Waiting for puberty

[Scatter]

Does anyone else feel like they are waiting for puberty to hit? DS1 is 14 and no signs yet, which I'm sure isn't unusual. But so many of his friends have shot up, got deep voices, developed interest in girls etc... I think he feels left behind and his friendship groups seem to be changing so that he's hanging around with the less developed (for want of a better phrase) kids.

I would like to keep him a little child forever, but I am sensing (from him) an impatience for the changes to just come already...

[IfItoldyouIdHavetoKillYou]

Ah yes I had this with DS2. DS1 reached very early puberty at 11 and DS2 was still waiting at 15.
I was just becoming slightly concerned myself when he shot up a foot overnight
I have observed their friends, tall, short, all shapes and sizes vary immensely when they have that big growth spurt and hit puberty.

[Northernparent68]

I would strongly recommend you take your son to your GP, it's possible there is a underlining medical condition.

There's a section on the nhs website on delayed puberty you may want to read, according to the website the average age to enter puberty is 12.

It's understandable you want to keep your son a child, but it is not fair on him.

[LittleRedSparke]

Op is not trying to keep him a child!

My ds is 13.5 and still waiting

Most boys begin puberty between the ages of 9 and 14. But keep in mind that puberty starts when a boy's body is ready,

[LittleRedSparke]

I wouldn't go to the drs yet, unless your gut instincts are telling you to

are there any signs at all?

[InMySpareTime]

DS is 14 and no signs here either. He's growing steadily but still only 4'9", a lot shorter than his friends.
It'll happen, sometime...

[Georgethesecond]

Yes but "entering puberty" means the testicles enlarging and most mums wouldn't know whether that had happened or not - it probably has.

[Georgethesecond]

And they are all different anyway, DS2 is 14.7 and is only about 5'4". But his voice is deeper and there are a few hairs under his arms. Some of them are past 6'!

[Northernparent68]

Little red, the op said she wanted "to keep him a little child forever"

George, yes parents would not know about testicular development, but other signs are voice breaking, developing body hair, and these a parent would know about.

What's the harm in putting your mind at rest by getting professional medical advice? What if instead of not being ready there is a medical cause. There a risk that boys who have nt entered puberty when their peers have will be bullied or isolated.

[PJ67]

Hi. My ds was the same, no signs at 14 and all his friends were getting really tall. He's just turned 16 and over the past year he has grown loads and is now almost 6ft. I was a bit concerned that his voice hadn't broke but around 6 months ago he just suddenly got this deep voice. He's also now taller than a lot of the boys who seemed to grow early.

[Heyho111]

Hi. Same with my lad. 15 and there was a hint it was. Starting but it was v slow. Now at 17 he's 6ft, beard , hairy chest and a v deep voice.