Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

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

Flip

Original poster

Below average height

22 replies

iwouldgoouttonight · 16/02/2008 20:55

I've been worried about DS walking, talking, teeth, etc, etc - now he is walking and starting to talk I have to have something else to worry about!

I'd noticed he is shorted than all the other children at our baby group and assumed they were all older, have since found out they're all the same age I checked the growth charts in his health record. He is 18 months and 75cm tall which is on the very lowest percentile. Both me and DP are slightly above average height so assumed DS would be the same.

Do you think he's likely to have a sudden growth spurt and catch up or will he remain shorter than average? His weight is fine, but he's quite chunky. Do you think its worth mentioning to HV or will they think I'm silly and worrying about nothing (as I am wont to do!)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

lalatele · 16/02/2008 21:04

Hi i would, my son is 20 months and 80.5 cm...he is on a low centile too and skinny(9.5 kg)...that obviously stresses me out like you but i hope our kids will have a growth spurt too...is he eating well as mine is terrible???
anyway...went to hv who said not too worry and not to stress as ds will know and get worse... he will eat when he is hungry i guess...or not???
hugs

usandnosleep · 16/02/2008 21:17

I think you should go and see the HV to put your mind at rest. No point worrying if you can ask for reassurance.

My DS is 9.5kgs and 75cms tall at 19 months old we have been seeing the paed for a year now but he also had other probs that raised concerns such as stools and frequent illness.
If your DS is otherwise well I wouldn't worry but like I say it's always better to ask and then you can stop thinking about it

blueshoes · 16/02/2008 21:34

Iwouldgooutonight, what was his length at birth and which centile was that? If it is the lowest centile, then it could be his physiological height.

Not to say he won't have a growth spurt later. What were your and dh's growth pattern? If you were always shorter than classmates but suddenly shot up at adolescence, then that could also be your ds' growth pattern.

You can ask your HV but I don't know what she could say beyond measuring his height. I think there is such a thing as measuring bone age and make predictions about final height but I suspect that would be for children who are much older than 18 months.

I understand the worry. My dd hugs the bottom centiles too.

Original poster

iwouldgoouttonight · 16/02/2008 21:36

Thanks. He weighed 11.14kgs when I last got him weighed a couple of months ago, and he eats well. Its almost as though he's growing sideways instead of upwards!

OP posts:

SecretBoozeWhore · 16/02/2008 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

iwouldgoouttonight · 16/02/2008 21:40

He wasn't measured at birth - he hasn't been measured at all, the HV said weight was more important. Its only since I noticed he looked quite short that I measured him. Me and DP were both tallest in our class so thats why I thought it was strange that DS seems shorter than average. I don't mind if he's short, but I'm just hoping it doesn't mean there are any other problems.

OP posts:

soph28 · 16/02/2008 21:45

my dd is 19mths and is only 9kg and about 75cm. I'm not worried and neither is HV (although the boys charts expect them to be heavier than girls but I don't really see why at this age)

My ds was very small too- at nearly 3 he is only just over 2 stone and has only just grown out of 12-18mth trousers but he seems to have had a growth spurt recently- he has always been smaller than all the other boys and most girls in his peer group.

blueshoes · 16/02/2008 21:50

iwould, I don't think height (or slowness in acquiring it) is in itself indicative of any health problems. It sounds like your ds is clearly within the normal range, if you haven't noticed his height until now.

The good thing is that you get a lot of wear out of ds' clothes.

Original poster

iwouldgoouttonight · 16/02/2008 22:07

Oh yes we're still rolling up his 12-18month trousers up twice at the bottom!

OP posts:

blueshoes · 16/02/2008 22:22

First I do when I buy dd trousers is roll up the bottoms and SEW them up. It will be at least 6 months before I need to adjust them.

BTW, if your ds is wearing NEXT or Hennies clothes, don't get too disheartened by the fact he is wearing clothes that are smaller than his age. They come up Big. Gap and Verbautdet have more normal lengths for our los.

whirly · 17/02/2008 06:47

I don't think it's that rare for tall parents to have short children. My DD is never going to be as tall as me (I'm only 5'8!) as both her grandma's are 5 foot or less. Also DS has 2 very short and adorable boys in his class (7yr olds), but both have very tall parents. One dad said he was always the shortest in his class as a kid.
I don't think those height/weight charts are much use!

McDreamylove · 17/02/2008 07:02

My DS is the same and I contacted my HV. She is monitoring his weight and height over the next year and as long as he is going up the percentile (2nd ) there is nothing to worry about.

FWIW my mum always says that my brothers were always the smallest in their classes and now they are 6ft+.

It is worrying though isn't it. A friend of mine is giving me her sons hand me downs for my DS and her son is 6 months younger!!!! DS is 3 in July and is currently wearing 18 -24 month clothes.

annoyingdevil · 17/02/2008 09:05

Tesco's are huge too! My nearly 3 year old can still fit into 12-18 mths. Yes, I have 2 titchies as well. My 18 mth old is probably a similar height to yours. Not that he's even been measured.

Original poster

iwouldgoouttonight · 19/02/2008 09:37

Thanks for all your replies. I'm going to see the HV on friday so I'll ask her then - I imagine she'll probably just tell me to keep an eye on it. I mentioned it to my mum this morning and she said she's wondered about his height too as he only comes up to the shoulders of the other children in the play group she takes him too. Also his feet haven't grown since we bought him his first pair of shoes at the beginning of november. I'm trying not to worry but I hope theres nothing wrong with him. He's very chunky and always has been and his weight is fine, so it he stays at the right weight but doesn't go up in height he's just going to end up getting fatter! I'm 5'8" and DP is 6'1" and both set of grandparents are tall (both grandads over 6 feet) so this is why I'm concerned.

Oh there's always something to worry about isn't there?!

OP posts:

GillL · 19/02/2008 11:43

Hi iwouldgoouttonight. I know you've already had lots of replies but I've had the same concerns as you. My dd is 3 in March and is in 18-23 months trousers which are too long for her and will still fit her next winter. She also has several 12-18 months trousers which she is still able to wear. She is shorter than every other child at pre-school and all of the other kids we know her age. My side of the family are mostly short, I'm 5'2" but dh's family are all very tall, dh is 6'7". Even his grandmother towers over me. She eats very little and her waist is so small that she can wear 6-9 months skirts with room to grow. She's healthy so I don't worry about it any more. I'm hoping she'll have a growth spurt cos I've always hated being short but she probably won't care either way.

lalatele · 19/02/2008 15:38

hey iwouldgoouttonight, it does not seem to be such a problem as you only noticed that your son was shorter recently...i noticed it on my son since he was 6 months and i can promise you that my mil is very bothered about it as she always mentions how skinny and short he is even compared to younger kids,...she has an obsession about it and tries to feed him as much as she can, always tells me what to do which drives me crazy!!!!!!!
so try not to worry too much...

nametaken · 19/02/2008 16:10

Hi iwouldgoouttonight

I read somewhere that adult sons are always taller than their mothers which is a relief for me as I'm 5ft and a tealeaf.

My son was 4 weeks premature, weighed 4lb 4oz and was very short. When he started reception he was one of the shortest but now in year 6 he is one of the tallest - there is plenty of time for growth but I would definately mention it to HV as others have said. At the very least she will monitor his growth.

I know exactly what you mean when you say it's like he's growing sideways not upwards, this happened to my ds which I thought was ever so funny at the time but as he grew he kind of stretched the chubbiness out and now he just looks slim and normal.

I'm sure he's well fed anyway but one more thing to mention is make sure his diet is really really good with plenty of good quality protein.

mrsruffallo · 19/02/2008 16:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

WendyWeber · 19/02/2008 16:47

I always trot my DDs out on these threads.

DD1 - tiny baby (5-11) - below 10th centile throughout childhood.
DD2 - average baby (7-4) - around 75th centile throughout childhood.

DD1 now 25, DD2 now 22.

Both 5'7.

HTH

Zogal · 02/04/2010 21:15

My DS2 is a little one too. (5lb 11 born - is just above the 0.4th percentile) he is now 3 years 9 months and 91cm, so in 18/24mth clothes. He is currently under an endocrinologist (which I had to fight to get) and it looks like he has somthing called constitutional delay in growth - which is a variation of normal, and more common in boys. DS2 was also late walking/talking/jumping etc. So it looks like he will have a late growth spurt and catch up a little later. My biggest issue is where on earth do I get school trousers aged 2-3 as he starts school in Sept!!

ChazsBarmyArmy · 06/04/2010 10:40

DS1 was well below the 50th centile when born and up to the age of 2yrs. He is now 6.5yrs and somewhere between 91st and 98th centile.

DS2 2.5yrs has only just crept over the 50th centile now, it will be interesting if he follows the same pattern as DS1.

There is no harm in mentioning it to the HV, I suspect that they will take a wait and see approach unless there are other medical issues.

I'm 5'5" and DH 5'11.5"

ShowOfHands · 06/04/2010 10:43

Would be interested in how things are now. This is an oldish thread.

Flip