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Original poster

Growth spurt???? Help!

39 replies

NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 14:46

Anyone with boys ... Is this a growth spurt??

Age 11

Exhausted doing a sport he has done 6 times a week with no problems ever! Now adding time, not improving, looking knackered

Sleeping in middle of the day

Grumpy and irritable

Eating loads, then eating nothing

Feeling "ill" for a few days, then better, then "ill" again

Sore knee

???? Or does this sound like illness?

Or could some of this be symptoms of hayfever? (which he also has quite bad)?

If it's a growth spurt if sorts. How long does it last?

Thanks!

OP posts:
WhiteCatmas · 18/06/2023 14:49

Could it be the warm weather?

hattyhathat · 18/06/2023 14:50

Is he growing?

greenspaces4peace · 18/06/2023 15:02

children (boys) are all slightly different. Slow and steady, spurts, or late.
11 in my family would be early and I’d see a Dr. I’d also top up with a good multivitamin and more protein.

jimmyhill · 18/06/2023 15:31

greenspaces4peace · 18/06/2023 15:02

children (boys) are all slightly different. Slow and steady, spurts, or late.
11 in my family would be early and I’d see a Dr. I’d also top up with a good multivitamin and more protein.

See a doctor because an 11 year is tired and sometimes grumpy? Yikes

Clarinet1 · 18/06/2023 15:35

I’m not a doctor or nurse but I think there could be several causes for this - growth, the hot weather, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, diabetes….. so, if you are concerned, I don’t think a doctor’s appointment would be a bad idea,

Sirzy · 18/06/2023 15:37

I wouldnt write off the impact of the heat on him especially if he is very active.

FluffyFlannery · 18/06/2023 15:44

Covid.

DrManhattan · 18/06/2023 15:44

See the doctor?

Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 15:46

FluffyFlannery · 18/06/2023 15:44

Covid.

Thanks. We did a COVID home test and negative

OP posts:
cheapskatemum · 18/06/2023 15:47

Sorry to go down a very negative path, but also keep lines of communication and antenna up in case he's being bullied, or groomed.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 18/06/2023 15:48

It's been really warm lately - I don't know anyone who isn't more lethargic than normal.

Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 15:50

DrManhattan · 18/06/2023 15:44

See the doctor?

Will do tomorrow!

(I was hoping parents of older boys would come on and say .."oh yes, I remember my son went through periods like this at this age when they were growing...." Which would have reassured me, and maybe I'd not bother with the doc! But as that hasn't happened, it's maybe not as normal as I thought, so I'll take him along to doc tomorrow (if I can get an appointment which is not easy!).

He's asleep now and been asleep since 1pm. So he's missed his sports training (which he'll be sad about. But I doubt he'd have managed it anyway). And unusual for an 11yr old to happily sleep I middle of the day! (And he's not waking up even though there is currently a full on thunderstorm where I am right now!! Lightening, thunder, the works!!)

OP posts:
Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 15:50

cheapskatemum · 18/06/2023 15:47

Sorry to go down a very negative path, but also keep lines of communication and antenna up in case he's being bullied, or groomed.

Will do. I don't think he is though

OP posts:
BlueDuckBlue · 18/06/2023 15:54

It is unusual for an 11 year old to be sleeping during the day.

Tired and grumpy yes ! ( I have one too)

Is he more thirsty than normal ?

CanOfGerms · 18/06/2023 15:57

What is the knee issue?

Toomuchrubbishonnetflix · 18/06/2023 16:00

How are his bowel habits? I ask because he sounds exactly like my daughter (swimmer, trained 16 hours a week, couldn’t do it any more, got slower & slower, fell asleep constantly in the day time, ached all the time, very lethargic) and she after many months of blaming growth spurts etc turned out to have coeliac disease. Probably isn’t but have a look at the symptoms - it may be worth testing for.
She was 13 when it started and had grown a lot so it was hard to spot but much better now we know what it is. Good luck!

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 18/06/2023 16:03

Might be worth getting a diabetes test, any weight loss or excessive thirst?

saltinesandcoffeecups · 18/06/2023 16:04

Honestly it sounds like dehydration to me.

Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 16:09

Toomuchrubbishonnetflix · 18/06/2023 16:00

How are his bowel habits? I ask because he sounds exactly like my daughter (swimmer, trained 16 hours a week, couldn’t do it any more, got slower & slower, fell asleep constantly in the day time, ached all the time, very lethargic) and she after many months of blaming growth spurts etc turned out to have coeliac disease. Probably isn’t but have a look at the symptoms - it may be worth testing for.
She was 13 when it started and had grown a lot so it was hard to spot but much better now we know what it is. Good luck!

I think his bowels are normal. He did say he had a sore stomach today though (rare for him). But what your daughter experienced with swimming does sound a lot like what DS is going through. I hadn't thought of coeliac - he eats a hec of a lot of pasta! So if it is, that would make sense. I will ask doc tomorrow. Thanks

He's still asleep ..

OP posts:
Lotus717 · 18/06/2023 16:09

I would second getting his blood sugars checked.

Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 16:10

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 18/06/2023 16:03

Might be worth getting a diabetes test, any weight loss or excessive thirst?

I haven't noticed either if these. He has been hungry a lot though, and now you mention it he did randomly wet the bed last week (which he's not done for 2 years). Which may be related.

OP posts:
Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 16:10

Lotus717 · 18/06/2023 16:09

I would second getting his blood sugars checked.

Yeah a few people saying this/diabetes etc.. I'll ask doc tomorro

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
NameChangeThreeThousand · 18/06/2023 16:13

CanOfGerms · 18/06/2023 15:57

What is the knee issue?

I dont really know! He complained of a sore knee about 3 weeks ago. He'd bee playing basketball and I just thought maybe he'd bashed it (he had a few bruises on his arms and legs after basketball, so it seemed to make sense he might have bashed it, but he couldn't remember That happening). On and off since he's been commenting on a sore knee. It doesn't always seem to be worse with exercise though, but generally worse at night. Sometimes he doesn't mention it all. So I wondered if it was a growth thing, or would just go away.

OP posts:
Jumbojem · 18/06/2023 16:18

I have a sporty 14 yr old boy and everything you say chimes with him, getting slower, knees (sometimes ankles) hurting, grumpy, eating.
BUT not the sleeping in the day part, and that does sound more unusual. Unless it's just because he's not sleeping so well at night due to the heat?
Sounds like you are going to GP anyway, you know him best and clearly he's not his usual self.

CanOfGerms · 18/06/2023 16:33

Sounds to me like there are so many things it could be, it would be wise to take a robust list of symptoms with him to the GP as soon as you can get an appointment.