To be really worried about DS 13 height

[Laughingstock91]

DS 13 hasn’t really grown in over a year. All his mates are now considerably taller than him and he’s getting really upset about it especially as they are all constantly telling him how short he is.

I am assuming he is due a spurt- he’s only just 13 and hasn’t hit puberty yet so still looks like a little kid. I looked at the WHO growth chart & his predicted height is about 5’10/ 5’11 ish but at the moment he’s still tiny.

Aibu to worry? I think it’s the constant comments that are getting to him. He just doesn’t seem to be growing at all.

My son was 5’ 3” until he pretty much turned 16. He literally shot up overnight - he’s 6’ 1” now.

Most boys have quickest growing spurt between 14 - 15. My son is 15 and has shot up this past year. He still has plenty of time, my uncle was shortest in the school when he left, then ended up well over 6 ft.

Most lads I went to school with who were short at age 13 stayed being short.....the ones who were going to be taller were already taller than their peers at that age. I remember we called them 'Little Pete', 'Small Nick' etc - they are still short now...

Some men are short and it is what it is. I'd encourage him to try and be happy as he is - he might not be a tall man...

My 13 yo is also a shrimp bless him, just short of 5 foot. The height predictor things I’ve done for him show he will probably get to 5ft 8. Funny as his 14 yo sister is 5ft 6.

I’ve got the opposite problem, my boy is 10 and he is already 5.4, I’m wondering if this is normal.All his pants are up his legs.I’m concerned that if he carries on at this rate, he won’t fit in his bed.

My DH was really short till around 15 and then had such a massive growth spurt that he has stretch marks all up his back, over his bum and down his thighs-he’s now 6’4” so really don’t worry

5ft 10/11 is a perfectly decent height for an adult male. I have boys at either end DS13 is 5ft 11 but has been for a year so I'm not sure if he will grow anymore. DS10 is 4ft 10 and grows very slowly. Neither are happy with their height DS13 hates being tallest in his class DS2 hates being the shortest the best thing you can do is teach them to be happy with their selves we can't control our height so there is no use worrying about it and I know that is easier said than done as I'm dealing with it with my boys.

I have ds15 and ds13. Ds15 grew from 5’5”to 5’11” over 8 weeks when he was 14.5yrs. Ds13 is 5’4” now. DH and I are v talk so expect ds13 to grow. Most of ds age 13 friends are his height even tho some voices have broken. You’ll see the difference at about 14.5yrs x

The age bands for judo competitions are 12/13 and 14/15

The 12/13 year olds weigh from 34kg to 73kg and the 14/15 year olds weigh from 42kg to 90kg (these are just the boys)

There's a huge difference in sizes

I am assuming he is due a spurt-

Be prepared is all I will say!! (With a smug face).

Our youngest went back to school last September (was 13 at the time) and we bought a job lot of shirts (11 new shirts!!!) school trousers and PE kit to fit him.

He turned 14 in January and went back to school the beginning of March ( thank Christ!!), nothing fitted!! We had to buy 16 to 17 shirts (think that was the size), 34 inch waist trousers and a whole new PE kit. There isn't an ounce of weight on him and he's almost looking me in the eye, I'm over 6ft tall.

This time last year he was a shrimp and sounded like scooby doo. He's now got a voice like Gio Compario and is almost 6ft tall, including fluff on his top lip! 🤣🤣

My ds was below 5ft at 13. At 14 he was 5ft 3. He is now 15 and 8 months and 5ft 8. Not super tall but his voice hasn't broken yet and he has more growing to do. He is just a slow grower. DH was the same and didn't really grow until 6th form.

most lads are small til the summer between year 9 and 10, as a female I was 5'6 in year 6 and didn't grow since then so went from back row photos year 7 to front row year 11

I looked at the WHO growth chart & his predicted height is about 5’10/ 5’11 ish

What I do did you put in though-what is that actually based on?

I’m 5 3 and DH is 5 9. DS at age 20, is 5 8.

DS’s friend is 5 6. His friend’s mum is 5 1 and the dad is 6 7.

I just wonder what they base the predictors on?

Was your DH also a 'late-bloomer?

It is worth going to see an endocrinologist to check there is no growth hormone deficiency. The growth plates fuse during puberty so if your son doesn't grow any further, and puberty is complete, there's nothing more to be done.

The endocrinologist will check your son's wrist (via x-ray) to assess whether the growth plates have started fusing and will check testicle size to see if he's started puberty. The endo will be able to judge whether your son is a 'late bloomer' and will suddenly grow next summer like all the anecdotal stories here.

If not, the endo will continue to test for a hormone deficiency. If there is a deficiency (unlikely), then your son can have growth hormones to hopefully ensure he reaches his growth potential.

redlocks28 - growth potential is (your height in cms + the father's height in cms divided by 2) and + 9cms.

My 13 year old is exactly the same. He fell asleep with his phone in his hand the other night and I saw he’d done several height prediction things ☹️ My other son was covered in hair by this she and was well into puberty before leaving primary school. My 13 year old does have a very tiny moustache and a few under arm hours but looks very young compared to his friends.

Secondary teacher here. Boys are massively diverse at that age- some 13 year olds are still really little some are well on the way in puberty. I wouldn't worry he will get there soon!

Mine was 6ft at 13 but all his friends were tiny. I am sure he will catch up.

My foster son was small for his age and his best friend was about 8 inches taller than him. We went on holiday for 6 weeks one summer and when he came back he was only about 4 inches shorter than his friend and because he spent summer in shorts I did not notice as much. When I had to get new school trousers he had to have 2 sizes bigger.

@SpongeCakeAddict - my nephew has asthma, used inhalers alot as a child. He’s 25 now and only 5ft 6.

It can be so unpredictable. Boys can continue growing into their late teens and early 20s though my paed friend says that late growth is often growth of the torso as limbs grow first 🤷🏻‍♀️

My nephew grew 3 inches in his first 2 years of uni.

My ex was tiny at school, he suddenly had a growth spurt at 16 and ended up several inches taller than the boys that towered over him at the time!

Has his height been consistent if plotted on the charts in his red book? DS equalled my height at 13.5 and from then on just carried on growing. He's 18 and now 2 inches taller than his (tall) Dad. Amongst friends and family I've known boys to massively grow before they turn 12 and others not until 16 - there's a huge variation. If he's always been quite little I really wouldn't worry at this stage unless there are signs of medical issues which could potentially be limiting growth.

My DS was the smallest in his class for years (including girls) - up until his 16th. He has put on a growth spurt in the last couple of months and is now hitting 180cm.

DS was 5 foot 10 at age 12 and is still 5ft 10 now at age 26! It will happen when it happens op. His height now is not really much of a predictor of his future height.