Having a healthy weight throughout childhood is vital for the development of every child. Just as obesity can hamper growth, being constantly underweight can also prove detrimental to development. Parents can get a growth and development chart from their child’s pediatrician and use it as a guide to track the weight loss/gain in their child. Often parents get confused as to why their child is not gaining weight even though they are doing everything on their part to ensure a healthy growth. It is important to understand the causes of a child being underweight in order to implement useful and effective remedies for the condition. So what are the causes of a child being underweight?

To begin with, a child who was born small or premature usually has trouble maintaining a healthy growth rate throughout childhood. Their bodies are not as equipped as those of normal born children to grow and develop at an acceptable rate which is why children who were born premature require special attention. Being underweight could also be a hereditary trait that the child inherited in his/her genes. It could be that one of the parents or maybe the grandparents have always been of a thin built and this genetic aspect passed on to the child.

Even children have lifestyles and can suffer if their habits are not healthy. It may be that you child has low appetite and is not consuming enough food. Even if the child is having enough food, it may be lacking in nutritional value which is necessary for a healthy growth. Children also need to balance their physical activity level and the amount of rest they get. If you have a very active child but he/she does not sleep enough, it will lead to the child being underweight. Children who are suffering from mental stress and anxiety also tend to lose a lot of weight and can reduce a child’s appetite. Finally, the child may be suffering from physical disorders that can be treated medically. Any one or combination of the above causes may be the reason why your child is underweight.