mazakaal Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Ds turned 7yo last January (in 2011) and was hoping to be tall enough to not need a booster seat any more, so we measured him. The cutoff is 135cm and ds was 132cm. We waited a few months and measured him again. Still 132cm. We've been checking him every few months just because he wants to know when he's 135cm so he won't have to use the booster seat any more, and still, 15 months later, he's 132cm. He hasn't grown at all in 15 months. I'm starting to wonder if something is wrong, if I should take him to the dr. Other than the growth problem, he is perfectly healthy. So what would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 I'm not worried about him being in a booster. That's just the reason that ds keeps measuring himself. I'm just worried that he hasn't grown at all in 15 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 If you weren't measuring him, you would have no clue. Children tend to grow at random times. Some grow slowly and continuously. Some don't grow at all and then suddenly sprout. My eldest drove doctors crazy. She was a tiny thing from birth. At 2 yo, her predicted adult height was under 5 ft. Then, she turned 3. and. grew. The charts from 3 to 4 had her in the 90% for height. She was still tall when she was 6. She got to be 10 and she was really short again. 12 really, really short. 13 and she grew. By 14, she was average height. Now, as an adult, she is on the tall side of average. I would say that zero growth at 7 is unusual. I wouldn't think that it necessarily is unheard of. Do you take him in for well child visits? If so, that would be something to ask about then. I believe the norm for outgrowing the boosters is 9ish. I'll bet your ds is going to be one of those kids who grows in large, painful leaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailofsparks Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Is he on any meds, like for ADD/ADHD? If so, that can suppress growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Is there a family history of growth issues? Being short isn't nec. an issue but the not growing could be. My now 16dd stopped growing and we went to a pediatric endocrinologist where they found that she was hypothyroid. On the meds she did start growing. She is still very tiny---4'10" and done growing but she wouldnt' have made it this far without help. If you are concerned, it would be worth a trip just to make sure there isn't a growth hormone or thyroid problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedmom4 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I would take him in. Both of my boys are small for their age. Thankfully their weight to height ratio is good. I think that is the biggest concern for pediatricians. Also if the child has dropped in percentile on the growth chart that is a concern. A friend of mine has a son who was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. It was determined by a blood test. At his last checkup the doctor noticed that his growth had dropped off the growth chart. He had been in the 3rd percentile or so and at his last appointment was way below the curve. It will relieve your mind if you talk to a good pediatrician about his growth! God Bless, Elise in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 My 10 year old didn't grow at all for 18 or 20 months (that we knew of) when he was 7-8. The doctor said some kids just do that and it was nothing to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I think it is somewhat normal for growth to stall for a while between 6-9. My girls are almost 8 and I don't think they've grown much, if any, for the past year and a half. They were just below the cut off for the big Disney rides in Sept. 2010 and they still are below the line today. I don't want to schedule another trip until they are big enough to not be disappointed so I've been checking every 6 months or so. I expect them to shoot up soon. My DS is 10 and he's been wearing the same clothes since kindergarten and first grade! Mostly, he's just skinny and wearing the shirts. He finally went through a growth spurt in height this fall where he went from wearing the same size as he always had to needing two sizes larger in pants for the length. Unfortunately, his weight hasn't caught up yet but I'm sure it will. FWIW, all of my kids are still in boosters. I think the 10yr old is finally tall enough for a backless booster but he thinks it is more comfortable with the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Has his weight changed since you started measuring? Mine both grow out then up. Dd will get quite chubby and all of a sudden shes a couple inches taller. Ds will finally look like im not starving him but a few days later his pants will be a bit too short. It could be normal or it could be something. If you are concerned, bring him in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 It's probably like the watched pot that never boils. But, I would go to the doctor if you're concerned. Or, do your children have yearly wellness checks? You could bring it up then. Could this be a family pattern? Even if you or your husband are not short now, were you shorter than average for a long time? My daughter followed the slow growth pattern/petite frame of her grandmother. My nephew followed in the footsteps of his mother: very small for his age until about his junior/senior year in high school, and then a big growth spurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Yes, if you are worried. We put dd's height concerns aside because we figured it was just family growth history. What we found out is that her thyroid hadn't worked in 3+ years (during which she didn't grow). She is now on meds and growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 What would be the harm of getting a check up? Has he had one in the 15 months you say he hasn't grown? Did the Dr catch it? It may be nothing, or may be serious. No way to tell unless you know what to look for. It is one advantage of a yearly check up--the Dr can compare stats and see trends, and pick up on stuff that we may miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 This is why kids get measured at well child checks. If they are not growing it could indicate a problem. The doc will have to order a blood draw to determine if it is normal or if there is a problem. I would make the appointment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 My DS hadn't grown for more than a year, when he was 8/early 9. Within the last month, he's finally had a growth spurt. I hadn't worried too much, though, because he's already humongous. But one of my BILs didn't grow for nearly two years at about this age, and it turned out he had a massive internal Staph infection that was inhibiting growth. He's now the 'short' brother of the four boys in the family. So it might not be a bad thing to get your kiddo checked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Thanks for all the replies. We have no history of growth problems in either side of the family. In fact we're all fairly tall, which could be part of the reason I'm feeling concerned. I expect that he should be tall like the rest of us. I'm 5'8", dh is 6', 15yo is 6'1", 14yo is 5'9", and dd is tall for her age as well. Ds isn't on any medication either. They don't really encourage annual well checks here and since ds hasn't been ill, he hasn't been in to see the Dr in a very long time. I think I'll make an appointment just to ease my mind if nothing else. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I don't know, but FWIW my 10 year old is still in a booster. He doesn't have to be by law, but it's safer and he is on the small side. At 7 he would have had to be by law. :iagree: My 11 year old still sits in one. He's under 70 lbs. He is pretty short but suddenly all his pants are floods. If it would make you feel better, take him in. But my son hit some points where he seemed stuck. I suspect he's just a later bloomer than some kids and isn't going to be huge. They've never said anything about it at the ped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Yes I would bring him. 15 months is a long time to have no change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Has he gained any weight? If no weight, I would be concerned. The only reason I say that is because our pediatrician noted that my daughter had not gained height/weight in 15 months around that age. He ordered testing and we found out she had celiac disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Mine both grow out then up. Dd will get quite chubby and all of a sudden shes a couple inches taller. Ds will finally look like im not starving him but a few days later his pants will be a bit too short. That sounds just like my kids! DD often stays in the same shoe size for 18 months at a stretch, and then gains 2 sizes in a 3 or 4 month span. Taking him in certainly cannot hurt, but I have a feeling he is just between growth spurts at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I am 5'8" dh is 6". I would mention it at your next well child visit but I wouldn't make a special appointment for it. If you don't do well child visits, I would wait through the summer and then schedule. There is something about sunny skies, extra sleep and unrelenting play that seems to make kids grow. :0) Ds was always off the % charts until 1st grade (on the high end). Then in 1st grade he didn't grow for about 18 months. Then one random day, he started growing again, on a more average/spread out pattern. I have heard this can be fairly common and ds's doctor wasn't concerned in the least, since he was still above average in height for his age group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 There is something about sunny skies, extra sleep and unrelenting play that seems to make kids grow. :0). :lol: I live in England. Summer does not equal sunny skies. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 It's probably worth checking if you are concerned, but I would not be concerned if this were my kids. I come from a long line of short people and it looks like we're not growing a lot of the time, but as long as we're thriving in all other ways, we're fine. For context- I'm 4'10". But DH is 6' and is the runt of his family, lol. Our kids mostly seem to be following my family's growth pattern, my son is only 4th percentile for height for his age. The inlaws seem to get concerned sometimes over how short my kids are compared to their much taller cousins, but they are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) I'd have it investigated. I've a friend whose son was *barely* growing, and had to push her dr to do more investigating - he doesn't produce enough growth hormone so he now has daily injections. eta: other than his size, he was also 'perfectly' healthy. 3ds doesn't abosrb nutrient properly, and only after I started him on a supplementation program with a DAN! did his growth take off on a par with three of his older siblings. before that, my reg. ped said his size was fine. (yeah, and skinny jeans that are long enough fall off of him . . . ) Edited April 13, 2012 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 You will probably wake up one day and be like...WOW up you grew overnight :). My 5yo grew 5 inches in a year! The pediatrian measured him twice himself to be sure :). Kids tend to do that, grow all at one time then stall out for a while. If you are concerned take him in to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firestar Academy Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 FWIW - my 12 year old daughter is in a backless booster. She weighs 77 lbs. my 8 year old is still in the britax 5 point harness. she is like 45 lbs. robin in nj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 my 9yo is only 54 lbs and pretty short. She is in a booster. She was stuck for a long time in the 40's and then gained a little and hit 50 lbs. for over a year. She is skinny and strong! very healthy kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 I haven't been checking his weight regularly. He's 25kg right now and is skinny, not shockingly skinny, but certainly doesn't look like he's gained weight recently getting ready for a growth spurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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