8 m.o. over 99th%ile on growth curve- what will endocrinologist do?

[Anonymous]

My pediatrician made a referral for my son to see an endocrinologist just as a precaution. He’s consistently been at the 98-99th %ile for length and weight since he was about 1 month old, but he went through another little growth spurt since 6 months so she wanted to make a referral just to get things checked out. She was expecting him to level off a little and he hasn’t. He seems normal and healthy, but definitely very big. Like he wears 2T. I see people going to the pediatric endocrinologist for falling off the growth curve but not for skyrocketing above it- any feedback on what to expect, what to ask?

[Anonymous]

I haven't heard of such thing and mine have always been huge. They are 6'3 now. Are there any other health problems?

[Anonymous]

You can have too much growth hormone, I think, just like you can have too little. Just let the endo check him out and if he/she says he is fine then he is fine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't heard of such thing and mine have always been huge. They are 6'3 now. Are there any other health problems?

+1. Unless you and your husband are very petit, I’d probably look for another pediatrician. My girls have been way off the charts since birth for height. One is a bit slimmer, so not for weight.

Unless there’s a reason for concern, I’d seriously question the pediatrician’s decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't heard of such thing and mine have always been huge. They are 6'3 now. Are there any other health problems?

+1. Unless you and your husband are very petit, I’d probably look for another pediatrician. My girls have been way off the charts since birth for height. One is a bit slimmer, so not for weight.

Unless there’s a reason for concern, I’d seriously question the pediatrician’s decision.

+2. If there isn’t harm in running the extra tests you might as well but your kid could just be big. I’m petite but DH is a large guy. Kids were all huge as babies and are now tallish as kids but not wildly large.

[Anonymous]

Could just be big but if he has a pitutuary tumor or Marfan's syndrome or something you'd want to know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't heard of such thing and mine have always been huge. They are 6'3 now. Are there any other health problems?

+1. Unless you and your husband are very petit, I’d probably look for another pediatrician. My girls have been way off the charts since birth for height. One is a bit slimmer, so not for weight.

Unless there’s a reason for concern, I’d seriously question the pediatrician’s decision.

OP here. I am quite petite, which probably made her err on the side of caution I am thinking. And maybe that I have an older child who is above average but not off the charts. I don’t know, I’m just guessing. My husband is taller, though- 6’1”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't heard of such thing and mine have always been huge. They are 6'3 now. Are there any other health problems?

I’m OP. No, the baby has been totally healthy- he’s not crawling yet, and he was a little slower to roll over, but I would think because of his size. No gestational diabetes either, and he was 8.5 lbs at birth so not a world record, but I was induced at 39 weeks. I do suspect he is just going to be a big guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't heard of such thing and mine have always been huge. They are 6'3 now. Are there any other health problems?

+1. Unless you and your husband are very petit, I’d probably look for another pediatrician. My girls have been way off the charts since birth for height. One is a bit slimmer, so not for weight.

Unless there’s a reason for concern, I’d seriously question the pediatrician’s decision.

+2. If there isn’t harm in running the extra tests you might as well but your kid could just be big. I’m petite but DH is a large guy. Kids were all huge as babies and are now tallish as kids but not wildly large.

I think the most invasive thing they would do would be a blood test (hopefully), which wouldn’t be that bad. Good to know that I might just be dealing with a big baby who may just be bigger than average as a kid.

[Anonymous]

Definitely ask the pediatrician for their reasoning on this type of thing.

[Anonymous]

I see no reason not to see the endocrinologist. Why wouldn’t you go? They’ll do whatever tests are appropriate and hopefully there’s nothing wrong and hooray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely ask the pediatrician for their reasoning on this type of thing.

I doubt there is “reasoning” so much as over X height and weight further screening is recommended.

[Anonymous]

Ours has been way way off the charts from a baby to age 10 now. If it was a percentile, it's like 130% for height, 100% weight. Shoe size 9.5.
We aren't worried. I'm short, but we have some 5'9 ladies in family. I have big feet for my height too. Baby probably fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could just be big but if he has a pitutuary tumor or Marfan's syndrome or something you'd want to know!

This. The endocrinologist will probably order blood tests.

[Anonymous]

Mine was literally off the charts at that age. He skimmed down once he started crawling and started running about a month after that. He’s a teen now and on the taller/muscular side but no thuge.
IME, the endos at children’s won’t even see you unless you’ve already had the blood work done to justify a referral. They have too many potential patients.