Thought I might hit it right! All the questions I asked are behaviors typical of a low tone child. Sometimes kids "look" strong to parents. Kids are programmed to succeed and are masters at compensating for weaknesses when motivated to do something. So, a lot of times they are able to accomplish a task, but by compensating or working harder. We don't always notice the means or the effort to get to the end product. I'll bet that improving his core stability will ultimately make handwriting much easier. Although his hand may NEVER keep up with his brain!!!!!


I just recently was looking for guidelines about protein needs for kids. I found the following info at a website about kids nutrition http://nutritionforkids.com/emlnews/FK-JulyAug00.htm

This indicates that a 50 pound child would need about 22 grams of protein in his diet per day. Kids with lower muscle tone need more than that. If you have concerns about how much is too much, check with your doctor or a nutritionist. The nutritionist who taught a class I attended about this topic suggested that most kids with mild to moderate low tone benefit from drinking just one protein drink per day, in addition to protein in their diets. A typical protein drink has 20 grams in one scoop of powder.


"The following values reflect the 2002 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) updates from the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.

Age Recommended Protein Intake
(grams/kg body weight/day)

Birth to 6 months 1.52 grams
6 months to 1 year 1.5 grams
1 to 3 years 1.1 grams
4 to 13 years 0.95 grams
14 to 18 years 0.85 grams

Source: Dietary Reference Intakes: Macronutrients, Institutes of Medicine, 2002

To convert a child's weight to kilograms (kg), divide weight in pounds by 2.2. For instance, a 79 pound 10 year-old would need around 34 grams of protein per day (79 divided by 2.2, multiplied times .95)

For reference, a cup of milk or yogurt has about 8 grams of protein, 1 egg provides 6 grams, 2 ounces of lean deli meat provides 20 grams and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 7 grams of protein. Protein is also found in plant-based foods including beans, grains, nuts, seeds and many vegetables.

Note: This article was updated on 11/8/2007."

I'll be looking for an update as to how things work out. Take care!