Growth spurt in boys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tall? My 12 yr old is 5'11" and so are many of his buddies.

This poster must have meant 5'1".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son was 5'4" in 9th grade, he was the smallest kid in 6th, 7th and 8th grade (and 9th).

What I have seen is that kids start a growth spurt when they start puberty ("smell and need deodorant" or "grow hair"). That spurt will last 3 years and they will grow 9 inches during that time... give or take. They will grow up to 3 inches more in their life time until the growth plates close. (they can close in 9th grade, they can close when they are 25) If he breaks anything asked the orthopedic to check his growth plate when they do the x-ray.

Most kids that were the tallest in 6-8 are now the shortest as my son graduates HS. My son is 6'2", he started puberty in 9th grade (poor kid) and grew 9 inches those 3 years and most likely will grow a few more.

How tall are you and your DH? Also, how do you tell about puberty? Someone said when they get all their adult teeth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son was 5'4" in 9th grade, he was the smallest kid in 6th, 7th and 8th grade (and 9th).

What I have seen is that kids start a growth spurt when they start puberty ("smell and need deodorant" or "grow hair"). That spurt will last 3 years and they will grow 9 inches during that time... give or take. They will grow up to 3 inches more in their life time until the growth plates close. (they can close in 9th grade, they can close when they are 25) If he breaks anything asked the orthopedic to check his growth plate when they do the x-ray.

Most kids that were the tallest in 6-8 are now the shortest as my son graduates HS. My son is 6'2", he started puberty in 9th grade (poor kid) and grew 9 inches those 3 years and most likely will grow a few more.

How tall are you and your DH? Also, how do you tell about puberty? Someone said when they get all their adult teeth?

Mom is 5'8" (with brothers that are 5'11" - 6'4")
Dad is 5'11"

Puberty? Our ped said smelling (aka really needing deodorant) or hair under the arms is the start of puberty (I don't think adult teeth .. .some people don't get wisdom teeth until college)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is almost twelve. He is about 5'3", 95% on the charts and currently the tallest boy in the class. However, my husband and I are both below average in height. I know that only time will tell, but is he tall right now because he is going to be significantly taller than us or is he early for his growth spurt and will level off? Is it possible to be in a true growth spurt by 11-12? I am 5'2" and my husband is 5'7".

I am looking for similar experiences and would like to know what ultimately ended up being the result? Thanks!

Given that both parents are below average it is unlikely (but possible!) that your child will end up 95 percentile as an adult. It is more likely that he will stop growing before his peers do. I know a ton of people who were very tall as children, hit puberty on the early side, and ended up average or even short as adults. I also have a good friend who looked like he was 12 all through high school and then grew a ton in college and is now 6' 2" or 3".

We can't predict for your child but you should assume that parental height is a big factor and then take a guess based on whether your child has hit puberty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is almost twelve. He is about 5'3", 95% on the charts and currently the tallest boy in the class. However, my husband and I are both below average in height. I know that only time will tell, but is he tall right now because he is going to be significantly taller than us or is he early for his growth spurt and will level off? Is it possible to be in a true growth spurt by 11-12? I am 5'2" and my husband is 5'7".

I am looking for similar experiences and would like to know what ultimately ended up being the result? Thanks!

So he's not yet 12? Does he have signs of puberty? My son is almost 13 and is still under 5'; however, his dad (6'1") did not start growing until the latter part of high school. He is only just beginning to show signs of puberty, so I expect he will be a late bloomer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tall? My 12 yr old is 5'11" and so are many of his buddies.

Really helpful! My ds is around 5'" and is 11, For growth chart 5'3" is 95%. I don't think OP was asking if their child was going to be the next Larry Byrd.

I think 5'11" is extreme, but I am sort of surprised that 5'3" is the tallest in the class. My son is 11 (will turn 12 in June) and is 5'3". Many of the boys in his grade (6th) are that tall or taller. I don't find 5'3" at age 12 to be that tall.

I'm a girl that was 5'4" at 12..and that is where I stayed. My sister is 5'9" and my brother is 6'3 (grew 1 inch in college)--neither were the tallest at 12. Brothers best friend towered over everyone at 12--he's 5'8" as an adult.

Nobody knows...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son was 5'4" in 9th grade, he was the smallest kid in 6th, 7th and 8th grade (and 9th).

What I have seen is that kids start a growth spurt when they start puberty ("smell and need deodorant" or "grow hair"). That spurt will last 3 years and they will grow 9 inches during that time... give or take. They will grow up to 3 inches more in their life time until the growth plates close. (they can close in 9th grade, they can close when they are 25) If he breaks anything asked the orthopedic to check his growth plate when they do the x-ray.

Most kids that were the tallest in 6-8 are now the shortest as my son graduates HS. My son is 6'2", he started puberty in 9th grade (poor kid) and grew 9 inches those 3 years and most likely will grow a few more.

How tall are you and your DH? Also, how do you tell about puberty? Someone said when they get all their adult teeth?

Mom is 5'8" (with brothers that are 5'11" - 6'4")
Dad is 5'11"

Puberty? Our ped said smelling (aka really needing deodorant) or hair under the arms is the start of puberty (I don't think adult teeth .. .some people don't get wisdom teeth until college)

We were told smelling is NOT a sign.

Both my boys started stinking at 9. Zero signs of puberty or growth spurt at 12.

[Anonymous]

My nephew was the tallest in his class until about 8th grade, then he stopped growing at 5 ft 7. His parents are short.

My friends boy only grew to middle school and was about 5' 7 or so too. The parents are both very tall.

I don't think you can predict it too well.

[Anonymous]

My 17 year old is 5'10 with hairless pits. He shaves once a month. A conveniently timed minor injury gave us an x-ray of his lower leg and foot, so we know he is not done.

We are expecting many many more inches and a late finish, just like both his uncles. We are not tall people, but looking at others in the family suggest that the genes are there.

[Anonymous]

I am 5'1 and DH is 5'5. DS hit 5'11 in 8th grade..voice had changed and was shaving. He is still 5'11 in 11th grade. We are not expecting any more inches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tall? My 12 yr old is 5'11" and so are many of his buddies.

Really helpful! My ds is around 5'" and is 11, For growth chart 5'3" is 95%. I don't think OP was asking if their child was going to be the next Larry Byrd.

I think 5'11" is extreme, but I am sort of surprised that 5'3" is the tallest in the class. My son is 11 (will turn 12 in June) and is 5'3". Many of the boys in his grade (6th) are that tall or taller. I don't find 5'3" at age 12 to be that tall.

I'm a girl that was 5'4" at 12..and that is where I stayed. My sister is 5'9" and my brother is 6'3 (grew 1 inch in college)--neither were the tallest at 12. Brothers best friend towered over everyone at 12--he's 5'8" as an adult.

Nobody knows...

This is all anecdotal. I'm a woman that was the tallest kid in my fifth grade class, was 5'4" in middle school, and continued to grow slowly all through high school to 5'9" (which isn't super tall by today's standards, but taller than average). My parents were averagish (Mom 5'4" and Dad 5'10").

[Anonymous]

My brother is 5'9" and his ex wife is 5'3". Their son is 15 and 6'3". My ex sis in laws family are all under 5'5" men included. My family isn't much taller, but the men are average. Nephew was always off the charts on height and weight until puberty. The weight fell off but the height kept going strong.


Personally I think it's drinking a ton of milk. And that's not great. Apparently that can lengthen bones but they are more thin and will get brittle. So I wouldn't recommend that for trying to gain height.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old is 5'10 with hairless pits. He shaves once a month. A conveniently timed minor injury gave us an x-ray of his lower leg and foot, so we know he is not done.

We are expecting many many more inches and a late finish, just like both his uncles. We are not tall people, but looking at others in the family suggest that the genes are there.

He won't grow much more, keep dreaming,.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old is 5'10 with hairless pits. He shaves once a month. A conveniently timed minor injury gave us an x-ray of his lower leg and foot, so we know he is not done.

We are expecting many many more inches and a late finish, just like both his uncles. We are not tall people, but looking at others in the family suggest that the genes are there.

He won't grow much more, keep dreaming,.

Why does it bother you though?

[Anonymous]

My boys were both around 5'3" when they were 12. They are both teens and 6+ ft tall. I'm 5'5" from a family that is on the short side. My husband is 6 ft from a family that had some tall, some short people in it.

Have you tried doing one of those height predictors where you plug in some numbers (parental height/child's height, weight, age) and it gives you an estimated adult height? I did that when my kids were younger and it proved to be surprisingly accurate for both of my kids.