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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

ds is now getting a bit worried about his height...

56 replies

grumpypants · 30/10/2011 12:30

started a thread ages ago about this, whether it was a 'problem' - he is the smallest in his class (i reckon, looking at the line in the morning) and is fairly 'cute' (glasses, curls) so adding to the small appearance. (yr 2, about 111 cm, summer baby so actually 6yrs, 3 mths)
he has started mentioning other children saying he should be in Year R, etc and commenting on him being small and little - i know all kids point out differences so hey ho. He also appears to think his class teacher whispered to the ta that 'that boy is a baby' about him
school nurse? parents evening? want to avoid gp if necc - long wait, been loads for ds1 (valid but ongoing) don't want to look silly, etc etc.

OP posts:

FabbyChic · 30/10/2011 12:32

My son was short until he was 14 then he shot past my 5ft 1" frame and went to 5ft 11"

Original poster

grumpypants · 30/10/2011 12:33

oh wow - thats good to know. Thanks.

OP posts:

ImperialBlether · 30/10/2011 12:35

When my son started school, he was wearing aged 2 clothes. He's now 6'1".

He was small at birth (crap placenta) and my GP said he'd probably never reach his true height potential. The GP is about 5'4" and looked happy when he told me that.

By the time he was about 7 or 8, he was the same height as his friends.

Look at your husband and your heights. He should exceed them.

Teach him ways to cope with bitchy comments. It wouldn't do any harm if your husband (now reasonably tall) told him he was exactly the same and within a few years was as tall as the others.

Original poster

grumpypants · 30/10/2011 12:38

Thanks - the other three are all tall for their ages, as am I (dh average bloke height). I will work on confidence, I think.

OP posts:

TeWihara · 30/10/2011 12:39

Boys don't generally grow at consistent rates, if you compare growth charts for boys and girls there are various 'jumps' for boys, whereas girls charts are just a curve more or less.

So I don't think it's necessarily anything to worry about unless there are other factors.

FabbyChic · 30/10/2011 12:43

He will get taller but it will take time, you see he be huge!

CogitoErgoSometimes · 30/10/2011 12:48

I went to a school reunion a few years ago. When we'd last seen each other age 16, my classmate Neil had been far smaller than everyone else. When he arrived at the reunion he literally had to duck to get in through the door. We all stood there wondering who he was...

borderslass · 30/10/2011 12:50

DS was really little he was about 5ft at 13, weighed 7 stone and was in size 5 shoes he hit 14 and shot up he's now 17 5ft 10 weighs 12 stone and size 10 feet.
DD2 on the other hand is still a little un at 16.

ModreB · 30/10/2011 12:50

My DS2 was a puny, teeny tiny child, the smallest in his class by far until he hit puberty. He then grew like a weed, 5 inches in height over 1 summer holiday and by the time he left school was the tallest in his class.

So please do reassure your DS that he will grow, and tell him that the longer he leaves it to grow, the taller he will be in the end, which is what I used to tell DS2.

schobe · 30/10/2011 12:51

I had two skinny tiny brothers.

Then they got to about 15 (late developers) and SHOT up to 6' 2'' and 6' 3'' respectively.

Now they never shut up moaning about finding shoes to fit, beds that are long enough etc.

Go to the GP by all means to set your mind at rest - that's what I suspect it will do.

Original poster

grumpypants · 30/10/2011 12:54

Blimey, some really positive info here - definitely reassuring. he doesnt ned to be a giant, obv, just average height.
GP friend suggested getting him checked, so may see the school nurse - he is slender, large head, and small appetite. He was quite big when born tho - 8lb 8oz and on the 95 centile for length!

OP posts:

mankyscotslass · 30/10/2011 13:05

DS1 is small for his age.

He sits on or below the 25th centile - but DH was the same and never grew much til he hit puberty at about 13/14, and then he grew very quickly. DMIL says that in the space of one summer he went up 4 inches in height. He is now just grazing the 6ft mark.

Lisatheonewhoeatsdrytoast · 30/10/2011 13:06

Poor boy, bur i'm sure he'll grow fine!

My father always told me that he was just over 5ft until he was about 12/13 and then by the time he was 18 and met my mother, he was 6ft 1".

My DS is little too, but i'm not too worried, because they can sprout at any age :)

ChippingInAutumnLover · 30/10/2011 13:10

I don't suppose you have recorded the height he was when he was 2 have you? It's a pretty good indicator of their eventual adult height.

SparklyGothKat · 30/10/2011 13:14

MY ds1 is 14 in dec, and is 4ft 4. wears aged 10 clothes. He had a bone age scan done a year ago ad that showed a bone age of 7, so the hospital are certain he will hit puberty later and grow for longer, his dad is 5ft 8 and im 4ft 11. My DP says he was tiny till about 15 and shot up and is now 5ft 11. The hospital have said if he shows no process at his next appointment in jan they will look to see if he has a growth condition but DS1 is fine that he is so small, his younger sisters have already overtaken him in the height stakes

nokissymum · 30/10/2011 13:27

Quite a fe prople here are talking about small children who then grew to 6ft tall, but this wont be in all cases depending on the height of the parents of course. Like sparkly i am only 5ft 1, dh is 5ft 8, DS is the smallest in his yr and august baby, no chance of him sprouting to 6ft!

I was also always the smallest in my yr, complete with the cutest body frame, ds has also been told by his mates he should be in a yr below, im older than you! bla,bla,bla.

We handled it by telling ds, that we were both small, and just as good as anybody else, could achieve just as much as anybody else and that being smaller doesnt stop you from doing the best you can, we just made him feel good about himself. He is now used to it, and his size doesnt bother him at all, at 10 lots of his friends are towering over him, but he manages to hold his own. He is still very cute and very happy, and im sure OP's son will too.

SparklyGothKat · 30/10/2011 13:33

ds1 is a december baby so is one of the older ones in his year but he really isnt worried that he is small. just means he is my baby for longer and because he hasnt hit puberty yet, means i dont have teenage worries with him either, he prefers to stay in with me :)

Dawndonna · 30/10/2011 13:33

Same here, Ds2 was the smallest in the class until last year. He's one of the tallest now. Towers over me, and is a tad taller than his father. He's 5' ll" now, just looked at the scratchings on the back door, and on the 1/11 last year, he was 5'4".
That explains the permanently empty fridge!

MitrochondrialEve · 30/10/2011 13:35

It would be worth getting him checked, imo. If he's fine and just waiting to grow then both you and he can be reassured. If he has a growth problem, then don't waste valuable years when he could be getting treatment.

Also, a GP saying he should be checked would sway me...

I had a look at your other thread, it seems your son's growth has slowed down, I'm certainly no expert, but getting a professional opinion in RL will let you know if that's a problem.

A friend of mine had growth hormone treatment, and is delighted that he did. It has been a really positive thing for him, and he is really proud that his parents insisted that something could be done to help him grow.

As far as the comment about your son being a baby goes, if it happened, it's unlikely to be about his height. Perhaps he's being a bit oversensitive at the moment because of the negative attention from the other kids. As well as you building up his confidence, maybe have word with his teacher and TA to say he needs a confidence boost.

CMOTdibbler · 30/10/2011 13:36

I think his height is prob not an issue, though worth asking gp when you next happen to be there jic.

But you could help him look less 'little' - curls are cute to us, but a more grownup hair cut might help him feel like he is with the boys of his own age

gramercy · 30/10/2011 13:43

It's a combination of things.

Excluding growth problems, a boy will always grow to be taller than his mother. If the mother is very short, then her son could reach the great height of say, 5'2" (friend of mine - he's one inch taller than his mother).

lollystix · 30/10/2011 13:58

Glad I found this thread as I have a similar issue.

Ds1 is just 5 and he told me last week the girls have started to say he can't play as he's too little (he's in age 3 trousers - about 104cm I think). It's the first time he's been teased/aware of his height and I felt so sad for him. Seems to be no issue with the boys. All the kids on the area seem to know his name despite only being at school for 8 weeks now and he says it's cos they think he's cute (they all hug him at after school club).

I am worried about his height - always between 9th-25th centile and I'm 5ft 1". Dh is 5ft 11" and his mum said he shot up at 14. Apparently smallest in class until then and a gp had said he would never get past 5ft 6. I'm hoping ds goes the same way.

Dirtydishesmakemesad · 30/10/2011 14:00

My dh was short in primary school (we have a video of him at age ten he is alot shorter than his friends the same age) but he grew quickly in hus teenage years and is now 6 foot 1.

Original poster

grumpypants · 30/10/2011 21:04

Thankyou so much for sharing your experiences - too many kind replies to say thabk you individually. Really good point about hair - its curly so either needs a bit of lengh, or is a number one. But I have found a good hairdresser so will ask her advice. I have also told his dsibs to stop treating him like the little one. I am five eight. Thabk you whoever took the time to also look at my other thread - its the slowing down that slightly bothers me. I think I will run it past someone, and then update here for anyone interested.
This sort of group niceness on mumsnet reminds me how lovely most people are.

OP posts:

Milliways · 30/10/2011 21:17

We are fairly tall (5'9 & 5'10) and assumed both kids would be. DD was tall throughout primary, was one of tallest in Yr7 and stopped at 5'5 - where she is now aged 20.

DS was always small & skinny.At secondary his friends were like his minders either side of him! He too is an August birthday so that does make a difference. He started 6th form wearing age 14 trousers, but literally, in the last 2 months he has sprouted inches and is now taller than me & probably just overtaken DH, and still growing!

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