Normally, growing kids and teens gain weight. If they lose weight or aren't gaining weight as expected, it's important to understand why. Your health care provider talked to you and your child and did an exam. They gave you instructions to help find out why your child is losing weight. Follow up as instructed to make sure your child is gaining weight normally again.

Follow your health care provider's instructions for:

• Recording (in a notebook or on your phone) what your child eats each day. Include what each food or drink is and how much of it your child ate or drank. 
• Whether you should add high-calorie foods to your child's diet (such as cheese, peanut butter, avocado, cream, and full-fat yogurt). They may also recommend a nutritional shake or other supplement.
• Whether your child should see a nutritionist/dietitian and any other medical specialists.
• Whether your child needs to take any vitamin or mineral supplements.
• When to follow up.

Your child:

• Has other symptoms, such as fever, cough, tiredness, extreme hunger or thirst, peeing more than usual, belly pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or blood in the poop
• Keeps losing weight
• Shows signs of an eating disorder, such as eating very little, eating a lot at one time (binge eating), an extreme focus on weight or fear of gaining weight, or thinking their body looks different than it does
• Seems sad or depressed
• Seems dehydrated; signs include a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, peeing less often than usual, dark pee, and crying with little or no tears

What causes weight loss in kids? Weight loss can happen because of things like:

• Not eating enough food
• Certain medicines
• Stress
• Pain from dental cavities or reflux (where acid comes up from the stomach)
• Drinking too much juice 
• Not liking certain textures or smells
• An infection
• Eating disorders
• Other medical problems that either prevent the absorption of calories from food or cause the body to use more energy than usual

Where can families get help with food? Government programs (such as WIC, SNAP, National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the National Hunger Hotline) can provide food at home and/or school. Ask your health care provider, talk to a social worker, ask at your child's school, or go online to find these programs. You also can look online or in your local newspaper for community programs, such as local food banks and meal programs.