Our daughters and pcos..

jdreams76 · 07-30-2005, 10:34 PM

Recently i have been thinking alot about my 9yr old daughter and worried that she to may have pcos when she gets older.. I noticed she carries alot of her weight in the mid section and currently is about 15lbs overweight. I dont stress to her that she needs to lose weight because she has held onto that for about 2years now and the doctor said if she doesnt go up then we are ok. And she hasnt. But i am so worried about her! Anyone seen any articles about this? I dont know how to stop her entirely from eating sweets because well she is a kid and i mean once in awhile i can see having a treat. I dontk now anyone have any advice or same concerns?

heather090702 · 07-30-2005, 10:49 PM

I don't have any advice. My daughter is only 7 months old but it is something that I will definitely be on the watch for. My little sis is 9 and she carries some weight in her midsection and my brother who is 13 is having hormone issues. So, it is a definite concern. Good luck with your daughter.

Heather

07-31-2005, 12:32 AM

I worry about my daughter having PCOS too. I've read somewhere it can be linked somehow to placenta weight at birth (not exactly sure how though) and mine weighed 3lbs when I had DD and I don't know if that "normal" or not? I just plan to keep an eye on her and get her to an Endo if I see anything suspicious.

KatCarney · 07-31-2005, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdreams76

Anyone seen any articles about this?

Seen and posted

Go to the RESEARCH ARTICLES forum, and run a search JUST IN THAT FORUM on:

adolescent

After that, run a new one on:

adolescents

(I think that adding the "s" brings up a few more returns. Get your printer ready...)

You might also want to run a search on:

teen

and

teens

paisleystar · 07-31-2005, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdreams76

Recently i have been thinking alot about my 9yr old daughter and worried that she to may have pcos when she gets older.. I noticed she carries alot of her weight in the mid section and currently is about 15lbs overweight. I dont stress to her that she needs to lose weight because she has held onto that for about 2years now and the doctor said if she doesnt go up then we are ok. And she hasnt. But i am so worried about her! Anyone seen any articles about this? I dont know how to stop her entirely from eating sweets because well she is a kid and i mean once in awhile i can see having a treat. I dontk now anyone have any advice or same concerns?

Hey I am worried about the same thing. My daughter just turned 9, she has went from a size 7/8 to a 12/14 in less than a year. She is carrying a lot of extra weight in her stomach. I think she is worried about it as well. I don't want her to be deprived of anything so I don't know what to do either. I also don't want her to be overweight during her teen years. I get many sleepless nights worrying that she is going to have to deal with all of the crap that I have! I hope that it skips her!!!!!!!

rach3kids · 07-31-2005, 06:59 AM

I know how you all feel. I have the same worries. I have 5 year old twin girls and one in particular is very hairy. Even if PCOS doesnt develop just the fact that shes so hairy now, what will it be like when she's a teen. My heart breaks just thinking about it. They are both skinny girls now, but I know that can all change in the matter of one year. So I will be vigilant (without being paranoid)

neecee · 07-31-2005, 11:05 PM

I also have a daughter who is 12 years old....she is over weight.... she is also thick in the middle..
in one year she has grown from 5ft 1in to 5ft 8in. and 148lbs to 175lbs....
thank goodness she did start her period in Feb 2005. she has spotted through the months...Ipray that she continues to grow taller and smaller...and keep having monthly periods....

barneyb · 07-31-2005, 11:40 PM

Growth in adolescence is amazing (10 to 20 inches & 40 to 50 lbs. between ages 10 & 15), so that may be all we're seeing. However, I've posted here before about my concerns for my daughter's health. At age 9, she weighs 123 lbs & is 49 inches tall. She currently wears a 14 1/2 and we can wear the same size shirts - and I'm a 38D! So I'm definitely feelin' ya jdreams!

She's a very active child - swimming, cheerleading, horseback riding, etc. Her face has gotten so round she almost has no chin. She has begun to develop breasts, although I'm not sure if it's hormones or weight. Her waist is definitely larger than her hips - she almost looks pregnant! And she has a lightly fuzzy upper lip, but it's dark in spots - or maybe I'm just looking too hard. She has a few skin tags - I found out about this when she came and asked me what the bump was under her arm. She's also not able to stay dry at night because she sleeps too deeply, which may or may not be related.

Anyway, after agonizing over this, I took her to the family dr. who was rude and said (in front of her) that she was just fat. That ran us both off for a while, but I have interviewed a new pediatrician who seems to be dedicated to helping me figure out how to help my little princess. We're supposed to see her later this month, but I'm gonna have to reschedule due to an unavoidable meeting at work.

I'm really bummed about that because I'm ready to tackle this, whether it's a health problem or just dietary. We're going as soon as we can though!!

Anyway, the point of my rambling was really to let you know you're not alone. If I figure out what to do about it, I'll let ya know!! Good luck!

StarMaiden · 08-01-2005, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barneyb

At age 9, she weighs 123 lbs & is 49 inches tall.

Are you sure you didn't mean 59 inches tall? Forty-nine is just a little bit over four feet tall....thats definitly on the petite end of the height range for a nine year old, especially at that weight. I'm glad she's so active, that'll be a habit that serves her well in her future.

I know it's the case that children who are overweight are exposed more to the hormones that are in our food supply, and that has been implicated in a lot of cases of early development.

I was 63 inches tall and 130 pounds at age 12 when I started my period. That was on the chunky side. I didn't have any excess hair issues until my early twenties. And yet, my PCOS was diagnosed when I was 7. So you can have this condition and not display a lot of the symptoms as a child. I'd glad you moms are being vigilant!

jdreams76 · 08-01-2005, 10:46 AM

Thank you to you all for your responses. Its hard watching her and hearing how kids pic on her

Makes me so angry. Last year a little boy told her she looked like she was having a baby. Kids are so cruel! But i am working with her without her knowing. My eating habits changed have gone mad again since the summer started but i am jumping back into some healthy foods. And i know she wants to because the otherday i asked her if she wantd to go to dairy queen and she said no lets just get some fruit from the store. So we did. So that made me feel good that she is reconizing this all on her own without me making her feel bad ya know.

coolkitty · 08-01-2005, 12:00 PM

I would stress healthy eating and activity, without even mentioning losing weight. You could do aerobics with her, or just go for a walk. Or take a fun, active class together - anything that's fun, so it's more about spending time together than being a chore. Building some muscle will help too, as it helps burn fat.

You are so RIGHT to not make her feel bad about the weight! My mom did that, and it really caused a lot of damage. She wasn't even really trying to make me feel bad, but I've ended up with a lot of issues with food because of it. She just never seemed happy with me when I was overweight. I never felt like I was good enough. Things are better now, but only recently.

shellsalynne · 08-01-2005, 12:55 PM

Hi ladies

My 2 year old (Turns 3 on wednesday) already shows signs. She has the blood sugar drops sometimes. And is built thicker than her siblings, but not fat. She has some issues with her feet, so exercise is difficult right now, and she is so young still. But we see a PA at the DR's office who is REALLY educated about PCOS. SHe told us there is not much to do until she hits puberty, and to watch for the extreme weight gain in early puberty. This made me remember my own difficulties. I was always a small kid, but when I was about 9 I started to chunk out, by the time I was 11, I was wearing a size 12... women's. I did not slim down until I had a gym teacher who made us run varsity laps. And even then, I was still a little fat. The lowest I ever got was 125 (I am 5ft 3) and that was on accident, LOL But watch for the early puberty weight gain. When an average proportioned child suddenly goes to looking fat around the middle. We all know a pot belly is a symptom... and once the pituitary gland starts working, it seems to show up. My DH already takes our 5 yr old for a mini run when he does his cool down, and she LOVES it! Our almost 3 yr old will not be to far behind once we get her feet working properly. My best advice, teach them a love for exercise early. And if you start to see that sudden weight gain, take them to someone who KNOWS about PCOS. Interview if you have to, and ask the Dr. about their knowledge of PCOS, and make sure they know more than just cursory information. And that they are understanding, and willing to treat your child in the best possible way. Catching it early, and teaching them how to take care of their special bodies will help ease the effects in the long term. Because as we all know, once that weight goes on... it is H*** to get rid of, and makes all the other symptoms worse. Make sure they know how to eat right for their bodies unique needs, and explain IN DETAIL why it is so important. Show them some of the topics on the board, or point the side effects out on your own body. It will help them feel better if they know WHY they are like this. If there is a reason for it, then they will not keep blaming themselves for their excess weight. We have all done that... right?

Bottom line, make sure you give them the knowledge and tools you WISH you knew/had at that age. to fight the battle.

*kisses* to all the little ones following in our footsteps. hug them close mommies, and keep them safe.

yania · 08-01-2005, 01:06 PM

It would definantly be something to watch for. Granted I am young and do not haev any kids yet, but I am following the same path as my mom did. She started with cysts when she was 13, and had everything taken out after I was born. She feels that if she never had me then I wouldn't be going through any of these problems now. But if she never had me, then where would she be right. :p I am doing everything that I can to get healthy, and when I do have kids, I haev gone in and out of phases where I do not want a girl, because I would not want them to be going through all this as well. But they are also looking in to see if a guy can be a carrier in general, so in either way, it is something that will definantly be something to thing of in the future.

I would say just to continue what your doing, slowly change the eatting habits to the good ones, so that wa when she is older it will not be that much of a struggle for her. Wish you the best of luck. Keep your hopes up

tomsqtee123 · 08-02-2005, 01:55 PM

I know exactly how you guys feel cause I also have a 12 year old daughter and she wears a size 16. She carries her weight also in the middle but so far she has had regular periods. I feel so bad for her sometimes thinking that she will end up having PCOS and then I blame myself for it cause I have it. Her doctor once told her that the stretch marks she had on her stomach was because she was FAT and that she needed to lose that weight otherwise by the time she is 20 she will be over 200 pounds.

I was SO MAD when he said that to her and he also made a comment to me saying that I could lose some weight myself.

I also have a 3 year old daughter who is a little on the heavier side and I think maybe she will develope PCOS too and I just hope that by the time my girls are older that they would have develope some kind of cure for it.

barneyb · 08-02-2005, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarMaiden

Are you sure you didn't mean 59 inches tall? Forty-nine is just a little bit over four feet tall....thats definitly on the petite end of the height range for a nine year old, especially at that weight.

StarMaiden, I meant 49 inches. She's about on average with the height of her friends, but definitely exceeds them in weight. I was looking at pictures the other day and it wasn't until about 2nd grade that this started. In early 3rd grade, we went to the dr. because it was looking like it wasn't a stage. That's when the dr. told us (me & DD) that she was fat and needed to eat less & exercise more. After that, we were both hesitant to see a different dr. But she is showing signs of entering puberty, so we're headed to a new pediatrician later this month. Hopefully we'll get some help. I don't mind becoming strict about food if that's what I have to do, but I'm already watching her food so carefully. . . Anyway, I'm going to the dr. with any research I can find, then and now pictures, and a food diary. Any other suggestions for what might help us determine what's going on?