SweetPea Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) My DS(11) is very, very small for his age - 15% for height and 15% for weight. My 7yr old weighs more. We went to the dr. today for well check and my concern that he really hasn't gained much weight this past year (about 3 lbs). Anyway, the doc. sent us for a full blood work. Now I wait....which I don't do well. DS is starting to get picked on, etc. And, I want him to be healthy; really don't care how tall or big he is when he's done growing. He eats very healthy and isn't picky - love all his veggies :D Should I be worried? Anyone have similar experience? Thanks for letting me share; feeling like somehow I'm not doing my job very well. Edited June 22, 2012 by SweetPea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 he may have an easily correctable thyroid condition. My nephew has this and just takes a pill each day. Think of how you would feel if this was a simple fix and you denied it to him because of....whatever your issues are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My 10 yr old twins were very premature. Although they are always growing....somewhat....they have never even really made it on the chart. I am sorry you are going through this and hope the blood work turns up something easily treatable or he gets a sudden growth spurt. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Both sons were below 10% weight and height ages 7-10. Nothing was wrong with them - they were just small. My brother and I were both very small as children, so there is genetics in play. DS20 and DS16 are both now 5'10 and about 140 pounds on a good day. They both will probably get another couple of inches. They didn't start their growth spurts until their teens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My youngest is very small, not even on the growth charts small. Turns out he has a growth hormone deficiency. We had blood work through our family doctor and he didn't catch it/the test wasn't accurate. We had to go to a pediatric endo to get the diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yes, we have that. My 6yo is the same height and weighs more than my 10yo. He is running 5th-15th percentile, gained 2 inches in two years. We monitor it. It is attributed here likely to his asthma itself (restricted lung capacity), his asthma meds (oral steroids required at times, topical steroids, inhaled steroids) or his ADHD meds which lessen his appetite. Or all of the above plus genetics. Thankfully he is not picked on at all, but he is sensitive about it as his friends the same age and younger are much much bigger than him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 none of my kids have been above the 5% on charts :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My son has moved down the growth charts for both height and weight. He has a number of food allergies. We had bloodwork done (checked different levels including for celiac) and all was fine. We're just trying to snack more for him :) :grouphug: while you wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joani Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My two older children have always been very small for their ages, around 5-10% for both height and weight. But, I'm small (5'2" and slim) and their father didn't reach his final height (6'1") until he was 22. My son has never been picked on, but he has been frustrated at times by his size when it comes to sports and ended up quitting football over it. Your doctor is being proactive in getting the bloodwork done - a lot of doctors wouldn't worry about a kid who was 15% for both height and weight. Try not to worry too much. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 you'll rest easier once you know. 15 out of every 100 boys are his weight or less.... the thing that would matter would be if he used to be 50th percentile for both and it changed..... :grouphug::grouphug: ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My son is totally off the bottom of the chart. So, probably way smaller than your son. He has had all sorts of tests. A crazy number of tests. The next step for him was rejected by our insurance, so, we are going through a re-do with his other set of doctors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Has he always been small? Is he falling off HIS growth curve? 15% is bad but if you live in an area like we do with a VERY tall population (many, many in our church well over 6'--including the women) then it is a lot more obvious. My girls were below the 1% so they really stood out. I would see about a ped. endocrinologist just for a check up. They could do a bone age scan and can predict quite closely adult height---and remember some boys start growing quickly at 11 while others might gain 4 inches at age 18 or later. The doc. could also check thyroid (and sub levels), growth hormone, etc. If though he is following his own curve and there are other short people in your family it might just be the way he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetPea Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks everyone! I'll let you know the diagnosis (if any) once I get the results back. Hoping it doesn't take too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My dd has grown in height but not in weight. Last year she didn't gain even three pounds. I think it was 1.5 if I remember right. And she easily ate more than her two teenage boys combined. She's been through a million tests. All come back fine. I would think your son should be evaluated by an endocrinologist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I've a friend with a very small adopted son. She had to push her dr for more testing. He produced inadequate growth hormone - so he does shots every day. He hates them, but he's going to be at least close to average size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I just want to encourage you--I had one that wasn't even on the charts for many years--she finally ended up 5'6". Yes, that's short for my family, but she'll live. And ds two years ago wasn't five feet tall--he couldn't go to Philmont because he had to be five feet tall and weigh 97 pounds--he didn't even weigh 90! He's now 5'9" two years later but still didn't make Philmont weight--he had to put rocks, pliers and a hammer in his pockets! He's only 115 and needed to be 125. Well, actually, now he'd have to be 129. Fortunately, we had the physical done before he grew another inch last week. They all grow at their own pace... makes me think of jimmy stewart who hired a trainer to help him bulk up (he was "too skinny".) so he could enlist in the army for WWII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) My son has always been small, <5% for both ht and weight. But then, I'm 4'11" in shoes. We've not done any tests because frankly it is pretty obvious why he is so small when you see my mom's side of the family and no men over 5'6"...that's just the way my people roll. Sorry, DH's family with all men over 6'--the hobbit genes run strong in this one. If this is a sudden drop off for your son's growth curve, then I might have cause for concern. But if he's otherwise healthy, he's still on his own line, and it is just smaller than others' well...it really isn't the end of the world. Small people do just fine. Sometimes more than fine since we're so used to proving ourselves and stretching to reach that high shelf. ;) :grouphug: Edited June 22, 2012 by jar7709 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My 11 year old son is small and his sister that just turned 8 weighs about the same as him. I think she's an early bloomer (I was pretty much done growing in height at 11/12), I think he will be later. I can definitely see him ending up being that 5'9", 140 lb kid for a while. I'm not particularly worried about my kid at all. I'm 5'2". My husband is 5'10". But both his grandfathers are 5'6" and his grandmothers are short too. We know lots of tall kids that are in the top 25% which makes the difference more obvious sometimes, but I certainly know other kids his size and age. 15% is totally fine if that's his growth curve and you aren't seeing other issues. I know kids off the bottom end that ended up being fine. But it's good to follow up for your own peace of mind! :001_smile::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My youngest is pretty small for his age too. My doctor said that as long as he continues to stay on the chart and isn't dropping signficantly each year, everything is okay. They do blood work at every visit and nothing has ever shown up. My dh is 5'9" though and he was also very small as a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 15%ile would not concern me. Someone has to be at that %ile! My dd used to be below the 3%ile, but she's grown a ton and now she's up to (wow) the 7%ile. I don't consider this concerning at all. There's a boy in her class, same age, who is at least an inch shorter. Is he getting lots of healthy exercise and sleep? I always tell my dd that growth occurs while sleeping, to encourage her to go right to sleep at bedtime. I always say that my dd may be small, but she packs a lotta punch. She is more physically active than many girls her age, so she has no trouble keeping up on the playground. If your son is being treated like a "wimp" physically, maybe something more skill-based like karate would give him some confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 M Thanks for letting me share; feeling like somehow I'm not doing my job very well. Does he have energy? Is he happy and full of enthusiasm? 15%ile is 15%ile. That means out of a crowd of thousands of boys, 14% would be shorter! Really, that isn't that short! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetPea Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Does he have energy? Is he happy and full of enthusiasm? 15%ile is 15%ile. That means out of a crowd of thousands of boys, 14% would be shorter! Really, that isn't that short! Yes, he has energy - biked 14 miles last Friday. He's happy unless he's in an 11 yr old "mood" I hadn't thought of the 14% shorter - I also pulled my records and saw that at 14 I was 80lbs and 4'8". So, not sure why I should expect my ds to be any different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yes, he has energy - biked 14 miles last Friday. He's happy unless he's in an 11 yr old "mood" I hadn't thought of the 14% shorter - I also pulled my records and saw that at 14 I was 80lbs and 4'8". So, not sure why I should expect my ds to be any different. I hope you can wrap your mind around this and lose no sleep at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My almost 11yr old has been in about the 15th percentile for a while. I consider him my average sized kid and have never thought of him as overly small. 15th percentile is on the small side of the chart, but it's still on the chart! He's usually one of the smaller boys his age but he doesn't look sickly and I don't get too many comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yes, he has energy - biked 14 miles last Friday. He's happy unless he's in an 11 yr old "mood" I hadn't thought of the 14% shorter - I also pulled my records and saw that at 14 I was 80lbs and 4'8". So, not sure why I should expect my ds to be any different. That is super tiny for a 14 year old! So it probably really is genetic. :001_smile::grouphug: At least if nothing shows up on blood work you can relax about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetPea Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Friday afternoon the doctor called and his blood work looks normal. We need to go back in a month and recheck iron levels. Not overally concerned about his weight, but will discuss in a month. Thank you to all how encouraged me! I feel so much better knowing he's healthy. Small is fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 :party: Glad you're feeling better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 :party: So glad everything looks normal! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 :001_smile: I have a small DS too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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