Salitza Richard, a 31-year-old woman from Dallas, Texas, and her family garnered media attention in April 2023 when she was interviewed about her 19-month-old son, Xaylen Asher Richard, who appeared significantly larger than his age.
According to the boy’s mother, she was concerned about her son’s health due to his rapid growth since birth. At just six months old, Xaylen had already outgrown baby clothes meant for children between 12 to 18 months.
Xaylen had become so large that he was able to wear and share clothes with his older brother, Judah Xander, who was four years old. This was in stark contrast to Xaylen’s birth weight of just eight pounds.
Salitza, who works as a trainer for athletes, likened her youngest son to a “happy bowling ball.” Despite her concerns about his health, she made light of the situation by joking that Xaylen’s slow progress in learning to walk and his large size had helped her build up her bicep muscles!
Even before reaching adulthood, sports teams had begun scouting the boy, as his mother was aware he would likely be exceptionally tall. She expressed amazement at how rapidly he had grown, and every time they visited the doctor, he measured over the 100th percentile.
As a mother of two, Salitza shared that people often wondered how she and her husband, Josiah Richard, who both stood at 5’4 and 5’9, respectively, could have such a large child. Salitza, who believed her son would eventually surpass their height, also disclosed how the doctor had expressed doubts about Xaylen being their child during his two-week check-up:
“She asked us if we were sure we had the right baby, as he always looked older for his age.”
Salitza acknowledges her concerns about her child’s health, as she wonders whether it is healthy for him to be as exceptionally large as he is. Nevertheless, everything appeared to be going well, and the Richards did not anticipate encountering any problems due to their son’s size.
Coping with the Demands of Raising a Child with Rapid Growth
Unlike his brother, Judah consistently measured in the lower percentile, and so he and his younger brother would wear clothes of the same size. Salitza disclosed that she had to frequently switch up clothing sizes and exchange items to accommodate her younger son’s rapidly growing body, saying:
“The rate he is growing is nuts.”
According to Xaylen’s mother, her son was already wearing clothes meant for six-month-old children when he was just one month old. By the time he turned three months old, he was already wearing clothes for six to nine-month-olds, and at six months old, he was wearing items intended for 18-month-olds.
Currently, the young boy wears clothes meant for three-year-olds due to his rapid growth. The trainer speculates that her son’s size may have been a factor in his delayed walking, but he has since started walking and running around, thoroughly enjoying his newfound mobility!
Judah took his first steps when he was ten months old, whereas his younger brother only managed to do so when he was 18 months old. Salitza found it challenging to go out with her son when he couldn’t walk because carrying him for extended periods became exhausting.
Xaylen’s walking abilities, on the other hand, seemed to develop overnight. He started by taking a few steps, and within a few days, he was already running. Due to his significant weight, which was 31 pounds, people often mistook him for an older child, despite him being younger than he appeared. To put this into perspective, Xaylen weighed only one pound less than his older brother, who was notably older.
Salitza also shared a humorous incident where Judah was accidentally run over by his younger brother, but surprisingly, Judah was the one who ended up crying instead of Xaylen. The mother of two described Xaylen as a content and easy-going baby who loves nothing more than being fed.
According to Salitza, Xaylen is not a picky eater and will consume almost anything put in front of him. He would even finish whatever food his brother left behind and still ask for more. People, including their friends, were astonished by Xaylen’s significant size difference compared to Judah’s smaller stature at his age.
How Xaylen Looks Now Compared to Judah
Salitza marked Judah’s fourth birthday on March 13, 2023, and the family had a great time celebrating together. She shared pictures of his Disney-themed party on Instagram, including two images featuring Xaylen alongside his brother. It was apparent from the photos that Xaylen would soon outgrow Judah in height.
Despite the challenges caused by Xaylen’s size, the photo showed the family all looked happy.
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