Only 2cm growth in a year and heading down the centiles... any advice???

[burek]

My ds is 3.6 yrs old. We're living abroad so before leaving UK last May I took him for a check and he was 91cm tall, on the 25th centile. We're both on the short side and he has always been smallish. But took him to a local doctor the other day for a pre-school health check and he had only grown 2cm since last May. The doctor was also concerned that he was too small for his age (however people are generally taller here, plus we come from short families, so we are not TOO worried about what she is saying). He has a great appetite and would quite happily eat all day if given half the chance. He is active and healthy and happy. Should I be worried? Should I take him back to that doctor and let them do tests on him? Can I expect a growth spurt this year maybe?

burek - DO get him properly checked by a gp or someone next time you are in the UK if you can't get the support you need abroad.

Dh got my gp to do a paed. referral when ds was around 18 months old and had very bendy legs (he got paranoid because a neighbour commented on my son's bent legs !) They were going to do blood tests to check vit d deficiency. I can't stand needles and the thought of ds having this done made me feel very ill. I cancelled his blood test twice, never went. My gut feeling was he was ok and then I read that toddlers with bow legs end up with straight legs between 2 - 3 years old. Ds now has fantastic straight legs

Do get him checked, but don't do any tests on him if your gut reaction as a mum is that he is ok

Thought some more.... and in reference to AitchTwoOh's comment about malabsorption, does anyone know what its symptoms are?
He has always had a very big belly. We've always thought it looked cute! As soon as he poos it goes right down, it's like an inflatible belly. And when he was younger he could go to sleep at night wiht a big round belly after milk and wake up with a completely flat one ready for the next feed.
I've never thought that it could be anything but normal but of course the old brain is working overtime now!

a friend of mine says, don't know if it is true though, that pot belly in toddlers may have to do with protein deficiency, so not enough meat, fish, etc in the diet ?) not 100% sure but worth checking out.

According to DS paediatrician is an indication of problems with glutten, but in the case of DS is one of the symptoms of his allergy to milk.

Malabsorption not exactly the best explanation but a good short one.

Thinking at the moment is possibly coeliac (malabsorption of gluten) for ds2 - waiting for further test results. Decision to do blood tests (one needle, took 10 seconds perhaps) was based on non invasive testing by paed i.e. measuring height and doing sums. If YOU have concerns then ask the question or at least keep it on the back burner as something to bear in mind (which is what we've done for the last 2 years). Ds2 is now the same height as his girl cousin who is a year younger and v small through her CF.

hannahsaunt- hope the tests go well. Is his appetite ok?

Update to all those who kindly advised me on this back in Feb.
Measured him today and he is now 96.3cm - and has grown 3.3cm since I posted!!!!! You can't see this but I am grinning from ear to ear here
I am sooo glad I followed my instincts on it and held off on any tests. I haven't actually checked his position on the chart yet because my red book is in work but 3.3cm is good enough for me!
There is always the chance that the nurse didn't get the correct measurement back in Feb too, which one of you mentioned.
Many thanks once again for your advice and help.

99 cm !!!