Question
The two-month-old girl has not gained any weight since being hospitalized for suspected sepsis one month ago, and her weight has not increased since discharge. She drinks about 80 milliliters of formula milk eight times a day, and has a bowel movement one to two times a day, which is normal. However, her weight has not increased beyond 3.05 kilograms from when she was discharged at 3 kilograms. I would like to ask why her weight isn’t increasing and if there is any risk of Sequelae.
Answer
Newborns are about 50 centimeters tall at birth and typically grow 3 to 3.5 centimeters per month, reaching 10 to 12 centimeters by four months and about 1.5 times their birth length by one year. Newborns have a small stomach capacity, so they need to be fed in small amounts multiple times a day, and they are fed more frequently than older children. A baby’s stomach is in a horizontal position, which changes to vertical when they start walking; the smooth muscle development in the stomach is not yet complete, leading to poor food absorption. Additionally, it is recommended to expose the child to sunlight more often to promote calcium absorption.