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Original poster

Should I worry about DS height?

27 replies

Coffeefacescrub · 11/01/2017 20:10

He's just turned 6 and is 110cm.

DH is 5ft 8 and I'm 5ft 2. DH was tiny until he was about 13 and then shot up to his princely height. He said he didn't care as - I quote - he ran with the cool crowd and could make everyone laugh - but DS is getting comments. I feel protective.

Oh, and he hardly ever goes up in shoe size. He's got teeny feet

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Shootingstar2289 · 11/01/2017 20:16

My son is nearly 6 and is about the same height. For years he was really short for his age then seem to suddenly shoot up to this height - so he seems tall at the minute when is probably still short compared to some of his friends. Most of the boys and some of the girls in his class tower over him. But I am certain it's nothing to worry about it. You're quite petite and your husband isn't particularly tall so that height is right for him. My son is short because his dads family because his dads family are all very short. Whereas I'm 5 foot 7 lol.

Luckily my son doesn't seem to have comments made or he doesn't mention it. Children can be cruel.

Shootingstar2289 · 11/01/2017 20:17

Just realised how bad my grammar is in that reply! 🙄

RacoonBandit · 11/01/2017 20:19

I don't see why you are worrying......you can't fix it Confused

Teach him to accept and embrace who he is then his height won't be an issue.

tessiebear4 · 11/01/2017 20:19

What are you worried about in particular?

It does seem quite short, it's the same height as my 4 year old. But these things aren't linear.

2anddone · 11/01/2017 20:22

My son is 131cm and 11 years old (starts secondary inSeptember) he has tiny feet (size 13) that never seem to grow too! His dad was a late grower and grew almost 6" one summer in year 10 so not too worried at the mo. Just hoping it doesn't become an issue for him at secondary school!

Original poster
Coffeefacescrub · 11/01/2017 20:31

What do I worry about? I guess that he'll be really short. There, I said it. I worry that he won't be 5ft 8 like his dad, that he won't shoot up, and that he'll experience bullying, and low self-esteem for being short.

Please don't flame me. I'm not saying that these concerns are comfortable, just being honest.

Secondary, I worry there's a health problem stopping him growiung, but I sort of know that's very unlikely. He's just small.

He has a huge personality, but I don't want him to struggle because of his height

OP posts:
pho3be · 11/01/2017 20:33

But there's nothing you can do about it Confused

RacoonBandit · 11/01/2017 20:34

You can't do anything about it.

Please don't waste your head space thinking about it.

GlitterGlue · 11/01/2017 20:40

Is he following his curve?

ineedamoreadultieradult · 11/01/2017 20:40

I always worried about DS2s height he is nearly 7 and 115cm until I looked back through our photos and realised in all our fun family photos whilst I was smiling when I looked at them I couldn't remember feeling happy at the time just anxious and worried about how tall he would be as an adult and if he would be bullied etc. That's when I decided to stop letting it get in the way of enjoying DS's childhood. Please don't let it worry you, what will be will be.

Original poster
Coffeefacescrub · 11/01/2017 20:45

I know I shouldn't worry. I know there's nothing I can do. Those are rational things though and anxiety is not rational.

His curve - well, he was minute at birth. Bottom of the percentile - so I guess he's doing better than expected!

OP posts:
Dementedswan · 11/01/2017 20:46

Same boat here OP my son is 6 nearly 7 and approx 115cm not had him measured for ages. His class mates tower over him. Think he is only shoulder height to most of them.

I love him for who he is but it bothers me because he gets upset about it . Particularly about that recent thread about many posters saying they wouldn't date a short guy Sad

youcantgoback · 11/01/2017 20:48

There are some medical issues that can cause slow growth. If they are identified and treated, growth would then improve. The only thing you can do for peace of mind, is check where he is on his growth centile and see if it's in line with the family norm. Your GP would be the next step if you don't think he is. Now's the right time to get it checked and monitor his growth rate. Trust your instinctSmile
Contact the Child Growth Foundation if you're concerned.

Purplebluebird · 11/01/2017 20:49

There are things hospitals can do to try to make someone grow taller (hormone treatment of some sort I think, my little sister was considered for it). But I think it's only for people who are going to be very very short, like under 5ft. My sister grew up to be about 5ft 1 so didn't "need" it in the end! I do think it's a very rare treatment though, never heard of it in UK.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 11/01/2017 20:50

I have a daughter that was smaller than that at 6 (101cm), she has remained tiny into adulthood but hers was most likely caused by the ridiculous amount of steroids she took to try to control her asthma. Is he growing? If he is following his line on the growth charts then he is just destined to be the height he will be but if, like my daughter, he has stopped growing there maybe something that can be done in which case you need to speak to your GP.

tessiebear4 · 11/01/2017 20:51

Is he otherwise fit and healthy? If so, I doubt there are any health issues - but why not mention to your GP next time you are there for something else if you are really worried?

I know quite a few short men, for what it's worth! Off the top of my head, they're all married/in partnerships and/or in good jobs, generally happy and popular.

BrondeBombshell · 11/01/2017 20:52

CoffeeFaceScrub, I don't blame you for worrying and I won't ''condemn'' you. I'm only 5'2" and my son seems to have inherited his Dad's relative height (compared with mine) whereas my daughter is only the same height as I am. I think that this is luckier for my son. I've a friend and she is taller than I am and her son is tiny. She brought him to hospital and they measured his wrists and femur length and they think he has delayed maturation or something. It is a thing.

BrondeBombshell · 11/01/2017 20:54

Yes, the ''one that got away'' for me was only five foot seven. I thought I'd met the man of my dreams and then his x wanted him back. Over that now but he had options and I was only one of them. Geez. More recently after dating a string of six footers, a cheeky little fekker with a big gap between his teeth and a bit of a tummy who would measure 5'8 if the person measuring him was being kind, he is proving hard to completely forget. Anyway, apologies for the tangent there.

theothersideoftheworld · 11/01/2017 20:56

Just because there's nothing she can do about it doesn't mean she can't worry.
My son is 4 and is the smallest in his class at 100cm. My husband is 6ft 1 and I'm 5ft8. My step son was tiny too but shot up recently and at 15 is 6ft3.
When I spoke to the HV she said some kids just have a growth spurt later. I'm hoping this is the case for my lad!

Gingernaut · 11/01/2017 21:00

Hormone treatments only work for those children who lack the hormones in the first place.

'Treating' short children when there's no deficiency is pointless.

I'm short, I come from a family of short people. Frankly, there's no point worrying about it even though standing in the ladies toilet just able to see the top of my head in the mirror gives me the rage some days.

WallisFrizz · 11/01/2017 21:02

I'm with you OP. My DS is 5.3 and about 105cm with size 8 feet. I also read the horrible thread (actually a few horrible threads over the years) where the majority were saying they wouldn't consider dating a short guy.

It's easy for people to say don't worry, but for boys especially, a lack of height is something that could lead to bullying, self esteem issues etc.

My DS seems completely unaware of the height difference at the moment which is great. He also has a big personality. If he becomes insecure I'll just try and instill a positive body image.

Blacksox · 11/01/2017 21:09

Isn't there a formula to work out predicted heights?

You add 5 inches to the average of both your heights.

So your son's potential height would be 5 foot 10 - not too short!

GlitterGlue · 11/01/2017 21:18

If he's following his curve them it's probably not a growth issue, but do have a word with the school nurse or other health professional to out your mind at rest.

The formula predicts him as being 5ft 7.5inches, so not tiny.

Blacksox · 11/01/2017 21:21

My formula, applied to my ds who is 18 so I guess has stopped growing, is spot on at 6ft 1.

GlitterGlue · 11/01/2017 21:24

The formula is add the parents heights together, add 5 inches for a boy, then divide by two.

I've just tried it for dc, and the result is pretty much bang on their curve if they follow it to 18.

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