Daughter is very small

[Starrynight999]

So just want to put her mind at ease. My daughter had always been little. At nearly 5 she was 99cm at her height school
check. She is now 11.11months and she’s only 133cm.. I have taken her to the doctor in November and she said oh she is very little but a long time to grow yet, no periods or anything yet just tiny breast buds. She being is secondary school
is very conscious of it and people making comments. I’m only 5th and dad is 5.7 so we arnt very tall. Do they grow most their heights before periods or is that when she growth spurt starts once that starts? Thanks

I was absolutely tiny as a child and tween and was always teased for it. Started puberty at 14, had my big growth spurt between 14 and 16 and am now just above average height for a woman. Both parents are/were shorter than me as adults. So it's entirely possible that she will catch up! Is she eating enough?

They only grow an inch or so after periods so most growth is before periods. I would ask your GP to write to paediatrics for advice and guidance. If she has always been tiny there could be a growth hormone deficiency and you would want that identified before puberty is complete.

I was (and I remember this from an exercise for a subject where we made graphs of class height) 128cm when I was 12. Dunno why I remember this, I wasn't upset or anything - I think I just remember due to the contrast with the tallest kid in the class. Given you are only 5ft this sound entirely normal for her to be that height. I am only 5ft 1 (like my mum), but honestly I forget I'm short unless I'm in the middle of a crowd; I'm a bit concerned you may have made her feel self-conscious about her height when there's no need.

If people made comments about my height when I was a kid I just took the attitude of saying 'Yes, you noticed' or words to that effect, as it's not as if I could help it so there was no point being offended by it and it might be worth telling her that. Don't give them any fun or reason to believe they've upset you and they'll leave you along because they can see they can't needle you about it.

So I don't think you need to worry about her height, she sounds on track to be a similar height to you and plenty of women are around our heights, no one's ever been rude to me about it in adulthood.

I am 145 cm / 4’ 8/9. It really isn’t an issue, especially outside of the UK. The only problems are reaching things on high shelves and sometimes getting nice shoes as I’m a size 34 or 1 1/2. I have more problems with clothes as I’m an 8-10 but a 30G bra size! People in the UK are obsessed with size as if it’s some sort of achievement. I an 63, married 25 years, degree, had my own business, fit and healthy, exercise several times a week, periods at 13 and gave birth to my son in 5 hours via drug-free water birth. I get told that I look at least 10-15 years younger than my actual age She’ll be absolutely fine!

So she seems, based on those two figures, to be tracking just below the second centile. Based on height given, her mid parental centile would be a bit below the 25th, so she does seem to be a bit shorter than expected. Given that you mention only the earliest signs of puberty, I would hope that she still has a growth spurt to come, and may be a case of constitutionally delayed growth, where they catch up somewhat over time, but probably worth a basic check up.

My niece was always very small, despite having two tall parents. The GP referred her to be tested for coliacs and yes she has it. Since eating a gluten free diet, she’s shot up. She’s like a giraffe now, all legs. Thank goodness the GP was on the ball. In children a symptom of coeliacs is stunted growth.

My DS is the same age and height, but DH and I are considerably taller, so he's been looked into. Even then it's nothing to worry about yet, if she's always just been a bit small (more concerning to drop from normal to small). My DS has had a bone scan that indicates he'll be a normal height, just a bit later than his peers. He hates it though.

She's on the same percentile as you and your DH would only bring her up to the 9th, so she's not much below expected. From watching my DDs peers, a sudden sprout seems to coincide with puberty, so there's no reason to think she's not going to have that. It's unlikely she'll be tall, but that's ok.

I don’t think it’s typically true about growing 1 or 2 inches after period. Obviously for some kids it might be true but maybe just a coincidence. They say most girls reach adult height at 14 or 15. I was wearing age 9-10 clothes when I took my period at 13 and I imagine I must have grown more than an inch or 2 to get to my current 5ft1. I can still fit in kids clothes now usually age 12-13. So def still grow a gd more more after that.

My friends daughter started her period quite young about age 10 and now every time I see her she’s growing like a weed. She’s quite tall and still growing and is 14 now.

My friends son is similar- he’s 11 years and 9 months old and around 135cm. He has been tested for coeliac and doesn’t have it. His parents are short though so they think this is why he is too. If you and your husband are short, she’s just probably short too. She sounds like she’s starting puberty having tiny breast buds so will hopefully grow a bit more soon.