Delayed puberty....what was the outcome?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in exactly your shoes. I'll cut to the chase and tell you it all works out!

Here's the long answer:
Son also was delayed to hit puberty, also tracked by endocrinologist at NIH and told delayed but not enough to take hormones. Started to grow in 11th grade and still growing at age 20. Is now over 6 ft 1 inches. Totally normal size.

The impact, though, was significant. Fell behind in sports (and therefore confidence) and friend group changed because he was so much smaller and less "fast" than his previous friends. His new friends were a much better match for him but it was a difficult adjustment, admittedly likely more for me because it is hard to see your child in pain. I think we underestimate how hard being small physically is for boys in high school.

So, long term, everything has worked out. GL.

If he hadn't grown by age 14, why didn't the doctor recommend a few months worth of testosterone shots? I get not doing growth hormone if his levels were fine, but why not the testosterone to just jump start the puberty? What was their reasoning? (curious because we are going through this now with my 14 year old)

I have a similar kid who didn't start puberty until 16. Our doc wasn't concerned and he is now 6'4" heading into his soph year of college. I can't imagine any doc suggesting a few months of testosterone shots for a kid who is just a late bloomer. Mine didn't lose friends or confidence. He still doesn't need to shave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in exactly your shoes. I'll cut to the chase and tell you it all works out!

Here's the long answer:
Son also was delayed to hit puberty, also tracked by endocrinologist at NIH and told delayed but not enough to take hormones. Started to grow in 11th grade and still growing at age 20. Is now over 6 ft 1 inches. Totally normal size.

The impact, though, was significant. Fell behind in sports (and therefore confidence) and friend group changed because he was so much smaller and less "fast" than his previous friends. His new friends were a much better match for him but it was a difficult adjustment, admittedly likely more for me because it is hard to see your child in pain. I think we underestimate how hard being small physically is for boys in high school.

So, long term, everything has worked out. GL.

If he hadn't grown by age 14, why didn't the doctor recommend a few months worth of testosterone shots? I get not doing growth hormone if his levels were fine, but why not the testosterone to just jump start the puberty? What was their reasoning? (curious because we are going through this now with my 14 year old)

NP here. If you “jumpstart” puberty with testosterone shots, then you shorten the window for growth. So your son will likely end up shorter because his growth plates close faster in response to hurrying puberty along with the boosted testosterone.

Are you sure? Research seems to indicate that's not the case.

"Studies show that a brief course of testosterone will have no effect on the adult height but will allow the boy to get there faster." - https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/puberty/Pages/Delayed-Puberty.aspx

"The mean age of treatment with testosterone was 14.4 years (± 0.44). The mean height velocity one year after treatment was 8.4 cm/year (± 1.7) in the testosterone treated group when compared to 6.1 cm/year (± 2.1) in the patients who did not receive treatment (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the final predicted height between the 2 groups (P = 0.15)." - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556315/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in exactly your shoes. I'll cut to the chase and tell you it all works out!

Here's the long answer:
Son also was delayed to hit puberty, also tracked by endocrinologist at NIH and told delayed but not enough to take hormones. Started to grow in 11th grade and still growing at age 20. Is now over 6 ft 1 inches. Totally normal size.

The impact, though, was significant. Fell behind in sports (and therefore confidence) and friend group changed because he was so much smaller and less "fast" than his previous friends. His new friends were a much better match for him but it was a difficult adjustment, admittedly likely more for me because it is hard to see your child in pain. I think we underestimate how hard being small physically is for boys in high school.

So, long term, everything has worked out. GL.

If he hadn't grown by age 14, why didn't the doctor recommend a few months worth of testosterone shots? I get not doing growth hormone if his levels were fine, but why not the testosterone to just jump start the puberty? What was their reasoning? (curious because we are going through this now with my 14 year old)

I have a similar kid who didn't start puberty until 16. Our doc wasn't concerned and he is now 6'4" heading into his soph year of college. I can't imagine any doc suggesting a few months of testosterone shots for a kid who is just a late bloomer. Mine didn't lose friends or confidence. He still doesn't need to shave.

I think it is tough on kids, boys or girls, to look like children at 15/16 years old, when almost all of their peers look like adults and are sexually mature. Most doctors, in fact, are wiling to do something like the following to get the process going:

"Testosterone shots are often given to boys aged 14 or older who show no signs of puberty. A low dose is given monthly for four to six months. Puberty generally kicks in within 1 year after the testosterone treatment is begun and continues for about 2 years."
https://www.drgreene.com/qa-articles/testosterone-shots

[Anonymous]

Have you looked at a sophomore class lately? There is a wide variety in boys and growth even around 15. A few look like men but the others vary widely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked at a sophomore class lately? There is a wide variety in boys and growth even around 15. A few look like men but the others vary widely.

I'm not talking about simply height. My 13 year old has friends who have definitely started puberty but are still short. They're going to be short men. But they have some facial hair, etc.

98% of boys start puberty by age 14. There may be some short boys at age 15, but there are not a lot of pre-pubescent 15 year old boys out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in exactly your shoes. I'll cut to the chase and tell you it all works out!

Here's the long answer:
Son also was delayed to hit puberty, also tracked by endocrinologist at NIH and told delayed but not enough to take hormones. Started to grow in 11th grade and still growing at age 20. Is now over 6 ft 1 inches. Totally normal size.

The impact, though, was significant. Fell behind in sports (and therefore confidence) and friend group changed because he was so much smaller and less "fast" than his previous friends. His new friends were a much better match for him but it was a difficult adjustment, admittedly likely more for me because it is hard to see your child in pain. I think we underestimate how hard being small physically is for boys in high school.

So, long term, everything has worked out. GL.

If he hadn't grown by age 14, why didn't the doctor recommend a few months worth of testosterone shots? I get not doing growth hormone if his levels were fine, but why not the testosterone to just jump start the puberty? What was their reasoning? (curious because we are going through this now with my 14 year old)

NP here. If you “jumpstart” puberty with testosterone shots, then you shorten the window for growth. So your son will likely end up shorter because his growth plates close faster in response to hurrying puberty along with the boosted testosterone.

Are you sure? Research seems to indicate that's not the case.

"Studies show that a brief course of testosterone will have no effect on the adult height but will allow the boy to get there faster." - https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/puberty/Pages/Delayed-Puberty.aspx

"The mean age of treatment with testosterone was 14.4 years (± 0.44). The mean height velocity one year after treatment was 8.4 cm/year (± 1.7) in the testosterone treated group when compared to 6.1 cm/year (± 2.1) in the patients who did not receive treatment (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the final predicted height between the 2 groups (P = 0.15)." - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556315/

My son has hypo-pituitarism and sees an endocrinologist at DC Childrens. She told us that resorting to testosterone shots would shorten his growing window. We just took her word for it and decided to not give our son any testosterone shots. He is 17 and is slowly going through puberty (probably around a Tanner 3.5 right now).

[Anonymous]

What's his height and weight? I have a tiny boy. He's 17 and probably stopped growing last year. He's about 5'5" and around 120 lbs but he has short parents. He didn't play traditional sports so size didn't matter.

[Anonymous]

My 14 yo son has definitely started puberty (confirmed by pediatrician), but no adult looking leg hair, no hair under the arms, no voice change. Is he in Tanner 3 or Tanner 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked at a sophomore class lately? There is a wide variety in boys and growth even around 15. A few look like men but the others vary widely.

I'm not talking about simply height. My 13 year old has friends who have definitely started puberty but are still short. They're going to be short men. But they have some facial hair, etc.

98% of boys start puberty by age 14. There may be some short boys at age 15, but there are not a lot of pre-pubescent 15 year old boys out there.

Yes there are going to be short men. And tall men. Boys and girls vary when they start puberty. It isn't a medical condition!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's his height and weight? I have a tiny boy. He's 17 and probably stopped growing last year. He's about 5'5" and around 120 lbs but he has short parents. He didn't play traditional sports so size didn't matter.

He is 86 pounds and less than 5 feet tall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's his height and weight? I have a tiny boy. He's 17 and probably stopped growing last year. He's about 5'5" and around 120 lbs but he has short parents. He didn't play traditional sports so size didn't matter.

He is 86 pounds and less than 5 feet tall.

I’m the on who’s son was 110. My dr said 3 inches a year for 3 years once puberty starts. Yes he had no hair until
Sophomore year.

But definitely check with a dr.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d go to an endocrinologist

+1 I would not leave this with the primary care

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked at a sophomore class lately? There is a wide variety in boys and growth even around 15. A few look like men but the others vary widely.

I'm not talking about simply height. My 13 year old has friends who have definitely started puberty but are still short. They're going to be short men. But they have some facial hair, etc.

98% of boys start puberty by age 14. There may be some short boys at age 15, but there are not a lot of pre-pubescent 15 year old boys out there.

Yes there are going to be short men. And tall men. Boys and girls vary when they start puberty. It isn't a medical condition!

It is a medical condition if they haven't started by age 14. It doesn't have to be treated, but it certainly can be.

I have a kid who is almost 19, 5'5 and 115 pounds. May get another inch but maybe not - has very short parents 5'0 and 5'9. He is both genetically meant to be on the shorter side and was a late bloomer. He didn't look like he'd started puberty until late sophomore year. It was hard. I wish we would have considered the testosterone shots so at least he could have started developing at the tail end of when his classmates did, rather than a solid 1-2 years behind them (and he is one of the oldest kids in his class - was held back a year). It made things quite difficult for him. No bullying, but girls had no interest in dating him and he was always seen as a kid rather than a teen, if that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in exactly your shoes. I'll cut to the chase and tell you it all works out!

Here's the long answer:
Son also was delayed to hit puberty, also tracked by endocrinologist at NIH and told delayed but not enough to take hormones. Started to grow in 11th grade and still growing at age 20. Is now over 6 ft 1 inches. Totally normal size.

The impact, though, was significant. Fell behind in sports (and therefore confidence) and friend group changed because he was so much smaller and less "fast" than his previous friends. His new friends were a much better match for him but it was a difficult adjustment, admittedly likely more for me because it is hard to see your child in pain. I think we underestimate how hard being small physically is for boys in high school.

So, long term, everything has worked out. GL.

If he hadn't grown by age 14, why didn't the doctor recommend a few months worth of testosterone shots? I get not doing growth hormone if his levels were fine, but why not the testosterone to just jump start the puberty? What was their reasoning? (curious because we are going through this now with my 14 year old)

NP here. If you “jumpstart” puberty with testosterone shots, then you shorten the window for growth. So your son will likely end up shorter because his growth plates close faster in response to hurrying puberty along with the boosted testosterone.

Are you sure? Research seems to indicate that's not the case.

"Studies show that a brief course of testosterone will have no effect on the adult height but will allow the boy to get there faster." - https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/puberty/Pages/Delayed-Puberty.aspx

"The mean age of treatment with testosterone was 14.4 years (± 0.44). The mean height velocity one year after treatment was 8.4 cm/year (± 1.7) in the testosterone treated group when compared to 6.1 cm/year (± 2.1) in the patients who did not receive treatment (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the final predicted height between the 2 groups (P = 0.15)." - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556315/

My son has hypo-pituitarism and sees an endocrinologist at DC Childrens. She told us that resorting to testosterone shots would shorten his growing window. We just took her word for it and decided to not give our son any testosterone shots. He is 17 and is slowly going through puberty (probably around a Tanner 3.5 right now).

Don't people with hypopituatarism need medications, including hormones, their entire lives because their bodies don't make any or enough of them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been in exactly your shoes. I'll cut to the chase and tell you it all works out!

Here's the long answer:
Son also was delayed to hit puberty, also tracked by endocrinologist at NIH and told delayed but not enough to take hormones. Started to grow in 11th grade and still growing at age 20. Is now over 6 ft 1 inches. Totally normal size.

The impact, though, was significant. Fell behind in sports (and therefore confidence) and friend group changed because he was so much smaller and less "fast" than his previous friends. His new friends were a much better match for him but it was a difficult adjustment, admittedly likely more for me because it is hard to see your child in pain. I think we underestimate how hard being small physically is for boys in high school.

So, long term, everything has worked out. GL.

If he hadn't grown by age 14, why didn't the doctor recommend a few months worth of testosterone shots? I get not doing growth hormone if his levels were fine, but why not the testosterone to just jump start the puberty? What was their reasoning? (curious because we are going through this now with my 14 year old)

NP here. If you “jumpstart” puberty with testosterone shots, then you shorten the window for growth. So your son will likely end up shorter because his growth plates close faster in response to hurrying puberty along with the boosted testosterone.

Are you sure? Research seems to indicate that's not the case.

"Studies show that a brief course of testosterone will have no effect on the adult height but will allow the boy to get there faster." - https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/puberty/Pages/Delayed-Puberty.aspx

"The mean age of treatment with testosterone was 14.4 years (± 0.44). The mean height velocity one year after treatment was 8.4 cm/year (± 1.7) in the testosterone treated group when compared to 6.1 cm/year (± 2.1) in the patients who did not receive treatment (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the final predicted height between the 2 groups (P = 0.15)." - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556315/

My son has hypo-pituitarism and sees an endocrinologist at DC Childrens. She told us that resorting to testosterone shots would shorten his growing window. We just took her word for it and decided to not give our son any testosterone shots. He is 17 and is slowly going through puberty (probably around a Tanner 3.5 right now).

Don't people with hypopituatarism need medications, including hormones, their entire lives because their bodies don't make any or enough of them?

Yes, my son will be on thyroid medication his whole life and might need a low dose of HGH as an adult. He will undergo more tests after he finishes puberty tp determine that. He does not need supplemental prolactin nor cortisol.