DS’ ultimate height compared to parents’ height

[Anonymous]

Calculator works for my very average sized family.

I'm 5'4, DH is 5'8 (he says), DD is not quite 5'3 and DS is not quite 5'10. My parents are 5'4 and 5'9. DH's parents both 5'4.

I did have one tall grandparent, which is probably why I have a 5'9 sister who has a 6'4" son with her 5'9" husband.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the formula.

Add the mother's height to the father's height in either inches or centimeters.
Add 5 inches (13 centimeters) for boys or subtract 5 inches (13 centimeters) for girls.
Divide by 2.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/expert-answers/child-growth/faq-20057990

That formula didn't work for us.

I'm 5'4", hubby is 6'0". According to the formula our kids should be around 5'10". My oldest teen son is 6'0" like dad and my 14 yr son is currently 5'10" already.

[Anonymous]

it's not working for us either.

According to the calculator, my son would be 6'1". He's sad to say that at 16.5 he's only 5'9"-5'10" (and very slender)

He's been plateaued for a year or more but he's hoping to continue to grow; my husband grew 3 inches in college to his final height of 6'3" so time will tell.

[Anonymous]

My husband is just under 6 feet (about 5'11" and a half)
I am about 5'3"

DS#1-about 5'10" Done growing
DS#2-about 5'7" Done growing
DS#3-about 5'9" He's 18 so possibly done growing
DS#4-about 5'11" and likely still growing (he's 16.)

[Anonymous]

Parents 5'2" and 6'. DC is 6'1" and still growing.

Note: Mother's father was 6' as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine is shorter than dad.

Depends how tall dad is too and other family genes. 5-10 is average for a white guy and not tall. Is he 5-11 or 6-4.

That's what makes it so hard to predict. Both sides are all over the place. My sister and I are both around 5'3" and my parents are on the shorter side but our brothers are both 6'. DH is 6'1" with a brother who's on the shorter side. Their parents are above average in height.

DS is 12 and one of the smaller kids in class at 4'10" and 80lbs. Doesn't help that he has an August birthday. Trying to reassure him that he will have a growth spurt.

Has your DS hit puberty yet, or near to? That will be a tell.

We fit OP's profile. My entire family are super short. DH family mostly super tall.

When DS was 12, he was under 4'10", but he was 97lbs. IMO, your DS is on the very light side, but it could also be because they are not ready to pack on the pounds before the vertical growth. DS was always super skinny till middle school where he packed on the pounds. He got chunky, which he hated. But DH did the same, and told DS that this is normal (for them), and that when they hit puberty, they will stretch out. And yes, this exact thing happened.

DS at 17 is now just shy of 5'10" and super skinny again and was a late bloomer (hit puberty at 15). Pediatrician at last appt said they estimate DS will hit close to 6'. DS growth pattern does not show any slowing down of growth; still on the incline of the growth trajectory. DS was always the shortest in class until he hit 16, then he started growing past the boys who started puberty earlier than him. One of DS friend was the same height as him through ES, then in MS, the friend hit puberty and grew taller than DS, who hadn't hit puberty yet. FFW now that friend who started puberty in MS is several inches shorter than DS and that friend has stopped growing.

IMO, when your DS starts puberty can also be an indication of how tall they might be. Just make sure he's eating enough and getting enough outdoor time, exercise, and sleep* (critical).

This is super helpful. Thank you. DS is not showing any signs of puberty. DH was also a late bloomer. I also heard that it's common to gain weight/pack on pounds before a growth spurt. I guess it's your body's way of preparing!

PP here. DS also had a foot xray when he was like 10 or so because he was complaining for many months of foot pain whenever he ran. The orthopedist (old guy with several kids) immediately suspected "growing pains" because his kids went through the same thing. There is actually a term for this, but I can't recall what it is. I think I read it on this forum once. The scan showed that DS was 1.5 years behind in bone growth compared to his real age. And that tracks with him hitting puberty late.

Both DH and I were also late bloomers. This kind of thing tends to run in the family. So, look at when both parents hit puberty, and when you both hit your growth spurt.

BTW, DS never really had a "spurt". He was like the tortoise, slow but steady growth of averaging 2" per year. I think his spurt was like 3.5" in a year. Not everyone has a dramatic spurt in a year.

Constitutional growth delay

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, you never can tell about height. My husband is 5'8" and I'm 5'11". Son (37) is 6'3" and daughter (41) is 5'2".

[Anonymous]

I’m 5’4”, DH is 5’9” and DS18 is 6’2.5” (just measured him the other day and the half inch is in the last year or so).

[Anonymous]

In our case, my two sons are shorter than expected. Husband 6'2", me 5'5" - tall grandparents (both grandfathers and 2/4 great grandfathers north of 6'). Both DS will max out at about 5'10". No discernible reason for being shorter than predicted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband is just under 6 feet (about 5'11" and a half)
I am about 5'3"

DS#1-about 5'10" Done growing
DS#2-about 5'7" Done growing
DS#3-about 5'9" He's 18 so possibly done growing
DS#4-about 5'11" and likely still growing (he's 16.)

#4 must be thrilled to be taller than his older brothers. LOL.

[Anonymous]

I’m 5’3” and my husband is 6’1”. Our 12 year old son is 5’5” and I believe is expected to be 6’1” as well. DH’s dad was 6’3” and his brothers are shorter than DH, but their mom is short at 4’11”. I think it must be their dad’s (DS’ paternal grandfather) height that comes into play because the young adult nephews are 6’2” and 6’1”.

I think DS is starting puberty but hasn’t had a major growth spurt like some of his friends- he’s always been a higher percentile for height. Slow and steady, apparently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the formula.

Add the mother's height to the father's height in either inches or centimeters.
Add 5 inches (13 centimeters) for boys or subtract 5 inches (13 centimeters) for girls.
Divide by 2.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/expert-answers/child-growth/faq-20057990

DH and I are the same height (around 5'8"), and this formula works for our us--taller son (maybe still growing but currently right at the estimate of 5'11") and shorter daughter (around 5'6").

[Anonymous]

Dad: 6'1"
Mom: 4'11"

All children are adults
DS1: 6'2"
DS2: 5'4"
DD1: 5'4"
DD2: 5'5"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its a totally guessing game. No way to know. People hear are so hung up their son's height. So many posts about this. Unbelievable.

+1. Every week it is the same post, it is always coming from a short mom fretting about how tall her son will be.

Rarely if ever is it coming from a tall parent or worried about the height of a daughter. The daughter posts are usually about weight, which in a way makes more sense as it is something that can be changed, unlike height.

[Anonymous]

Height is nearly completely genetic. There are hundreds of genes that affect height. It all depends which he got from his parents. You won’t know unless you genotype him or until he’s done growing.