December 22, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Ringwood, New Jersey, USA:
My five month old son has excessive weight gain. He weighs 25 pounds, but was seven pounds nine ounces birth. He can be shaky and tired a lot and have saturated diapers. A few people have asked me if he was checked for diabetes, which he wasn’t. Should I get him checked? I was reading that the symptoms are weight loss and not gain. Why are they asking me then? I can add that we do not have big people in our immediate family.
Answer:
The symptoms of weight gain in this age group are not likely to be diabetes. More often, weight gain to the degree you’re suggesting is due to overfeeding or in very rare cases, genetic syndromes associated with weight gain. In either case, your son’s pediatrician is the best resource for helping to determine if this weight gain is anything to worry about. I would suggest discussing your concerns with your son’s pediatrician.
MSB
