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Original poster

to keep on worrying about the height of my ds?

139 replies

Actrom · 30/07/2018 17:56

He is now 14 and only 145cm tall. He is really small compared to his friends and his 10 yo sister has caught up to him. He is coping well but it starts to frustrate him more and more that the growth spurt isn’t coming.

He has been tested and there is no medical issue. He just has a delayed bone age and combined with the fact that hubby and me are somewhat below average (165 and 175), he is really small. He should however suddenly get a growth spurt, but it cannot be predicted when… That is why I keep worrying, because as long as it hasn’t happened, well... it hasn’t happened..

Does anyone of you know kids who were small like my ds and who have grown a lot in their later teens?

And also, aren’t kids huge compared to when we were young? I mean my dd has two friends who are just 9 and a lot taller than her. In general the kids in her class appear huge compared to when I was that age…

OP posts:
SilentBob · 30/07/2018 20:38

He has been tested and there is no medical issue. Your words, OP- no medical issue.

Unlike other posters, I don't think it's too early to worry and he'll definitely have that growth spurt soon.

Because a) if there are no medical issues which could cause worry, I would not consider worrying about this at all, be it 'too early' or not and b) he may not have that 'definite' growth spurt. Some people don't. Focus on the positives.

SilentBob · 30/07/2018 20:39

Oh, and also, what @Condragulations said.

Janni01 · 30/07/2018 20:42

I'm a small guy at 5 foot 6 and yes it can be hard when young being the smallest, people taking the piss etc.

But you know what the most important saying is it isn't what's on the outside it's what's on the inside. He needs to learn to love himself for who he is as everyone being the same would be so boring.

Regardless of whether he grows or not, he is your son and that's all that matters

YaLoVeras · 30/07/2018 20:42

Well, that's harsh....... She gave her height and her husband's height so I thought it was a given that she realised he was never going to be particularly tall, but he should be taller than he is. I'd be worried too. I'm 5'1 and my 12 year old is 5'1 so I think there is cause to worry, even within the parametres of knowing that he will not be a tall man.

Diet is important too! I'm always amazed that my American and Australian cousins all ended up so much taller than the rest of us!!! They had more food than we did in the 70s. True story.

Sweetandkind · 30/07/2018 20:46

Short for a man might be around 5ft5. Shorter than that can cause real difficulty with self esteem. Once a child stops growing nothing can be done and a parent is bound to want to do everything to give their child a happy future.
If he's had the Stimulation test for growth hormone defiency and his levels were fine, but his bone age is 2 or 3 years behind, he'll catch up and puberty will be late.

2018SoFarSoGreat · 30/07/2018 20:46

DS was always the second shortest boy in school, right through the summer after he turned 16. He grew almost a foot between June and September. Crazy growth spurt. From 5'4" to 6'3". We never thought it would happen since we are both quite short, so was a real surprise - nay, shock - to everyone.

He had always been small and slight, and is now tall and hulking. Still my little boy though Grin

JamAtkins · 30/07/2018 20:48

DS (15 in October) is short. He says he is bothered by it but I think he really means that he is bothered by the no obvious signs of puberty. His friends are not only much taller but are hairy and have deeper voices. His younger sister is taller and has breasts and acne. His father and I both entered puberty at the late side of normal so at the moment I'm assuming he'll do the same (but probably won't be that tall as we are a family of shortarses). If there are no medical issues then there is not much point in worrying really as you can't fix whats not broken.

greeneyedlulu · 30/07/2018 20:55

Friend of mine is nearly 50 and 5.3 and he owns it like no one's business!! He's short, sharp and has one of the most endearing, wonderful personalities that I've ever met in my life!
Being short is not a disability and as my mate would say 'it's a life style baby' with a huge cheeky grin on his face.
Teach your son that x

FASH84 · 30/07/2018 21:00

My brother was the tiniest of all his friends at school, he was very sporty and athletic and it didn't mean he got bullied or pushed around etc. He didn't have a growth spurt until he was about 16 and even now he's only about 5'7 / 5'8 , I'm taller than he is, some people are just not tall.

2gorgeousboys · 30/07/2018 21:02

DS1 was always really small (his little brother 4 years younger caught him up)and then got to 15/16 and grew and grew. He's now 18 and 6ft 2. DH and I are both about 5ft8.

DS2 on the other hand is 14 and grows in big spurts and had done from being 10 or 11. He's now the same height as me. I bought him jeans at Christmas and he'd grown out of then by New Year.

PaulRuddislush · 30/07/2018 21:05

Diet definitely made a difference to my ds growth spurt. His lack of height was really bothering him so he went on a high protein low carb diet and shot up 7 inches in one summer

mikado1 · 30/07/2018 21:23

But grains are included in the gods to eat for height aren't they? My mini ds eats all of them, though had breast milk rather than dairy for a long time, and it definitely hasn't pushed him up any noticeable amount! On his birthday recently s stranger asked him if he was one or two, he said 'Three' ! We're not tall so no huge surprise but the amount of people who comment and emphasise it! Adults. If he asks if he's very small, as he's heard a comment, I tell him he's the perfect size for him. I'd hate it to aversely effect him and love the pp's friend who sounds like he totally owns it!

Moussemoose · 30/07/2018 21:28

As I said before my DS will not have spurt and end up at 6ft. Should I be disappointed?

Janni01 · 30/07/2018 21:31

@Mousse. Absolutely bloody well not.

Instead of all these 'positive stories of how people shot up shouldn't we be encouraging her to be happy with who her son is, which I'm sure is a delightful young man regardless of his height.

InsulatedNotIsolated · 30/07/2018 21:32

If he asks if he's very small, as he's heard a comment,

awwh!Sad

SilentBob · 30/07/2018 21:33

Apparently you should be, @Moussemoose

Or you could do as you have been doing and focus on the positives. Up to you, I'd say.

InsulatedNotIsolated · 30/07/2018 21:34

We are all shorties in our house, no 6 footers. We are all very happy, confident and successful in life.

Timeisslippingaway · 30/07/2018 21:35

My dp told me he was really small, one of the smallest in class. He went home for summer one year and went back to school the biggest in his class. He's 6'3

Moussemoose · 30/07/2018 22:18

Well thanks for all these success stories about tall sons. Does that mean my son is a failure?

Polite, handsome, funny but a bit on the short side.......

Baubletrouble43 · 30/07/2018 22:24

Moussemoose my short brother has two degrees, a masters and is top of his career and a popular guy and well liked by the ladies as well as musically gifted and very very cool 😁

Janni01 · 30/07/2018 22:50

@Mousse. No it doesn't mean he is a failure at all.

I'm 5 foot 6 and think I've done pretty well for myself so height is no barrier to success 😂

Earslaps · 30/07/2018 22:59

My 9yo is short for his age (under 25th centile) and very thin. People keep telling him "you'll grow" and he groans. He wants to be small like his footballing heroes Messi and Owen.

I was always tiny until about 11 and I'm now 168cm (so a bit above average female height).

I just tell him that there are some things you can change about yourself and some you can't, so you can either accept those things or be unhappy and it's much better to accept them.

Thisaintphaedra · 30/07/2018 23:05

All boys are taller than their mums. So if no medical condition you can guarantee he will be taller than you at the end of his growing.

bluerunningshoes · 30/07/2018 23:12

how was your dh's growth at that age? if he was a late starter then I would worry a lot less.

I know your ds has been checked, but has he been checked for deficiencies/coeliacs?

Themerrygoroundoflife · 30/07/2018 23:14

My brother shot up at 15. I read somewhere that the later the growth spurt the better (height wise) as they’ve had longer to grow to their base prepuberty height. Not sure if it’s true but could be a plus side!

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