height issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello all,

We are a bit disappointed today as we took our 14 year old son to the endocrinologist and she confirmed that his growth plates in the wrist are closed and he wont grow. He is only 5'3. I am 5'3 and my husband is 5'8. Did anyone experience this and can there be more height growth after the wrist bone growth plates closed? We asked the pediatrician several times in the last couple of years since there was pubic hair and some arm pit hair. But she always said he will be around 5'8" at least.
Today the endocrinologist told us that he's done growing. He is feeling a bit low. We encouraged him and told him height doesn't matter. Just trying to see if anyone went through a similar situation. Is the wrist/hand xray reflective of growth plates in the rest of the body? His torso is still a kid's. He does not have chest hair. His hands and feet are big but the rest of the body is still a kids body. The endocrinologist did not want to put him on growth hormones and aromatase inhibitor just based on the wrist xray. We feel that maybe the rest of his body is still playing catch up vs his hands/feet. If there is a chance to help him grow taller, we want to explore it. Any advice would be appreciated.

I’m sorry. I know how hard it is to get a surprise diagnosis. There is a lot of importance placed on height on social media now, making this unexpected news even worse. I would recommend joining the Facebook group for ideopathic short stature for lots of medical advice and just general moral support. I would also try uploading the bone age xray to bone expert to get a second opinion on final adult height. Some doctors say growth is over at bone age 16 but often there is still another inch left, which is what the bone age height predictors use. My son was also put on an estrogen blocker at bone age 16 to try and get another inch or two if possible. I’d call around to all the endocrinologists to get a second opinion, perhaps even telehealth. The studies are mixed on their usefulness, but using them late in puberty is relatively new. I would be super surprised if the long bones had closed by 14. Wrist maybe, but not spine as others have said.

[Anonymous]

Our visit today was that children’s national as well. What a coincidence. We will call Dr Cutriss too. Thank you for the info. My son’s situation seems so similar to your son’s. It is so hard to find a good doctor.

Anonymous wrote:OP we had a very similar office visit with an endocrinologist at Children's National. I asked for labs to be run and was denied that as well, (which is ridiculous IMO) based on an almost closed hand x-ray for my 15 year old. We were also all upset and don't really feel like our son is finished growing. Based on our heights, charts show him growing to 5'10" but he is 5'5". We ended up seeing Dr. Nicolas Cuttriss who is out of network but did put him on an aromatase inhibitor and he ran lots of labs. It has only been 6 months and we need a follow up but at least he didn't completely close the door on things. My son's puberty stage sounds very similar to you sons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She only felt this testes and said they are almost adult size. At his 14 year old yearly checkup at his pediatrician’s last week, they said he was a tanner 4. His pediatrician did not say he was done with puberty at that checkup. The endocrinologist did give a blood work order for thyroid, celiac disease and growth factor (when we asked for it). She said all of that is only to figure out if there are other existing conditions that might have led to this but made it clear that she is not going to treat him with growth hormones.

Anonymous wrote:You need a new endocrinologist asap. Did she get out the puberty beads to see where your son is in puberty? Blood work to see if he makes his own growth hormones. I don’t think 14 is too late for growth hormone shots (if he needs them) unless your son really is done with puberty. Doesn’t sound like it to me. Who did you see?

Aren't you talking about two different things? Most kids grow through the end of puberty but not all kids so your child could still have more time to continue puberty but when his wrist growth plates are closed that's a strong sign he's almost done growing.

[Anonymous]

It’s a little different because it’s my daughter but I was told at a doctor visit she wouldn’t grow much more when she was barely 5 feet tall because she had her period for an over two years and she was fully done with puberty. She’s 5’3 now and as she likes to say, 5’4 in shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our visit today was that children’s national as well. What a coincidence. We will call Dr Cutriss too. Thank you for the info. My son’s situation seems so similar to your son’s. It is so hard to find a good doctor.

Anonymous wrote:OP we had a very similar office visit with an endocrinologist at Children's National. I asked for labs to be run and was denied that as well, (which is ridiculous IMO) based on an almost closed hand x-ray for my 15 year old. We were also all upset and don't really feel like our son is finished growing. Based on our heights, charts show him growing to 5'10" but he is 5'5". We ended up seeing Dr. Nicolas Cuttriss who is out of network but did put him on an aromatase inhibitor and he ran lots of labs. It has only been 6 months and we need a follow up but at least he didn't completely close the door on things. My son's puberty stage sounds very similar to you sons.

Which doctor at Children’s? Some ads great, others not so much. I love the Endo my daughter sees at Hopkins. Dr Sandra Salsberg.

[Anonymous]

Sorry you had to experience this Dr and you are going g through this with your son.

I don’t know why your doctor would just write your son off like this. How can she be so sure about him?

I really think he deserves a second chance with a different Dr.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my husband is 5'6 (but says 5'7, haha). I am 5'3.5. Our kids are both girls -- one has not yet had her period (4'10), other is 5'2 and probably full height. I have been thinking about whether to investigate hormone therapy for the younger one, but imagine there are serious downsides if doctors are not treating your kids. Can someone please elaborate on those?

Why would you do growth hormones? You and your husband are both short. Even if your second daughter only grew one or two more inches, that would be well within normal for a child of two short people. I would be very surprised if anyone recommended hormones in this situation.

[Anonymous]

5’3” is within normal height for a 14 yr old. I find it hard to believe he is totally done growing, regardless of wrist xray. Now you and DH aren’t tall people, and he isn’t destined to be 6 ft, but he will continue to grow at least an inch per year for the next several yrs.

[Anonymous]

Get second opinion. Also check on allergies and vitamin deficiencies. Our nephew is going through genetic testing as he has much more significant height issues and isn’t even 5 ft.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry this is worrying you. BTDT with a DS with growth issues. I know how worrisome it is.

I’d definitely get a 2nd opinion.

But all logical signs- even without the endo work up- would seem to point to him ending up on the shorter side (since he has always tracked that way, you and DH are on the short side, & he‘s pretty well into puberty). Are there other shorter men in the family? I do think you need to realistically accept he is likely to be shorter than your DH (and if he surpasses that, or if an issue to be addressed/treated is found after all - will be a nice surprise). Also sometimes there is just no explanation- height really can be quite random.

He could certainly grow a few more inches yet (and probably will). Most boys are not done growing at 14…

But get a 2nd opinion for sure. More information is always a good thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If short women are so concerned about their child's height why didn't they marry taller? What did you think was going to happen marrying a short man?

+1

Every week we have a post from some DCUM fretting about her short son.

Some men are just short. And they are especially likely to be so if they have short parents.

Are you going to inject him with exogenous hormones because of the genetics with you bequeathed him?

5’3 is not a genetically expected height for a boy with parents who are 5’8 and 5’3 (neither of which are actually short heights). Just because TikTok told you anything below 6’ is “short” doesn’t make it factually true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If short women are so concerned about their child's height why didn't they marry taller? What did you think was going to happen marrying a short man?

+1

Every week we have a post from some DCUM fretting about her short son.

Some men are just short. And they are especially likely to be so if they have short parents.

Are you going to inject him with exogenous hormones because of the genetics with you bequeathed him?

5’3 is not a genetically expected height for a boy with parents who are 5’8 and 5’3 (neither of which are actually short heights). Just because TikTok told you anything below 6’ is “short” doesn’t make it factually true.

I have always heard boys take after their mother’s heights. So if the mom is short (and 5’3” is short) then their son has a higher chance of being short.

While my DH is taller than me (5’10”) I am a tall woman (5’7”). Our son who is young still is in the 99th percentile for height. Not surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If short women are so concerned about their child's height why didn't they marry taller? What did you think was going to happen marrying a short man?

I’m pretty sure OP expected her son to be a normal adult height, since she and DH are 5’8” (her DH) is a perfectly fine height and if she knew her son would reach that, she wouldn’t be here.

Married to a 5'8'' man as well. (Well, 5'7-3/4''). Both parents here are 1'' shorter than the average, which when in combination with each other - two parents shorter than average - is significant. I would absolutely expect their children to be shorter than average. Does this mean DS will remain 5'3''? No. But he will likely not be 5'8''.

OP your doctor sounds cold and confusing and uncurious. And that sucks. I would definitely get a second opinion. I would also do your best, I know it's hard, to not make a big deal with your kid and to try to find ways to point out shorter-stature men who are successful and happy (not overtly...again, this is hard). There are a lot. Look at soccer players! My teen son's BFF is a shorter guy who is also an athlete. He is aware and makes comments and I am sure it doesn't feel great every day but he has so much charisma and is a successful kid and my kid loves him. Everyone has their battles: in the end, this is a better one than some others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If short women are so concerned about their child's height why didn't they marry taller? What did you think was going to happen marrying a short man?

+1

Every week we have a post from some DCUM fretting about her short son.

Some men are just short. And they are especially likely to be so if they have short parents.

Are you going to inject him with exogenous hormones because of the genetics with you bequeathed him?

5’3 is not a genetically expected height for a boy with parents who are 5’8 and 5’3 (neither of which are actually short heights). Just because TikTok told you anything below 6’ is “short” doesn’t make it factually true.

I have always heard boys take after their mother’s heights. So if the mom is short (and 5’3” is short) then their son has a higher chance of being short.

While my DH is taller than me (5’10”) I am a tall woman (5’7”). Our son who is young still is in the 99th percentile for height. Not surprising.

False.

[Anonymous]

It is important to not convey your disappointment to him. He cannot feel like you and your husband view his height as a problem.