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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Constitutional growth delay DS 15

81 replies

Letshaveablackcelebration22 · 28/12/2022 08:51

DS 15 has just been diagnosed with late puberty with the option of testosterone treatment but we don’t know what to do. Consultant thinks wait for a few months as he’s showing some signs of testicular growth but genital are pre- pubescent. She wants to do genetic testing too. He has bone age 2 years younger.

We are quite concerned generally so wondering if anyone had any experience of it? He’s just 15 in november. Should we just opt for the testosterone now? He’s going to have blood tests in a few weeks

OP posts:
hopeishere · 28/12/2022 17:58

Following. DS is nearly 15 and tiny. We're going back to the consultant in a few weeks. He had the hand X-ray a year ago and we were told he was still growing but it's been about 1cm since then.

I would like him to have the hormone treatment as while it won't make him tall it should cause a growth spurt.

PritiPatelsMaker · 28/12/2022 19:30

Are you going for the genetic testing @Letshaveablackcelebration22?

Original poster
Letshaveablackcelebration22 · 29/12/2022 09:53

@PritiPatelsMaker yes definitely - I think we need to know if any other issues

OP posts:
Original poster
Letshaveablackcelebration22 · 29/12/2022 09:54

@hopeishere has your son shown any development? Consultant said we can try testosterone sooner if he’s getting distressed (which he is) but because there is testicular development, he could be on the cusp. We are very worried tho

OP posts:
hopeishere · 29/12/2022 10:26

I don't know about his testicles. But his voice hasn't broken and he's no hair.

He's stoic about it but it is worrying. Plus we are going privately for speed so worried about the cost!

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 10:37

My son is very similar to both if yours, he’s 14 and 15 in May, with very little development occurring. I’ve been wanting to go to the GP although I’m really on the fence because he’s already quite insecure about other people knowing other than me that he might be having problems, and I feel like seeing a GP makes that ‘official’ in his mind if that makes sense.

PritiPatelsMaker · 29/12/2022 10:39

How does he feel about seeing the GP @AwayFromTheNoise?

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 10:42

@PritiPatelsMaker Embarrassed from what we have spoken about. It’s just very stressful to see him start getting anxious and upset over it. He also has mild Aspergers and I don’t want that to add to his overall anxiety.

breathcalmly · 29/12/2022 10:43

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 10:37

My son is very similar to both if yours, he’s 14 and 15 in May, with very little development occurring. I’ve been wanting to go to the GP although I’m really on the fence because he’s already quite insecure about other people knowing other than me that he might be having problems, and I feel like seeing a GP makes that ‘official’ in his mind if that makes sense.

My son is also 15 in May and it wouldn’t have occurred to me to be worried about not going through puberty yet - his dad my DH said he went through puberty late so I had just put it down to genes

breathcalmly · 29/12/2022 10:44

I wouldn’t take him to GP as it wouldn’t do his self esteem any good whatsoever. What would they do, give them hormones?

breathcalmly · 29/12/2022 10:46

My DH is now over 6ft tall and suddenly just had a growth spurt and entered puberty so I am not worried

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 10:47

@breathcalmly It’s been bothering him for a bit now as his peers have already undergone or going through puberty in big leaps and he’s not. Das isn’t around so it’s just me and him. HlI think seeing the GP could be good to alleviate any worries by getting a checkup because it might just be late rather than there being a problem, if there is he maybe able to receive hormonal treatment.

Ruffpuff · 29/12/2022 10:48

I would give it to him now. Otherwise he might not grow in time before his bones fuse.

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 11:35

@Ruffpuff is this a real thing?

PritiPatelsMaker · 29/12/2022 11:37

Yes Away, it is. That's why they have em rays to check that the bones haven't yet fused.

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 11:38

Hm, that’s made me more concerned now. I was thinking more towards leaving it another 4-5 months and if he hasn’t shown any more signs of development take him to the GP then

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 29/12/2022 11:39

breathcalmly · 29/12/2022 10:44

I wouldn’t take him to GP as it wouldn’t do his self esteem any good whatsoever. What would they do, give them hormones?

Yes! It might be necessary to kick start puberty. Nobody on here knows but if the OP takes him to the GP the worst that will happen is they both get reassured.

thecathasbeenfed · 29/12/2022 11:43

I would take him, the GP will see this sort of thing all the time and they will test for genetic conditions so you know either way if he needs hormone treatment.

Tretchikoff · 29/12/2022 11:45

My son had delayed puberty diagnosed at age 14. The hospital spoke about totostrerone (sp) for him but advised it only put on around 3 inches in height. That would have made him capped at 5ft 6.
They also said the later that puberty hits for boys the taller they will ultimately be.
We refused the steroids and he's now 6ft 1 at age 22.
He entered puberty at 15.5 years.

AwayFromTheNoise · 29/12/2022 11:49

@Tretchikoff that’s reassuring to hear

BravelyStunning · 29/12/2022 12:07

your son is still quite young. my son was 16 last august and a late developer. his voice broke about 3-4 months before his birthday IIRC, and i don't think he had a growth spurt until around turning 16- he was 5 ft 1 for yonks- he's now about 5 ft 7, so not a giant but legs look lanky so possibly still growing. does constitutional just mean delayed as opposed to anything actually wrong? obviously if this is the case the docs can advise what is best so as not to compromise growth. i think my sons testicles had become thinner/enlarged around 14 so i guess he'd started puberty somewhat, like your son (i know this because his sister used to take the mickey out of him!). if it had bothered him- the being small/not developed etc i would have got him checked out, maybe i'd have had him treated with testosterone if he'd been upset enough but i'd want absolute assurance that it wouldnt adversely affect him, just speed things up. actually, i think i was close to initiating this anyway when he was nearing 16 but then his voice broke so i knew things were happening at last. both his dad and i were late bloomers so i knew this was likely the scenario. obviously with hindsight i'm glad i didnt do anything- sorry bit of a stream of consciousness- i guess you need to establish whether ther's anything wrong or whether its just delayed but normal. would the bones being 2 years younger simply corroborate the fact that he's a late developer or would docs expect bone age to be correct even if puberty stage isn't? i mean if i'd had my son checked out at 14/15, would his bones also have shown a young age? anyway, you're in the system and being monitored which is good. i suspect there is a significant minority of "boyish" 15 and 16 year old boys- ive seen a fair few threads on here and a lot of people saying boys carried on growing even until early twenties. i appreciate though that a couple of months for a teen can seem like an age- bless them! sorry not muchhelp but wanted you to know that, at your son's age, my son was exactly the same.

Remmy123 · 30/12/2022 08:13

I had my son checked when he was 13.5 as growth so slow - had all the checks including bone scan which showed 2 years behind

he is 14 and zero signs of puberty, much smaller than his mates. Only gone up one shoe size and clothes size in a year.

it really really bothers him

they said he couid have the injections bjt I'm holding off as still only just 14

Pleasegivemeyourwisdom · 30/12/2022 08:21

I wish I’d taken my sooner to the Gp .

Oblomov22 · 30/12/2022 08:48

I definitely would. I would email consultant now and ask to start asap.

Oblomov22 · 30/12/2022 08:50

Please don't delay. Please action it sooner rather than later.