Boy almost 14, no sign of puberty - would you be concerned?

[Anonymous]

DC1 entered 9th grade at 6’0. DC2 is entering 9th grade at 5’2. Same parents. Same size at birth. Very different trajectories.

[Anonymous]

At 14, my DS’s physician would examine him alone, talk about drugs/ vaping and being safe, and then bring me in to update. Call your pede office ahead of time and ask how they handle kid privacy vs keeping you informed. During this call, you can ask about your child’s puberty. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure this will come up at his ped appt. If the ped is concerned, tests may ordered.

Are you sure he hasn’t started puberty? My 14yo has no outward signs that I would notice (voice, facial or armpit hair etc) but has definitely started puberty per our ped. The only signs at first are below the belt, which you would (obviously) probably not be aware of. The major growth comes a bit later, usually- sometimes a lot later.

Has your DS ever been tall? Has he been growing fine the last few years- but just not a growth spurt yet? What were your and DH’s growth patterns- did either of you mature on the late side? I believe peds take all of that, and more, into account.

My own DS is a bit behind at age 14.5 but DH was the same, so it is no surprise. Our ped has no concerns.

At what age do peds stop telling parents what happens in checkup?

Our ped started seeing our kids alone for most of the visit at 13 or 14. But they were always available to check in with us about any questions we had. In OP’s case, the ped would definitely answer questions about whether their son was developing on the right track.

[Anonymous]

My DS is newly 14 and entering as a freshman. He's 5'3.5" The ped estimated him in Tanner 1 or 1.5. If you aren't familiar with the puberty scale, you should do some reading. It's considered delayed puberty and is usually genetic. It's not the height that's at issue. It's the physical maturation.

Overall, we are not concerned. Our next steps are a follow-up appt when he's 14.5 years old, which is December. If nothing has kicked started by then, he'll see a pediatric endocrinologist. This is just to rule out anything that *might* be an issue. His growth will follow it's natural course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is newly 14 and entering as a freshman. He's 5'3.5" The ped estimated him in Tanner 1 or 1.5. If you aren't familiar with the puberty scale, you should do some reading. It's considered delayed puberty and is usually genetic. It's not the height that's at issue. It's the physical maturation.

Overall, we are not concerned. Our next steps are a follow-up appt when he's 14.5 years old, which is December. If nothing has kicked started by then, he'll see a pediatric endocrinologist. This is just to rule out anything that *might* be an issue. His growth will follow it's natural course.

My DS was 5'1.25" entering freshman year. He had barely any sign of puberty until about 15, which is when covid hit. He had a "glowup" his sophmore year at home during VL. Kids didn't recognize him when they went back to school junior year. He changed a lot even between 15 and 17. He's now 18, 5'10", and still growing, while all of his friends had stopped growing by 17.

We are a family of late bloomers. DD hasn't started her period yet at almost 15.

I would've been more concerned with DS if we hadn't had the bone scan for a different issue on his foot when he was like 10, I think. Ortho said his growth plates were showing about 1 to 2 years behind his chronological age. This couple with the fact that both my spouse and I were late bloomers, we knew our kids would grow later, too.

[Anonymous]

That was my sophomore last year, OP. We are late growers. His older brother was around 5'4-5'5" Freshmen year (bigger than younger brother but also was a late Fall bday so older for the grade). He is a 6'0" Senior now and expected to grow an inch or 2 more like my brother did in college.

My Sophomore started Freshmen year around 5'3" and rail skinny. No voice change, baby-faced. He was 14. He turned 15 last spring and didn't start growing until then. He's probably 5'7" now. Still barely (besides a wisp or so) facial hair. No voice change. He still had baby teeth (molars) last year. He has a lot of growing left to do. He got some acne, hairy legs but still baby face, scrawny and his feet haven't taken off in size like his brothers did at biggest part of growth spurt.

I see many incoming Freshmen this year that are even tinier than my sons were when they started. On their sports teams in 8th-9th grade we joked there were the 'bigs and the smalls', half the team was huge already and the other half (my son included) looked like they were 10.
'

[Anonymous]

Have you ever known an adult man who had not post pubescent? Or any adult who wasn't sexually mature? I understand you want reassurance OP but as a PP has noted puberty is as certain as death and taxes.

[Anonymous]

OP's son is the youngest possible age for his grade as well.
This is one reason people redshirt boys with September birthdays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure this will come up at his ped appt. If the ped is concerned, tests may ordered.

Are you sure he hasn’t started puberty? My 14yo has no outward signs that I would notice (voice, facial or armpit hair etc) but has definitely started puberty per our ped. The only signs at first are below the belt, which you would (obviously) probably not be aware of. The major growth comes a bit later, usually- sometimes a lot later.

Has your DS ever been tall? Has he been growing fine the last few years- but just not a growth spurt yet? What were your and DH’s growth patterns- did either of you mature on the late side? I believe peds take all of that, and more, into account.

My own DS is a bit behind at age 14.5 but DH was the same, so it is no surprise. Our ped has no concerns.

Has there been any change in his voice?

[Anonymous]

Average age of puberty for boys is 12, but normal is 9-14, so he's still in the window of normal. I'd just ask the ped at the next regular appointment. Liking it'll happen before then!

[Anonymous]

That was my son. He looked like a 6th grader going into HS. I wasn’t worried because he has two short parents. He’s 18 now and about 5’5” or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure this will come up at his ped appt. If the ped is concerned, tests may ordered.

Are you sure he hasn’t started puberty? My 14yo has no outward signs that I would notice (voice, facial or armpit hair etc) but has definitely started puberty per our ped. The only signs at first are below the belt, which you would (obviously) probably not be aware of. The major growth comes a bit later, usually- sometimes a lot later.

Has your DS ever been tall? Has he been growing fine the last few years- but just not a growth spurt yet? What were your and DH’s growth patterns- did either of you mature on the late side? I believe peds take all of that, and more, into account.

My own DS is a bit behind at age 14.5 but DH was the same, so it is no surprise. Our ped has no concerns.

Has there been any change in his voice?

Nope, none.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s an average height at that age. See an endocrinologist if you are worried.

It’s definitely not, especially for a kid with tall parents, and the issue is that he has zero signs of puberty.

Yes it is. Have a kid the same age and height. Just did a physical.

Does your kid have parents who are over 5’11’ and 6’4?

My DH is 6'5" and he didn't hit his big growth spurt until he was 15 or so. Until then he was completely average to short. Some kids, especially boys, spurt up later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure this will come up at his ped appt. If the ped is concerned, tests may ordered.

Are you sure he hasn’t started puberty? My 14yo has no outward signs that I would notice (voice, facial or armpit hair etc) but has definitely started puberty per our ped. The only signs at first are below the belt, which you would (obviously) probably not be aware of. The major growth comes a bit later, usually- sometimes a lot later.

Has your DS ever been tall? Has he been growing fine the last few years- but just not a growth spurt yet? What were your and DH’s growth patterns- did either of you mature on the late side? I believe peds take all of that, and more, into account.

My own DS is a bit behind at age 14.5 but DH was the same, so it is no surprise. Our ped has no concerns.

As someone who has been through this with a son who started puberty on the late side, and was followed by an endocrinologist for a period of time, this is the best reply OP has received.

What signs have you checked for? Are you familiar with Tanner stages? The earliest outward sign of puberty isn't something most parents are going to notice (testicle enlargement).

Has he fallen off his growth curve? Was he still on the curve at his 13 yr check-up?

Were you or your DH late to start puberty?

[Anonymous]

That’s an average height at that age. See an endocrinologist if you are worried.


It’s definitely not, especially for a kid with tall parents, and the issue is that he has zero signs of puberty.

NP here. It's somewhat below average, but not extraordinarily so. My son is also almost 14, and is 5'4". He's in the 40th percentile for height, as is his best friend whose dad is 6'2" (a few months older than DS).
OP, when you say zero signs of puberty, what do you mean? My son's first sign of puberty was armpit hair, which I would not have noticed if he had not given me a hug at the beach (he is blonde). His voice began to change shortly thereafter.