dear Lactnetters,
                I have just had a call from a mother of a 9mth old baby boy
with achondroplasia (dwarfism). She is very concerned about no weight gain
since 14th January.He has not grown in length either. Head circumference was
not checked.The baby, Jack, has had sleep apnoea since he was 2mths old. His
specialist has told her that he may need sleep studies and then an
adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy. He also told her that the lack of weight
gain was due to the sleep apnoea-- the extra efffort breathing to make up
for the periods of not breathing using all his energies-- He is a definite
mouth breather.
        jack is only taking small amounts of solid foods and those have
decreased lately. He is having between 6-10 breastfeeds per day, last one
between 9 or 11pm and first one at about 6.30 am. has only slept through the
last week or so. He has a very snuffly nose and this is relieved by periodic
nasal drops.
        I have focussed on helping her to concentrate on increasing the
number and quality of breastfeeds daily, getting the baby checked and
weighed at the baby health centre as usual in case there was a difference
between the scales at the doctors rooms, the usual sorts of things we
suggest in order to boost supply/weight gain. We have also had a prolonged
period of very hot weather which altered his normal suckling practices, but
these have now returned to the usual.
        I do not know how achondroplasia affects babies: are they more prone
to nasal difficulties and what is the likelihood that the breathing efforts
are expending a great deal of energy leading to lack of weight gain?  What
sort of weight gain patterns do these babies have? Does anybody have any
information that I would be able to give her? I have her permission to ask
you. It is a pretty lonely mothering task she has. I thank you in advance,
Ruth Leon. RN. RM IBCLC