Sons height

[Sugar2]

Hi
I’m after some advice on my 8 year old.
He’s very short for his height - he’s around the 5th- 10% which makes him the shortest in his year although he is actually one of the oldest.

I am tall - 5ft 10 and my husband just a bit taller than me. Although my mums side of the family are not.
He hates being short and keeps asking when will he grow and be the same as his friends. I tell him not to worry and it will come…but I am a bit concerned! All his buddies do seem to grow and he barely does.

Has anyone else with older kids had this and found their son shot up or did they continue to track on the same percentile?

Thank you!

Has he always been on that centile? What growth pattern did your husband follow? Was he quite short then grow rapidly when a bit older?

how tall was he as toddler around 2 yo?
what is his diet like?
is/was he a 'sicky' child?
does he do high impact exercise, outside in daylight?

He’ll have such huge growth spurts in his early teens there’s no point in worrying about it now. If he’s still short after them then it may be something he just has to get used to.

but yes, from about 8yo to about 14 there was a huge variation in growth in the boys in my dc class.

Son are always taller than there mothers

I wouldn't worry, a friend who has got DD and DS as soon as DS became a teenager suddenly shot up

Has he always been on the 5th-10th centile since he was younger?

It is still quite early to tell TBH. My DC are the opposite. But in my family the general pattern is one of quick growth as a child that largely stops in early teens. I was tallest in my class as a child and now I am 5'1". I know others who haven't really hit their growth spurt until their teens.

If there are no other concerns with his development, then I would leave it until he hits his teens. Instead do things to work on his confidence about his height. Because trust me being short is something people will remind you of as a adult.

I don’t know his height when 2! I think he was smaller than average but I hadn’t been concerned then as they’re all pretty little!. Ill check his red book!

He’s not prone to being sick and eats really well- always eats everything I give him and has a balanced diet- although he will put up a fight with vegetables! But he eats salad and fruit every day.

He’s very sporty- plays loads of outdoors sports and is naturally good at them. But I think that’s where he’s started to get frustrated as he notices the height disadvantage. Fortunately hes good so can still join in and do well!