Late blooming 14 year old boy - visit to the pediatrician

[Anonymous]

We took our newly minted 14 year old to the pediatrician for his annual check-up. While most of his friends are fully in puberty, some in the later stages and have attained nearly their adult heights, he's barely started.

The pediatrician says he's in Tanner 1 or Tanner 1.5. She wants him to come back in six months to chart his progress. If he's still stalled in six months, she'll send him to a pediatric endocrinologist. She thinks the next step would be a bone scan but I guess that would be for the endocrinologist to say.

He's 5' 3.5" so, while he's definitely on the shorter side, he isn't super tiny. He looks like such a child, though. And, he'll be going to high school in the fall.

I know everyone is different. But, if your boy was delayed in the summer after 8th grade, any anecdotal stories on catching up?

[Anonymous]

DS was in the same situation and approximately same timing as your DS.

We did a a few bone age scans (a year apart) and the Endo ran bloodwork coupled with the first scan. Everything pointed to very late bloomer. Bones were measuring approximately 2 years younger than age for both scans.

DS is now 15.5 and absolutely hit noticeable puberty (appetite, etc) around 15th birthday. His growth is on the move. We didn’t end up doing any kick start or hormones and trusted the bone scans and plenty of room to grow. It wasn’t fun for DS who struggled with being short compared to the majority of his classmates but I suspect they’ve all plateaued and he will end up shooting past them. His dad and myself are tall, endo projected DS height over 6’.

[Anonymous]

I saw some photos of my son at that age recently (he is now 18) and he looked like a little boy. He was probably around the same height though. I knew he would never be tall since both his dad and I are pretty short. He is now around 5'6". The freshman boys last year looked like little boys too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw some photos of my son at that age recently (he is now 18) and he looked like a little boy. He was probably around the same height though. I knew he would never be tall since both his dad

and I are pretty short. He is now around 5'6". The freshman boys last year looked like little boys too.

Not on the FCPS area. My freshman is 5’7” and almost everyone of his friends and sports teammates are taller than he is.

[Anonymous]

If hearing everything is normal from a pediatric endocrinologist would alleviate your or his anxiety, its probably worthwhile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw some photos of my son at that age recently (he is now 18) and he looked like a little boy. He was probably around the same height though. I knew he would never be tall since both his dad

and I are pretty short. He is now around 5'6". The freshman boys last year looked like little boys too.

Not on the FCPS area. My freshman is 5’7” and almost everyone of his friends and sports teammates are taller than he is.

So all of the freshman boys who attend FCPS can't be short?

[Anonymous]

Search this forum - lots of stories (including mine about my son).

[Anonymous]

Mine was the same, and I've posted before when people asked. My DS had the scan and he was about 2 yrs behind in bone growth vs age. he's 18 now and about to go play D1 Football. (So clearly grew a lot). SOme people are just late bloomers, it runs in our family.

[Anonymous]

He's short, but not excessively so. My son is about the same age (a few months younger), and is 5'4". However, neither my husband nor I are tall. My son's voice has definitely changed, and he has a slight mustache and armpit hair. Have you noticed any of these other signs of puberty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Search this forum - lots of stories (including mine about my son).

OP here. There is some great information on this forum and I've probably read all of it. I definitely appreciate the stories! I guess I'm engaging in magical thinking. Like "my DS went from Tanner stage 1 to a growth spurt in 8 months" or something silly like that.

It's not that he's shorter than other kids in his grade. It's mainly that he's preadolescent. He's dealing with it but is ready to get the show on the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He's short, but not excessively so. My son is about the same age (a few months younger), and is 5'4". However, neither my husband nor I are tall. My son's voice has definitely changed, and he has a slight mustache and armpit hair. Have you noticed any of these other signs of puberty?

OP here. No signs of puberty at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw some photos of my son at that age recently (he is now 18) and he looked like a little boy. He was probably around the same height though. I knew he would never be tall since both his dad

and I are pretty short. He is now around 5'6". The freshman boys last year looked like little boys too.

Not on the FCPS area. My freshman is 5’7” and almost everyone of his friends and sports teammates are taller than he is.

So all of the freshman boys who attend FCPS can't be short?

Huh?

[Anonymous]

My brother wasn’t even 5 feet when he started 9th grade (and he was old for his age turning 15 the summer before starting HS). He ended up being 5 ft 10.5 inches - no interventions. My dad was apparently a late grower and ended up being 6ft 3 inches when he stopped growing in early 20s.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of people in this world sweating their son’s height. One thing I’ve learned from DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of people in this world sweating their son’s height. One thing I’ve learned from DCUM.

It's more than height. It's all the other things that come with puberty. Looking and sounding like a teen. Putting on some muscle. Attempting to keep up in sports.

I'm not sweating my son's final adult height. I want him to get through the next few years until it gets here.