. Anything that is at least 3 billion strain. Go to health food store and they will help you. Make sure he is getting enough protein and also try making smoothies with "superfood" supplements; Gogi Powder, Acai Powder, also add some local raw honey - maybe some hemp protein for extra protein. Add Quinoa grains to his diet - they are delicious..loaded with nutrition - much better than rice. Also - one good piece of advice - but a book called "Nourishin Traditions: by Sally Fallon" it will provide you with an outline on a new approach to nutrition and diet that will help your son I believe. Good Luck.

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Thank you, I think you are right, he might have gut issues, big time, he had a hard time as a toddler with belly aches and had too much soy as a kid. He gets tons of protein already but I would love to get Sally's book. – lisa May 17 2012 at 17:18
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He's right at that growth spurt age for boys. I teach 9th graders, so they're 14 when they enter my class in the fall. When I see them again after summer vacation, when they're entering the sophomore year, the change is extraordinary.

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