By adding fat to your child's diet, you can greatly increase calories without increasing the volume of food. This is good news when dealing with tiny tummies and little appetites.

Most adults hear warning bells at the word fat. Research has shown that, for adults, a low-fat diet is the healthiest way to go.

But young children, and especially children with problems gaining weight, need higher amounts of fat to provide enough calories to fuel their greater growth requirements. Later, as growth reaches appropriate levels, the emphasis on fat can be reduced.

Sometimes parents think that a high-protein diet is the key to weight gain. It isn't. Extra protein is not stored as muscle. In fact, diets too high in protein can put a strain on young kidneys and actually be harmful to health. Only a relatively small amount of protein is needed for growth. This should be provided if your child is eating appropriately from the basic food groups: dairy, meat and meat alternatives, fruits and vegetables, and breads and cereals.

Make Every Bite Count
Every meal and every snack provides an occasion to sneak in calories. Don't pass up these golden opportunities. Be sure Every meal and every snack provides an occasion to sneak in calories. Don't pass up these golden opportunities. Be sure to add at least one and possibly several calorie boosters to each food.

If at First You Don't Succeed
Children's tastes change as fast as they do. If your child doesn't like a food, try it again every few-weeks. A previous reject may become a favorite. The more foods your child will eat, the more ways you have to increase calories

Prevent Power Struggles
Although increased calories are important for your child's healthy growth, try to avoid common pitfalls. Don't beg or plead with your child to eat. Don't follow the child around trying to get down "just one more bite." Children quickly will sense your desperation and often respond by refusing to eat altogether. Now they get an even bigger response from you and a vicious cvcle has been created.

Calmly try the suggestions you worked out with your feeding team. If the ideas don't work, discuss new alternatives. Keep in close contact with your child's doctor for routine evaluations of your child's growth.

And Finally . . .

Watch out for signs of diarrhea, which can indicate too much fat too soon. Check with your dietitian for further suggestions and to ensure that your child is still receiving all needed nutrients.

Calorie Boosters that Pack a Punch

For some children, it's important to pack every mouthful with as many calories as possible. Try adding these calorie boosters to your child's foods. Small amounts provide big calorie payoffs!

Butter/Margarine, Vegetable Oil, Mayonnaise
(35 to 4O calories/teaspoon)
Add to baby foods, vegetables, sandwiches, casseroles, soups, rice, pasta, and whatever. These calorie boosters go with almost any food

Wheat Germ
(25 calories/tablespoon)
Wheat germ can be added easily to homemade baked goodies such as pancakes, cookies, and breads. It is also good over yogurt, fruit, and cooked cereals.

Powdered Milk
(25 calories/tablespoon)
Your child won't even know when you add it to ground meat, milk shakes, mashed potatoes, cooked cereals, casseroles, and yogurt.

Sprinkle on Cheese (about 1OO calories/ounce)
Add grated cheese or cheese sauce or sprinkle parmesan on buttered toast, creamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, scrambled eggs, cooked cereals, casseroles, meat, and fish.

Cream Cheese
(5O calories/tablespoon)
Cream cheese makes the start of a good dip for crackers, vegetables, and fruits. It also makes a nice spread for baked breads and buttered muffins

Cooked Egg Yolk
(about 60 calories/yolk)
Cooked egg yolk can be added to all kinds of foods. The egg yolk must be already cooked if it is going to be added to a food that will not be cooked. This is to prevent salmonella infection. The American Heart Association suggests limiting whole eggs to three a week.

Whipping Cream (Heavy)
(8O calories/tablespoon)
Add a touch to drinks or desserts.

Peanut Butter
(1OO calories/tablespoon)
Makes a great spread on some vegetables, crackers, toast, muffins, waffles-but make sure your child has the feeding skills to eat it. Peanut butter also tastes great in milk shakes, cookies, and pudding.

Sour Cream
(25 calories/tablespoon)
Tastes great on potatoes or added to casseroles and sauces.

Avocado
(75 calories per l/4 avocado)
Kids usually like avocados. Try adding them to vegetables, on top of crackers, with meats or beans, and as a guacamole dip.

Salad Dressing
(65-85 calories/tablespoon)
Salad dressings can be used on vegetables and salads and over meats as a cooking sauce. Avoid diet dressings.

Commercial Calorie Supplements (variable)
A variety of commercial high-calorie drinks and puddings are available. They come in different flavors, so try different ones to find your child's favorites. The most common types are Enrich, Ensure, Ensure Plus, and Sustacal. Some high-calorie supplements are nutritionally incomplete and should be used only as additions to your child's diet-not as the main diet.