My seven year old son, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two years ago, weighed 62 pounds at the time of diagnosis, now weighs 60 pounds, and his height for his weight is normal per the growth charts. Is this normal?

It is not normal to not gain weight in two years. Unfortunately, you have not provided enough information such as how much insulin your son is on and an assessment of overall glucose control (hemoglobin A1c).

Causes for poor weight gain in a child with diabetes can stem from many things, the most important and most likely of which is poor glucose control. Other possibilities that immediately come to mind include an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), celiac disease, or even adrenal gland deficiency. These are conditions with a high rate of occurrence in people with type�1 diabetes.

Your concern seems very valid and should be asked of your son’s diabetes specialist. If your son is not seeing a pediatric diabetes specialist, then I think you should ask for a referral.

DS