Health visitor or keep quiet?

[LadyHalesBroach]

My DD is a bit on the short side, but so am I (5’4) and my DH (5’3). She was never destined to be tall!
We’ve started to pick up on the fact that her preschool buddies are picking on her for her height ie. can’t play certain games because she’s a baby (she’s nearly 4 and one of the oldest) and that she can’t go as high as them on the swings etc. Last night during book time she told me that she’s little and she can’t play with her friends anymore because they’re bigger. Yes they are about a full head taller but my DD has an enormous personality and the biggest heart.

Anyway I’ve spoken to her key worker and they’ve been aware of it for a while and will continue to monitor.

It prompted me to look on the red book growth chart and I was really shocked to see that yes, she is indeed, tiny. Image attached.

Given that this has now become an issue with her friends, should I mention it to a health visitor or GP? She’s an otherwise healthy and happy little girl.

Can’t talk about this with my DH because he suffers his own issues with how people regard height.

@SecretDoor

Can you work out her predicted adult height and see what centile that is on. If it is vastly different to the current one ( well under 0.4) then I would definitely get a consultation with the GP. Also have you got any other height measurements ? Is so is she following the curve or has she got faltering growth?

The most accurate height predictors are based on current height/weight, as well as parents' heights, so the prediction will be in line with her current centile.

Based on just her parents' heights, her predicted height would be 5' 1". Based on her current height, as well as parents' heights, her predicted height would be approx 4' 9".

What was her height at 2? I've heard height at 2 (turning) is exactly half of adult height.

Slight tangent but does she do gymnastics or dance or anything? Something where her size would be an advantage?

I would want to rule out anything like celiac disease that can cause growth issues. Generally, I think that they are meant to keep a close eye on children at the very top and very bottom of the centile chart as both can be a sign of other issues.

The bullying is the bigger issue though. I would want to know what the nursery are doing about that. They should be intervening with all these incidents and reporting them back to you. This should not be allowed to go on.

@GreatestShowUnicorn yes she did gymnastics and ballet pre Covid, that’s all stopped for now.
I’ll call the GP surgery and see if they think it’s worth her popping in or if I should go to HV.
The more I think about what the girls are saying to her at preschool the more upset I get. Honestly I thought I had to wait at least a couple more years before girls would be nasty to each other. So naive!

Slight tangent but does she do gymnastics or dance or anything? Something where her size would be an advantage?
You can be too small for ballet. Some companies and upper schools have minimum heights, and people under 5ft 2" may struggle (there are always exceptions of course).

I would speak to the GP, OP.

Op what percentile did she tell on when she was younger?

As well as the hv/gp please speak to the preschool staff and let them know what is going on and that you're not happy. Honestly I would consider changing preschool if it wasn't handled quickly. I would give your dd some social stories where you practise how she might react when people say things that upset her, for example - walk away, tell and adult, find something fun to do with someone nice etc. You say dh has some issues with his own height, it may be helpful if he could find some positive ways of interacting with dd where his height is an advantage, maybe try a sport such as hockey together or go walking in the woods looking at the wild flowers and fungi etc - let her see that height isn't everything.