Hi

It is very rare that children will retain water unless there is another underlying problem such as kidney problems. A visit and discussion with her doctor, and some simple blood tests would rule that out. In the mean time, here's some good information I found doing some research for you:

For starters, you need to find out if your child is truly overweight. Your pediatrician is the best person to determine whether your child has a weight problem. Physicians will measure the weight and height, and calculate the body mass index (BMI) to find out if your child’s growth parameters are in a healthy range.

It is not unusual for a child to grow in spurts, and the physician could determine if your child will grow into a normal weight. The physician may make changes to your family’s activity and eating habits.

Psychological disorders such as eating disorders and depression may also be related to being overweight. Your pediatrician will determine if there are any uncommon underlying syndromes or medical causes for obesity. The physician will help you set reasonable weight management goals and discuss a program to achieve those goals.

Many of the problems related to being overweight begin in childhood. Increased cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and diabetes occur more frequently in overweight children and adolescents. Sleep apnea, and bone and joint disorders are also seen in these children. Unfortunately, discrimination against overweight children begins early in childhood and gets progressively worse as they get older. Overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults. The likelihood of becoming an overweight adult increases the longer the child remains overweight.

You and your pediatrician need to be proactive and intervene early when necessary.

Children should never be placed on a restrictive diet to lose weight. The only exception will be if the doctor supervises one for medical reasons. Limiting what children eat may be harmful to their health and interfere with their growth and development. Usually, a combination of an appropriately proportioned healthy diet and regular physical activity help children achieve a healthy weight for their height and age over time.

That said, here are a few tips to healthier eating. Reducing the fat content in your family’s diet is a good way to cut calories without depriving your child of nutrients. Low fat foods include eating low fat dairy products, poultry without the skin and lean meats, and low fat bread or cereal. However, fats should not be restricted in the diet of those younger than 2 years of age. Eliminate fruit juices and sodas. They have little nutritional value and provide a lot of empty calories. Offer water during snack time. Many children eat when they are actually thirsty, and cold water is the best fluid to satisfy thirst. Encourage your children to eat slowly as this helps them detect the feeling of fullness and prevents overeating. Also, encourage conversation during mealtime to not only connect with your children, but to slow the pace of eating as well. Offer a variety of healthful foods and involve your children in the preparation of meals and snacks. Remove cookies, crackers, and candy from the home, and offer healthy snacks such as fruit and low- fat popcorn instead.

Make these changes as a family. Imposing a particular change in a child’s diet without the participation of the others in the family is doomed for failure. No program for weight loss or maintenance in children will be successful unless the family is ready for change and all the caregivers are involved.

The key is to balance the foods you eat with physical activity, and maintain your weight. Unfortunately, up to 50 percent of children do not exercise vigorously on a regular basis. This problem is more pronounced with girls as compared to boys. In addition, one quarter of all children watch up to 3 hours of television each day. This leads to increased snacking and prolonged periods of inactivity. Children who spend a significant amount of time in sedentary activities usually have parents that do the same.

Physical activity should be a family affair. Parents need to be a role model for their children. If parents are physically active, their children are more likely to be physically active and continue to stay active for the rest of their lives. Daily physical activity for children should become a priority for parents equal to brushing their teeth or feeding them breakfast.

So here are a few suggestions ... Try to become more active throughout the day, and focus on having fun while you do those activities. Walk up the stairs instead of the elevator, and walk around or do some activity during your school or work break. Reduce the amount of time you spend watching TV and in other sedentary activities. Even doing chores around the home like weeding the garden, walking the dog, mowing the lawn and cleaning the house burns up calories. Take a walk with the family after dinner instead of watching TV. Plan at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity like brisk walking, jogging or dancing for the family on most days.

Try not to set children apart because of their weight issues, but focus on changing the family’s physical activity and eating habits.

http://www.pedialliance.com/index.cfm?action=articles&drill=subArticle&uid=0&sub=263

Hope that helps,

Kerry