Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) UPDATE IN POST #39 I took both of my kids in for physicals today and my son's height was in the 95th percentile. He has always been in the 50th - 70th percentile since he was a baby and that fits in with the height of my husband, father, fil, but over the last year he grew 5" and gained 15 lbs. My son started puberty on the early side -- 9 1/2 or 10. He is now 11 1/2. He is currently 5'2". The pediatrician told me he may only grow a couple of more inches!! I said that couldn't be because then he would only be 5'4" - 5'5" as an adult and there isn't a single male on either side of our family who is under 5'9". She said that when kids hit puberty early, it can mean they don't reach their full genetic potential for height. I didn't say anything else because I didn't want to upset my son. Later on, she looked at his growth chart again and told me that maybe he would be in the 75th percentile, but there is no way he would stay in the 95th. He's only in the 95th because of the growth spurt he had. Well, duh, I didn't expect him to be 6'8". At the 75th, or even the 50th %, he would be around the height we would expect. Anyway, even though she said this, both my husband and I were upset enough about her initial comment that we looked up growth charts online last night. If ds only grows another 2 or 3", he will be in the 3 - 5th percentile. Does anyone know if that would be a common outcome for a child just because they hit puberty a little on the early side? I think this whole thing is so upsetting to us because my son has a lot of food allergies and has been on restricted diets all his life. He eats lots of meat, fruit, rice, potatoes and some veggies, but he is restricted from gluten, dairy, nuts and fish. He was also allergic to eggs for a number of years. Lisa Edited March 31, 2011 by LisaTheresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) Easy for me to say - but - don't worry about it. My DH was almost exactly like your son and he grew to 6' 2" by the age of 14yo. Kids are unique, and doctors don't know everything. ;) ETA: My eldest is going the same way... although I don't think she'll quite reach 6' 2"! But at 11yo she's already 5' 5". Edited March 31, 2011 by Hedgehog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHDeb Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 They can order an xray of his hand to determine how close the growth plates are to being fused which determines if he is done growing. You may want to seek an opinion from an endocrinologist. My oldest son hit puberty very early, he was also on Adderall (which I found out later can affect growth). We didn't find out until he was 16 or so that he would not grow any taller and he is only 5' 3.5" tall at 20 years old. It was a hard thing to tell a young man... This is all - of course - my own experience and I'm in no way an expert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I've heard what your pediatrician is saying...however, I think even if they hit puberty early, there's still a lot of room to grow - especially for boys. My 9 yro has hit puberty and she's 4'6" (maybe an inch or two taller). I'm guessing she's not going to be 4' tall as an adult. I'm sure she'll keep growing. I don't know. These kids are hitting puberty so early, I don't think the doctors know what's going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 My boys are on the very small side, and with my oldest we are supposed to get him into his endocrinologist if he shows any side of puberty because they would need to do something (probably growth hormone treatment), because the growth plates start closing. I have no experience with kids one the other end of the growth chart or early puberty, but I would probably contact an endocrinologist to see what they say. Though I know quite a few males who grew their senior year in high school or even early on in college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Easy for me to say - but - don't worry about it. My DH was almost exactly like your son and he grew to 6' 2" by the age of 14yo. Kids are unique, and doctors don't know everything. ;) ETA: My eldest is going the same way... although I don't think she'll quite reach 6' 2"! But at 11yo she's already 5' 5". But girls stop growing earlier than boys. And generally, once girls have their first period, they don't grow very much more. Generally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 They can order an xray of his hand to determine how close the growth plates are to being fused which determines if he is done growing. You may want to seek an opinion from an endocrinologist.My oldest son hit puberty very early, he was also on Adderall (which I found out later can affect growth). We didn't find out until he was 16 or so that he would not grow any taller and he is only 5' 3.5" tall at 20 years old. It was a hard thing to tell a young man... This is all - of course - my own experience and I'm in no way an expert! How early did he hit puberty and was his final height a huge drop off the growth chart from where he had been up until puberty? Thanks! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Unless they do an x-ray and see that he truly has stopped, you really don't know. My brother was the tallest boy among his friends in 7th grade, and had his full growth. He's not short (5'8"), but he said that it was unnerving to have his friends shooting up after him. DH grew several inches AFTER high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I took both of my kids in for physicals today and my son's height was in the 95th percentile. He has always been in the 50th - 70th percentile since he was a baby and that fits in with the height of my husband, father, fil, but over the last year he grew 5" and gained 15 lbs. My son started puberty on the early side -- 9 1/2 or 10. He is now 11 1/2. He is currently 5'2". The pediatrician told me he may only grow a couple of more inches!! I said that couldn't be because then he would only be 5'4" - 5'5" as an adult and there isn't a single male on either side of our family who is under 5'9". She said that when kids hit puberty early, it can mean they don't reach their full genetic potential for height. I didn't say anything else because I didn't want to upset my son. Later on, she looked at his growth chart again and told me that maybe he would be in the 75th percentile, but there is no way he would stay in the 95th. He's only in the 95th because of the growth spurt he had. Well, duh, I didn't expect him to be 6'8". At the 75th, or even the 50th %, he would be around the height we would expect. Anyway, even though she said this, both my husband and I were upset enough about her initial comment that we looked up growth charts online last night. If ds only grows another 2 or 3", he will be in the 3 - 5th percentile. Does anyone know if that would be a common outcome for a child just because they hit puberty a little on the early side? I think this whole thing is so upsetting to us because my son has a lot of food allergies and has been on restricted diets all his life. He eats lots of meat, fruit, rice, potatoes and some veggies, but he is restricted from gluten, dairy, nuts and fish. He was also allergic to eggs for a number of years. Lisa :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I am sorry you got such distressing news! Maybe you can follow up with the ped privately, on the phone and tell her your issues and that you want to do the tests other posters suggest to follow thru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm trying to figure out what specifically you're upset about. I'm not being snide here, I'm serious, because I don't understand the problem. Are you angry that he might not grow or that your ped said so? If he stops growing there's nothing you can really do about it, so why bother being upset? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Most of the time guys don't reach our full height until we are about 23. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Just want to add that I think comparing girls' growth patterns to boys' growth patterns is like comparing pears to bananas. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Most of the time guys don't reach our full height until we are about 23. It's true that boys can have a secondary growth spurt in their late teens early 20s. One thing that can derail that is steroid use in teenage years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm trying to figure out what specifically you're upset about. I'm not being snide here, I'm serious, because I don't understand the problem. Are you angry that he might not grow or that your ped said so? If he stops growing there's nothing you can really do about it, so why bother being upset? Well, I'm not angry. I never said I was angry. I said I was upset. Clearly, being 5'4" is a difficult thing for a boy and I had no reason to think my son would have to struggle with that. I think most people can understand that. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 Unless they do an x-ray and see that he truly has stopped, you really don't know. My brother was the tallest boy among his friends in 7th grade, and had his full growth. He's not short (5'8"), but he said that it was unnerving to have his friends shooting up after him. DH grew several inches AFTER high school. Thanks, GVA. This is actually the kind of growth pattern I expected to see with my son because it's exactly what happened to both my husband and my dad. They grew early on and were the tallest kids and then their friends surpassed then. But they both wound up being average heights - 5'9" or so. Also, he just had an x-ray last week because he broke his wrist. I wonder if the orthopedist could tell me anything about his growth plates when I go back next week for the follow up visit? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm no expert, so you should probably ignore me. :tongue_smilie: There's a big difference between official Precocious Puberty and being on the early side. My 12.5yo has been on the early side. He's shot up nearly 5" in the past year, nearly 3.5" the previous year, and he shows no signs of slowing down. His father is 6'2" and I'm 5'8". I'm not worried about him in the least. As a Tall Girl, I always wondered what would happen to the Short Boys I went to school with, since my height played a big part in how I viewed potential boyfriends/mates. According to Facebook, they all made out just fine!!! Some hit a late spurt, some married petite women, and some got their Amazons. ;) Oh, and I went on to marry a man 2" below my "height requirement". :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I am sorry you got such distressing news! Maybe you can follow up with the ped privately, on the phone and tell her your issues and that you want to do the tests other posters suggest to follow thru. I am definitely going to do this today. There was no opportunity to speak with her privately (that's a whole other post). I specifically want to ask her if she misspoke when she said 2 - 3" or if it would be typical to fall from the 50th/75th percentile to the 5th. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 First, when you think about how tall your children are likely to be, you can not look at just the males in your families. The females in your family are as likely to give an indication of relative height. Height is not a characteristic that is passed just on the Y chromosome. So if you are 4'11" and your husband is tallish, your children of either gender could still be on the short side. How tall are your mothers? Grandmothers? Sisters? I don't know that my experience has been what she indicated. I think this came up once before on this forum, and I read around the internet a little and was left with the idea that the only concern about early puberty and height is when puberty is truly precocious. I think for boys, that would be before 9, and one or two signs of puberty isn't indicative of precocious puberty. My tend to think this is not something you should worry too much about, but I might consult with a specialist just to ease your mind, and your son's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Well, I'm not angry. I never said I was angry. I said I was upset. Clearly, being 5'4" is a difficult thing for a boy and I had no reason to think my son would have to struggle with that. I think most people can understand that. Lisa You're right you didn't say you were angry. I misread. Sorry about that. I'm still not seeing the issue though. If he stops growing, you can't do anything about it. It's not your fault, it just is what it is. I think if you dwell on it, it could become an issue for him though. If he is only 5'4", well, so what? I know a lot of short guys. Besides, at this point isn't it just speculation? Kids can grow at any time, especially boys. You never know, he could stop growing at 13 or 14 and then shoot up again at 20. When Indy was born, he was in the 2nd% for weight and 5th% for height. He's now in the 95th% for weight and completely off the charts in height. He could stop growing at any time though. If he's tall, great, if not, that's okay too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 dh hit puberty early for a boy. He was his full height at 13--5'11". I don't think you need to worry. My ds also hit puberty early and he is also 5'11". He thinks he's going to get taller, but hasn't grown in over 2 years. He's 16. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 You have every right to be upset. I've had similar issues with one of my daughters, and people can tell you all day long that they know lots of short men who are "just fine," and it is what it is, blah blah blah, but you are perfectly justified in being upset learning that your son might not reach his full natural height. A pediatric endocrinologist can read a bone x-ray of his wrist and estimate the difference (if any) between his bone age and his chronological age. If there is a significant difference, and it is not too late, girls, at least, can be treated with a drug to temporarily stop puberty. Stopping puberty gives the bones time to catch up. I don't know if it is the same for boys, but when your ped blithely announces that your son is going to be 5'4", you need to follow up with someone who can give you more concrete details. Frankly, for her to announce that and not immediately refer you to an endocrinologist is irresponsible on her part. The drug to stop puberty doesn't give you height that isn't there; it just keeps the bones from closing up before they reach their full potential for growth. Best of luck to you and your son. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 You're right you didn't say you were angry. I misread. Sorry about that. I'm still not seeing the issue though. If he stops growing, you can't do anything about it. It's not your fault, it just is what it is. I think if you dwell on it, it could become an issue for him though. If he is only 5'4", well, so what? I know a lot of short guys. Besides, at this point isn't it just speculation? Kids can grow at any time, especially boys. You never know, he could stop growing at 13 or 14 and then shoot up again at 20. When Indy was born, he was in the 2nd% for weight and 5th% for height. He's now in the 95th% for weight and completely off the charts in height. He could stop growing at any time though. If he's tall, great, if not, that's okay too. It's not a "so what", though, for most males. Unfortunately, it's very, very difficult. Whether or not the OP dwells on it, her son will notice and will most likely need help working through it. My dh is on the smaller side, so it doesn't bother me, but it was very difficult for him as he was growing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinaPagnato Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 My ds started going through puberty when he was around 10, shot up heads above his friends, and is still very tall---and growing! He's 14, and 5'11". Though the rate of growth has slowed a bit over the last year, he's still growing (as the size 13 shoes indicate), and I think that by the time he finishes he should be over 6', which is what his dad is. I have heard what your ped said in the past, but I think there are way too many variables to make a hard and fast rule. At least this is what we've experienced. And I get why you're upset, but I think it's too soon to make a call on this one. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 It's not a "so what", though, for most males. Unfortunately, it's very, very difficult. Whether or not the OP dwells on it, her son will notice and will most likely need help working through it. My dh is on the smaller side, so it doesn't bother me, but it was very difficult for him as he was growing up. :iagree: My DH and I were the same height when we met (5'7") and people gave/give him a hard time about being short. :glare: Now he looks a bit shorter than me.:confused: He has problems with the discs in his back and I keep telling him it's making him shrink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 You have every right to be upset. I've had similar issues with one of my daughters, and people can tell you all day long that they know lots of short men who are "just fine," and it is what it is, blah blah blah, but you are perfectly justified in being upset learning that your son might not reach his full natural height. A pediatric endocrinologist can read a bone x-ray of his wrist and estimate the difference (if any) between his bone age and his chronological age. If there is a significant difference, and it is not too late, girls, at least, can be treated with a drug to temporarily stop puberty. Stopping puberty gives the bones time to catch up. I don't know if it is the same for boys, but when your ped blithely announces that your son is going to be 5'4", you need to follow up with someone who can give you more concrete details. Frankly, for her to announce that and not immediately refer you to an endocrinologist is irresponsible on her part. The drug to stop puberty doesn't give you height that isn't there; it just keeps the bones from closing up before they reach their full potential for growth. Best of luck to you and your son. Terri I totally agree with the bolded. I'm not so sure I like the announcing as fact in front of your kiddo without something to back it up either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHDeb Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 How early did he hit puberty and was his final height a huge drop off the growth chart from where he had been up until puberty? Thanks! Lisa He was about 9 or so when he hit puberty. Began shaving by 12-ish. And yes.. he had always been on the high end of the charts as a younger child - he was 8lb 10oz and 21.5 inches when he was born. He had what one doctor referred to as a growth splutter after a spurt and that was it. At 15-16 he was fully his adult size as the growth plates had all fused - he will be 21 this summer. His pediatrician did an x-ray of his hand and referred us to the endocrinologist for confirmation. That doctor told us that depending on when they discover a growth abnormality in a child the only real option generally is shots of growth hormones over time which don't always work and can cause other side effects/problems. I don't think we'd have gone that route if we'd known earlier... it's just a bit too scary to us to play with that sort of thing over an inch or two of height. He had a hard time with it at first (what guy wouldn't?), but as we are Christians, determined that God doesn't make mistakes & there is a reason for everything, finally coming to the point that he believes that he is just as tall as God needs him to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I would ask for a referral to a pediatric endocrinologist. It may take several months to get an appointment. Your orthopedist should be able to tell you a bone age, but it needs to be an x-ray of the non-dominant hand. Asking for more information is not a bad thing and you should not feel bad about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 DH grew several inches AFTER high school. This happened to my DH, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 LisaTeresa, I understand your concern. Young men do not want to dwell on the fear of not being "tall enough." At 16, my oldest is 5'8", well adjusted and not a worrier, but still is wishing for a late growth spurt. So our guys do think about this. Especially when a girl they appreciate has a couple of inches on them. From our reading, men continue to grow and change into their early twenties. This is reassuring for my son. In the meantime, when he frets, I remind him that he is already taller than most of the girls he knows. Too bad his peer group is all 90% in height! As for your son, I hope the doc didn't go on and on in front of him. When my oldest went through this pre-puberty, we tried to keep it light and act as though his x-rays and other tests were sort of routine checks. It was easy because he was the oldest. If you do decide to go with bone age testing via the hand x-ray, please have the scan interpreted by a pediatric endocrinologist. We got a bit of a runaround/scare from our regular pediatrician which was put to rest once we saw the specialist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 The doctor told my parents that I was going to turn out short enough to legally be a midget. I am 5' 7". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I have a dear friend who graduated high school around 5'4" and grew 5 inches in his early 20s! His parents are short too. He didn't expect to grow more, but he did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 If you're worried, ask for the bone age x-ray (you want it read by someone *experienced* in doing this!!!), and if it's remotely ahead of his chronological age, get a referral to an endocrinologist. If it's at (w/in 6 months or so) or below his chronological age, you can feel pretty well reassured. I've been through this for my dd, on the opposite side of things. She's teeny-tiny and we needed to make sure that she would keep growing... But at your son's age and point in puberty, better to know *now* while you still have choices to make. Or to be reassured. It's definitely reassuring if this is the same growth pattern that your husband and other male family members have followed. There's more to the story than *just* a particular child's growth chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I don't know if I'd trust the ped. I'd want to talk to an endo and one that has a reputation for being experienced with this issue. For what it's worth, I knew a guy that shaving in 5th grade - he was shorter than the other boys at the time, he was 6"1 in 8th grade. Dh was small all through junior high and early high school and he'd obviously hit puberty so he was thought to the the anomaly of his family of tall men. He started growing his junior year, grew through college, and put on one inch the first year we were married (he was 23). That last inch made him exactly 6 ft. tall. However, I also know a young gal that probably should have seen an endo and been treated. She's 16 now and only 4 ft. 8" tall. It's very, very hard for her to get clothes that fit and look her age, she may not be able to drive a car because though she can put the seat close enough to reach the pedals, she can't see over the dash board well enough, and she still hasn't gotten her monthly fairy and nothing seems to be helping with that so she's probably going to be infertile. Normally, getting it too early is the problem. So, obviously she had a lot of hormonal problems going on, but her parents didn't think it was a big deal. So, it could be nothing, it could be something...I think an ped endo with lots of experience is the opinion you want. I also think it was irresponsible of the ped to say something distressing like that in front of your child. Grrrr.... Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 ...She's 16 now and only 4 ft. 8" tall. ...she still hasn't gotten her monthly fairy and nothing seems to be helping with that so she's probably going to be infertile... Has *she* been to see an endocrinologist *now*? 'Cause it may be that she's just later to develop and will continue to grow for another year or two before she hits puberty. With dd, we're told that she won't likely hit menarche until her mid-to-late teens, but this is *good* because it means she'll keep growing until then. (If she hits menarche in the 11-13 range, we've got a problem, 'cause then she would be very unlikely ever to get to 5' tall.) ... Obviously your young friend could have other issues going on as well, but if she isn't already, I'd strongly encourage her parents to get her seen by a pediatric endo *now*. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoundAbout Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I definitely think its ok to be upset. For some reasons peds have the ability to unnerve even the best of us, especially when its something not expected. Last week I got told that my son was borderline underweight even though he's above the 70th percentile because when averaged with his 95th percentile height it gives him an extremely low BMI. I knew he was super skinny, but its quite another thing to have it commented on by a doctor. I think if it would ease your mind to go ahead and have his growth plates x-rayed and examined. I have some orthopedic issues and had many X-rays in childhood - they pretty much nailed what my height would be, and at a very early age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 As Auntie M suggested, I'd go to the specialist to get more accurate information. There are things which can be done to increase height, even when it's due to genetics. So depending on the results you get, and how your son feels about the results, you may want to consider medical intervention. But I wouldn't start worrying based on what your pediatrician said. Each person is different in their growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2read Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 One of mine started puberty very young and grew more during that time than her sisters, so she's where I would have predicted her to be if she hadn't started puberty early. Make sure he gets plenty of sleep and read up on Growth hormone secretion, sleep and exercise. My husband told one of my sons that he would be short because he didn't sleep and sure enough, he's the shortest and should have been 2 inches taller according to original estimates. During puberty he would stay up till midnight and get up at 7 as that was part of our routine. I wish now I had known about the facts about sleep and growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) Thanks so much for all the encouraging words and reassurances and to those of you who have shared your experiences with me about your own children. I can't express how much that means to me. I called and spoke with the pediatrician this morning and she said he is in tanner 4 of puberty and that could mean he will only grow another couple of inches. Of course, she said he could stay in tanner 4 for a year and maybe (if he's really lucky) grow 5 more inches during that time and then another two after. She also said that none of this may hold true for him because every kid is different. She said a pediatric endo wouldn't do anything for him because he did not experience precocious puberty, but was just on the early side. I asked about an x-ray and she felt it was sure to show advanced bone age since he was in tanner 4. My husband will take my son to his follow up appointment with the orthopedist next week (for his broken wrist) and see if they can give us any insight on his bone age and then if there is reason for concern we may follow up with a pediatric endo. Other than that, it is out of my hands and I will just hope for the best for this wonderful, special boy that I love so dearly. Lisa Edited March 31, 2011 by LisaTheresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Quit worrying about stuff you can't do anything about. He'll be as tall as he's going to be. Your ped's opinion on this particular subject won't determine his growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Wolf shot up 4 or 5 inches after he was 18. It does happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Abbeyej, They took her to an endo, once, this past fall. Didn't like him and didn't go look for anyone else. I think they didn't like the fact that he told them they'd waited far too long to do something and that she had some major issues and might end up infertile. Both parents come from a family background of a long standing tradition of believing that all doctors everywhere are quacks and especially specialists who they believe are only in the medical profession to swindle people out of money. GRRR....I know all of this because I tutor the young lady and she is very upset about it. Now, her dad lost his job and they don't have any medical benefits. I guarantee you they don't have the income to pursue it so nothing will be done even if they change their minds. It was gently suggested by a deacon in the church, that they see if the children qualify for state medical insurance. OOOOOOHHH boy, big can of worms! Huge can of flesh eating worms! That's a mistake no one will make again. I feel bad for her because it's not just about height...that is, if you ask me, given what that first endo said, the least of her worries. However, the height issue does definitely bother her. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 There's a reason I prefer GP's to Peds...not a single Ped we've ever used has taken the time to look at family history, let alone ask about it. GP's are more likely to listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5kidsforME Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm trying to figure out what specifically you're upset about. I'm not being snide here, I'm serious, because I don't understand the problem. Are you angry that he might not grow or that your ped said so? If he stops growing there's nothing you can really do about it, so why bother being upset? :iagree: My dh is 5'6 and I love him just the way he is. ;) His parents are shorter than he is. I asked him if it ever bothered him and he said no, he never knew to be bothered about it. I think you need to get over being distressed and just be happy and love him regardless of his height. You wouldn't want him to pick up on your negative vibes about his potential shortness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'd definitely see a specialist. I completely understand your feelings. We went through this with our older son. The concern was that puberty had hit early and his growth spurt would come too soon and he would only be about 5'2" as an adult. Other concerns were that he would be dealing with all the affects of testosterone at such an early age (some of these poor boys are 7 or 8 years old with man-sized parts and hair and testosterone levels...). You bet I was upset and worried. He had blood tests, x-rays, and they monitored his growth. If necessary, he would have been given meds to halt the testosterone production and delay puberty. Thankfully, he was determined to be okay. He is now a tall 11 year-old (5'1") who is just now starting puberty (early-ish, but not precocious puberty). All those tests put my mind at ease. Also, the specialist explained the possible treatment which would have delayed puberty (if that had been necessary). Just knowing about the treatment (which is usually very successful) also eased my mind. So, imho, you should get on the phone and make an appointment. I bet you'll feel better. I hope all goes well for you and your son! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 A dear friend went through this with her son who had a stroke as a baby. Initially, she just thought it was a result of the stroke but an alert GP did some hormone test and wow- the kid became a man. This happened well into his teens, btw. Sorry that I cannot remember the details but it was hormone supplementation for a short time that adjusted his system. We all worry about our kids. Moms only want to the best for them. No harm in checking out other opinions. I am not a huge fan of doctors myself but sometimes they have a few good insights! If there are no further suggestions from the medical profession, then just trust that this is who your ds is meant to be. I know you love him no matter what! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2denj Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 When my son was in the process of getting braces, they did an x-ray on his hand and this was supposed to show how tall he would get. They siad that he would only be 5'9". Well he is 5'11". They do not always know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Of course there are outliers in any situation. There will be instances in which children don't follow the typical growth patterns or that "doctors are wrong." We all know about black swans now, right? ;) I think Lisa is smart to follow up/follow thru with her concerns. She shouldn't brush it off or blow it off because there are stories that DON'T follow the typical pattern and turn out OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm sorry but I find threads like this insulting. I come from a long line of short relatives on both sides, male and female. None of my male relatives have ever been held back due to being short. My grandfather, at 5'4", was in the Seattle Symphony, a Marine in WWII and received a Purple Heart, a captain of various ships after that. He married and had 9 children. My father at 5'5" was also in the military and for 24 years. He is now on the Board of Education at a college and very successful. My brother at 5'4" was military and is married and has a good job. I could go on about all my uncles and cousins as well. None of them have a horrible life due to being short. I'm tired of hearing people treat short stature as if it were a horrible disfiguring disease, and a man is going to struggle lifelong if he is short. It's a prejudice and I wish people would get past it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'm sorry but I find threads like this insulting. I come from a long line of short relatives on both sides, male and female. None of my male relatives have ever been held back due to being short. My grandfather, at 5'4", was in the Seattle Symphony, a Marine in WWII and received a Purple Heart, a captain of various ships after that. He married and had 9 children. My father at 5'5" was also in the military and for 24 years. He is now on the Board of Education at a college and very successful. My brother at 5'4" was military and is married and has a good job. I could go on about all my uncles and cousins as well. None of them have a horrible life due to being short. I'm tired of hearing people treat short stature as if it were a horrible disfiguring disease, and a man is going to struggle lifelong if he is short. It's a prejudice and I wish people would get past it. Then go tell the people who mock and pick on short men to cut it out. I am not being snarky either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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