Tall 12 year old girl

[Bordador]

Hello ... am looking for some advise and/or perspective.

My daughter turned 12 yesterday and is currently 1 m 66 cm (5 ft 4.5 inches). I have checked on the national statistics growth charts and she is above the 99th percentile. She is the tallest in her class and is beginning to feel very self-conscious as it's all anyone ever mentions when they see her. In theory she has another two or three years of growth ahead of her.
I've also noticed she has really fallen arches and her feet and ankles hurt her.

Would you ask the GP to measure her and keep an eye on progress? I know there is nothing you can do about tallness but I worry there may be some underlying pituitairy gland issue (my cousin had this when he was young and he is now a strapping 6 ft 8-er - but easier to carry that off on a boy).

In covid times I don't want to waste their time - but equally I can't let it go! For perspectibe, I am 5 ft 7 and her father 6 ft - so fairly standard.

I was 5ft 7 at 12
My dad is 6ft 2, mum 5ft 9. I stopped growing at 5ft 10

When she saw the Dr one of the things he looked at was with she could flex her feet, I was surprised she struggled with this and explains not being very flexible despite years of dancing. The Dr said it was very common in tall and active children and is linked with the growth plates in the heel not growing as fast as the leg during growth spurts

That’s interesting. I was always very active and sporty as a child/teen butt I did notice my feet weren’t very flexible. Obviously not enough to seek medical advice but I do still struggle if I’m doing something, like walking down steep steps or mountains, now because my feet don’t bend enough.

You learn something new every day 😊

My DD had similar feet/ankle issues, it was actually an issue with her hips and she was referred to physio.

She is also tall, just turned 13 and is 5 ft 7 but her Dad and myself are tall.Bit weird when they reach your height though!

She really isn't that tall.
I have a just turned 13 year old niece who is 6 foot tall and in size 9 shoes. She's just tall. And beautiful.

My DD is just 14 and 5'11... At the point she left primary school she was taller than everyone, teachers included (apart from the Head). But I'd get the ankle pain checked out

I'm 5ft 6 inches and have been that height since I was 13. My mother and sister were the same. At 12 I was always seen as tall but as I got older and the boys/men became taller it wasn't as noticeable.
Has she always had flat feet? Or has this just occurred?

That's not 99 percentile. I think I was around that age and only 5ft 6 now

On the other hand my DN is 12 and 5 ft 10 but her parents are 6ft and 6 ft 4. She has always been the top 1%. Most girls go through their biggest growth spurt just before they start their periods

I've been 5ft 7 since I was about 12. Hated it at the time, but it was ok when my friends started to catch up

Just checked and its 95% across the world so not just UK. Guessing that's skewed with Asia being shorter so I stand by my statement, quite a normal height

Average girl height is the right hand column.

Like others, I'm surprised that is 99th centile but I've double checked and you're absolutely right, it is above 98th centile.

I'm 165cm and when both dds started yr7 there were several girls in their class taller and bigger than me. The tallest was 5'10". I don't think it's exceptionally tall but would think that over the next 2/3 years others will catch her up and she won't feel so self contiously tall anymore.

Dd2 was around 140cm when she started secondary and we had quite a time persuading her to give up her car seat (high backed). She still fitted in it and found it comfy but I could just imagine the comments flying if anyone from secondary school found out she still used a car seat.

What I meant was that 5ft 4 is not unusual at all, definitely not to jump to gigantism which is what the OP was suggesting with the pituarity gland. Iys above average but not tall and uncommon.

I’m 5’3 and when I pick my son up from nursery (attached to a primary school) the older girls in the primary school are almost all taller than me- some significantly so! So I wouldn’t say it is that unusual in my experience. I would get her to a gp about her falling arches in her feet though!

That isn't tall for 12 I don't think I hope you are not saying anything infront of her

My 13yo DD is 5'10" and a great netball player!

But I am saying the WH0 charts are not just based on UK children. I was taller than that at that age and never felt out of place in school.

My best friend was an actual giant when we left primary school. The only people I knew taller than her were parents. At 40, she's a very average 5ft 3

I don't think height at this age means a lot. My 12yo dd is small for her age, about 4'8''. Her friend is almost 6' and only just 13. She'll probably stop growing sooner and the smaller kids will carry on.
As for her feet and ankles, get them checked if they are hurting.

My DD is aged 12, she's 5ft 6 and has size 7 feet!
I'm 5ft 9 and her dad is 6ft

DD is 10 and a little over 5’4, she also gets foot and ankle pain and has for years. I took her to the GP after she collapsed in pain during a dance class - she was very dismissive, said it was probably tendinitis - but I spoke with my physio friend who said it was very likely Severs due to her height and activity levels.

I’m 5’9 and her dad 6’1 so I think she’s on the right trajectory! They all balance out in a few years