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Original poster

Talk to me about growth for 3-4 year olds

29 replies

Embelline · 31/08/2023 23:37

DS is under a paediatrician for asthma (outgrowing it hooray so it was very brief, a year on an inhaler I think) and it has been noted that he’s quite short and hasn’t grown at all height wise since February.

We have another check up in six months regarding the inhalers and she will measure him again then.

he’s four in Jan, and is currently 97cm tall.

I just wondered if your 3-4 year olds grew steadily or in spurts? I was wondering if he’s due one or whether I should be more worried!

OP posts:
Original poster
Embelline · 31/08/2023 23:44

Should add he grew fine last year as I know by the fact I had to repeatedly replace his trousers!

I was just curious as to whether they are still likely to grow in big sudden spurts at this age like when they are smaller or if it should be a steadier constant growth.

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Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 00:33

Anyone?

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Firstreturn · 01/09/2023 00:41

Mine was still growing in spurts at 4. Wonder if there are any stats on this?

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Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 09:36

@Firstreturn i couldn’t find any that seemed conclusive which is why I thought anecdotal info might be useful.
for some reason I thought they stopped having spurts after about 18 months and just grew steadily, which has made me worry!

hes in 3-4 year trousers and tops so he’s not in the next size down or anything.

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Hopingforbetterluck · 01/09/2023 09:43

DS is exactly the same age, will be 4 in January and although he’s taller than your DS is still in 3-4 clothes. I’d say he still grows in spurts as all of a sudden his trousers are looking a bit short and I swear last week his trainers fit him and this week he’s gone up a size! I wouldn’t worry, I find DS tends to grow outwards and gets a bit of a belly then all of a sudden shoots upwards and looks skinny.

gemloving · 01/09/2023 09:52

Mine is growing in spurts and grew 5cm over the summer. Everyone kept saying he looks so tall now, so measured him and yes, he did grow 5cm.

gemloving · 01/09/2023 09:54

My son will be 5 in January and is 111cm but he's a tall boy.

My second son turned 2 in April and is short somewhat shorter 89cm.

Whitepaleness · 01/09/2023 09:55

Mine most definitely stay the same for a while, seem to get a little pot belly then grow loads and pot belly goes away. It’s like they are powering up ready to grow hahah

rhino12345 · 01/09/2023 09:59

My DD is very steady growing (also has an inhaler but not fully diagnosed as asthmatic, though asthma is in the family). She's very small compared to her peers. I haven't actually measured her for a while, and she did have a bit of a spurt (maybe an inch) over the summer, but she's very steady growing as a rule. Same with her feet - her feet haven't grown at all since Xmas.

SkankingWombat · 01/09/2023 10:04

It depends on the DC IME.
My eldest grows in spurts and can go months and months without any growth before shooting up overnight. She's 9yo now, but has always been like this. As a baby, every so often I would put her to bed in a comfy well-fitting sleepsuit, and by morning it looked like it had been sprayed on and be a job to remove.
DC2 grows slowly and constantly. I never notice her growing, it is only ever noticed by people who haven't seen her for a while.

YouHoooo · 01/09/2023 10:08

Definitely spirts here. DD gets a little chubby, then suddenly grows a couple of inches and slims down. It’s always accompanied by ratty behaviour.

Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 10:31

That’s interesting thank you. I’m trying to think back over the last couple of years and I think he is usually one in spurts as I would just suddenly notice his pjs or trousers were too short.
I think the fact it’s been mentioned has made it play on my mind so now I keep looking at what clothes he’s wearing etc.
his 3-4 year trousers are slightly long but nothing major.

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Caledoniadreaming · 01/09/2023 10:40

My son is the same - will be 4 in January. He's definitely been having growth spurts over the summer, particularly in the last couple of weeks since we're now completely out of age 3-4 clothes. We've noticed in particular waistbands of trousers and pants leaving marks.

He's a solid boy though - shoulders for days.

CornishGem1975 · 01/09/2023 10:50

Whitepaleness · 01/09/2023 09:55

Mine most definitely stay the same for a while, seem to get a little pot belly then grow loads and pot belly goes away. It’s like they are powering up ready to grow hahah

I remember my HV saying that to me. They tend to grow out and then up, out and up.

Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 12:46

Ah maybe it’s not such a worry then. Perhaps he will shoot up before his fourth birthday.
it’s not that I’m worried about him being short, it’s just the complete lack of growth height wise that gave me pause but the more I think about it the more I think it has always been in spurts for him, I just never paid close attention before as it wasn’t really on my radar as something to worry about

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Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 13:11

I've just had a sort out of his wardrobe and trousers mainly still seem to fit, but he's definitely out of the 2-3 years too tight and too small, so he must have grown somewhere along the line! It's made me feel a tad better. I'm a short arse myself so maybe he's just going to take after me!

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Oldermum84 · 01/09/2023 13:25

Growth spurts. Same age DS - a few months ago he was in loose 3-4 trousers and now growing out of 4-5 (which I just bought him a load of to supposedly last all winter grrr...).

Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 13:41

@Oldermum84 thank you :) I am hoping he's just had a bit of a slow growth year and we will see a spurt soon to put my mind at rest. He does have low iron, on a supplement, but last blood test levels have gone up so I'm hoping next blood test will show back to normal. If it's still low, I think I'm going to push for a test for coeliac although he does seem to tolerate gluten fine

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Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 16:31

He's just had his two little friends round who we haven't seen for a few weeks, about a month, and they're both towering over him now :( I wish it had never been raised in a way as now I feel like I'm obsessing about it and don't want to give him a complex!

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CantThinkOfANewUsernameAgain · 01/09/2023 16:33

My dc is same age and is 90 cm. Was around 85cm for months then shot up around may. Not changed since.

abbs1 · 01/09/2023 16:43

My son is 4 in March and in age 2-3years and is around 96cm. He's grown like 3-4cm since April. Age 3-4 absolutely swamp him and also far too long for him. He's probably due a growth spurt again. I know my friends little boy who turned 4 in Feb she said he had some big growth spurts around his 4th birthday.

Hurrahitsraini · 01/09/2023 16:46

My DD is 4,(just august baby) starts school next week. She’s 93cm, in aged 2/3 clothes … 3/4 drown her. She’s not grown a huge amount recently but I’ve no concerns as she wasn’t massive at birth.
DS is 8 , going into year 4 and is 128cm and short and slim.

id not be worried, don’t spend your time comparing them to others… it’s never going to make you feel Great.

UndercoverCop · 01/09/2023 16:46

DS will be five this year and still had spurts we went to two theme parks this summer a month apart and he'd grown over the height restriction by the second visit.
DS is tall but DN is short people are different heights, they are 4 years apart and roughly the same size, DS has bigger feet

Stripeypyjamas · 01/09/2023 16:48

DS is nearly 4 and we are tracking height carefully as he dropped from 75th to 9th centile in the last 2 years. He's recovered a bit and now between 9th and 25th centile. We are hoping it's just a blip.

Original poster
Embelline · 01/09/2023 16:56

Thanks for additional posts. I’ve realised his diet is quite protein light due to him getting a bit fussier so I’m also going to work on that as that won’t be helping

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