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Behaviour/development

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Original poster

How tall did your 2nd or 9th percentile baby end up?

28 replies

Nickname1980 · 14/11/2014 19:35

My DS was born in the 9th percentile and has been in that or the 2nd percentile ever since (now 10 months old). I am curious about how tall he'll end up being. Can anyone share their experiences?

(Please don't misunderstand - whatever height he ends up will be just perfect. I'd be just as curious if he was in the 90th percentile. Would love to know if these "extremes" follow them! Plus the advent of the internet means I can indulge my curiosity )

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Molotov · 14/11/2014 19:46

I don't know precisely OP, but I am aware that the 50th centile for girls estimates an adult height of 5'4". My own dds are on the 90th centile, and that estimated adult height of 5'8" tallies with my own.

Therefore, a 9th centile might indicate an adult height of around 5'.

We're all different shapes and sizes. Happy and healty is the focus

Linus33 · 14/11/2014 19:59

We've got to DS which are 2.5 yrs apart. DS1 was born on the 9th and DS2 was born on the 2nd. Now aged 12 and 10, both are small for their age. I did hear that sons will always be taller than there mothers. If that's true they'll be taller than 5'3"! How they'll end up we're not sure yet but likely to be smaller than average.

We are family small and the boys know they are small but both have HUGE personalities! Being small hasn't held them back, perhaps with the exception of DS1 in the school basketball team!

Molotov · 14/11/2014 20:02

It'll be different for boys. My post was based on girls (we don't have any sons). I'm sure a boy on the 9th centile won't grow into a 5' man!

StrawberryMojito · 14/11/2014 20:08

I think the predicted height for a 9th centile boy is 5'6". I have one too (aged 3) so am hoping his lack of height doesn't affect him too much. We never mention it but grandparents often comment on it in front of him which annoys me.

JimmyCorkhill · 14/11/2014 20:15

There is a little bit on the side of the height chart in your red book which gives you the predicted adult height from the percentiles.

Linus33 · 14/11/2014 20:40

Yes I did the calculations on DS1 who was on the 9th and we predicted that he might be 5'7. Thinks that DS2 might be a bit shorter than that.

Purpleroxy · 14/11/2014 20:44

The percentile they are born on is as a result of their gestation and conditions in utero.

Once they are born, their own genetic makeup takes over.

There is a height predictor based on the heights of the parents. I'm sure the centile at birth is completely irrelevant.

Both my dc were born between the 2nd and the 9th centiles. I was ill during pregnancy. They are both in primary school and by far the tallest in their year groups. Because parents are tall!

Rummikub · 14/11/2014 20:47

The height at age 2 is apparently half their adult height. Not sure if its true yet based on my dc. Waiting.

cantmakecarrotcake · 14/11/2014 20:48

My husband is 9th centile as an adult and is 5ft7 (8 if you ask him!)

He and I were measured by the paediatrician to estimate what centile our teeny DD should be on.

Swex · 14/11/2014 20:50

Hello. Early days here yet but dc1 on 9c is now on 75 for height at 5. Dc2 is ten months and between 2-9c for weigt but 50 for height. We shall see. I don't think either are going to be short tbh. I think the earlier poster with regards to genetics is correct as both mine were growth restricted in utero.

Linus33 · 14/11/2014 21:00

Purpleroxy you're right we did the predictions on a formula of parents' height and DS1 height at aged 2. Upshot is we're all short and DSs won't be any different.

mrstowers · 14/11/2014 21:00

My sister measured her ds at the age of 2 to predict his adult height using the system that age 2 is apparently half their adult height. He was predicted 6ft but at the age of 30 is now 6ft 5ins!

Fantail · 15/11/2014 06:39

DD was 50th centile until she was 2. Now almost 4, she is on the 91st for height.

Her Dad is 6ft 5, I'm a foot shorter, so we don't know how tall she will be.

TeacupDrama · 15/11/2014 06:51

DD was small when born 2nd centile now almost 5 and just below 50th centile for height and weight both DH and I are just below average, I'm 5'2" he is 5'6/7"
I don't think birth centile matters too much, genetics much more important

LIG1979 · 15/11/2014 10:01

My dd spent most of her 1st 18 months between the 9th and 25th for height. Then suddenly she shot up and is now close to 50%. Now aged 2.3 she is definitely very average height. Not sure that answers your question but saying she may not stay on that percentile. (She is however still very slight which makes buying clothes tough as she needs the length but needs to be able to take them in at the waist.)

Echocave · 16/11/2014 00:10

I think 10 months is probably too young to estimate a baby's adult height. Dc1 was born on 11 percentile and was around 25 for most of the first year. By her 2 year check she was 50th for both height and weight.

Kakaka · 16/11/2014 00:51

It is hard to get an accurate measurement at 10 months. Once they are two and standing it is easier. So you may find he bounces around the centiles a little. A small difference in measurement makes a big difference centile wise.

My DD is 2nd percentile and being seen by an endocrinologist. If she drops below 2nd, then the dr wants to do a growth hormone test on her. I've been reluctant as I am 5 ft 3 inches and my husband 5 ft 6 inches so we think it is just familial. Her projected height estimate is between 5 ft 1 inch and 5 ft 4 inches.

lisej · 16/11/2014 18:56

Can't help with adult height, but my son was born on the 50th centile and dropped very swiftly to the 9th centile, where he has stayed ever since (both weight and height). He's five and a half now and still 9th centile for both.

MargeryDaw · 16/11/2014 19:14

DS was on the 9th centile (born 5 weeks early) until between 2-3 he went up to the 50th. His dad is tall so I guess he may be too

AmITwirly · 16/11/2014 19:21

DS2 was 2nd centile at birth, but within 3 months was 50th centile and now at age 13 is 91st centile! Chances are he will still grow a lot more, but he's already a few inches taller than me.

DS1 was 9th centile at birth and stayed small until this year (age 15) when he has suddenly had a growth spurt and is now probably average height for his age i.e 5'9".

So I agree with the PP that height/weight at birth is not always a good predictor of adult height.

Astromouse · 16/11/2014 20:13

My DD was born on 0.4th centile (height and weight). Went up to the 2nd centile by 6 months and stayed there till about 10 months. Now at 17 months she's on the 50th centile for height and weight and still growing at a phenomenal rate.

Fuzzymum1 · 17/11/2014 13:34

My eldest was way down the chart - Below 9th I think. He's now approaching 21 and is about 5'10" He shot up about a foot in a year when he was around 14 or 15.

Linguaphile · 18/11/2014 11:38

They say that you can't predict adult height on the basis of childhood height until around age two or three because there are lots of factors that could have affected their growth up to that point that will even out once their genes get a chance to assert themselves.

My twin girls were born on the 9th percentile and have since (now 14 months old) popped back up to the 50th where they were during pregnancy. However, as DH and I are both over 6' tall, we expect that they'll exceed that percentile by the age of two.

Noseymumsy · 01/10/2015 10:51

My son was between the 2nd and 9th percentile and now he is 16 and 5ft 5"...taller than me but a good few inches shorter than his dad. I don't think he'll grow anymore now but all good things come in small packages ??

Ifiwasabadger · 02/10/2015 06:12

Watching with interest. My 2 year old is on the5th centile. DH. I are both tall...

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