Shorter Sons

[Anonymous]

How can you tell whether your child has yet to have a big growth spurt? My son grew 3 inches between age 13 and 14. Are there usually multiple years of growth?

[Anonymous]

The average US man is 5'9". There are a TON of short guys out there. If you are 5'1" and your DH 6'1" is is quite possible he won't get taller than 5'6". And that is OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can you tell whether your child has yet to have a big growth spurt? My son grew 3 inches between age 13 and 14. Are there usually multiple years of growth?

My son has had some sports injuries. I always have them check his growth plates (out of curiosity) when he has x-rays. He is 5'5" and 12yrs old and has not hit puberty. Last time we were at the ortho, they said his growth plates were "wide open" and to expect him taller than 6'2", probably 6'4". They can guess how tall kids will be based on their age, current height and space between the growth plates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can you tell whether your child has yet to have a big growth spurt? My son grew 3 inches between age 13 and 14. Are there usually multiple years of growth?

Definitely multiple years. My DS grew 4" between 14 and 15 and the doctor said that isn't his big growth year yet. "Peak Height Velocity" usually starts 2 or 2 1/2 years after the initial start of puberty. But they grow before that and after (the after is decelerated growth).

[Anonymous]

Is voice change the start of puberty?

[Anonymous]

I'm a med student on pediatric endocrine right now. We see lots of kids like this in clinic. They will do a bone age (xray of the hand) to see if his bone age matches his chronological age. If his bone age is younger than his real age that means more growing time aka the late bloomers. If his bone age and chronological age match he may just be on the shorter side. Boys have their big growth spurts after puberty starts, of in the middle of puberty is when they have their fastest growth velocity which is about 14-15 years for most males. Facial hair and voice changes are later signs of male puberty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a med student on pediatric endocrine right now. We see lots of kids like this in clinic. They will do a bone age (xray of the hand) to see if his bone age matches his chronological age. If his bone age is younger than his real age that means more growing time aka the late bloomers. If his bone age and chronological age match he may just be on the shorter side. Boys have their big growth spurts after puberty starts, of in the middle of puberty is when they have their fastest growth velocity which is about 14-15 years for most males. Facial hair and voice changes are later signs of male puberty.

Does an xray scan of the foot show bone age similar to a hand scan, meaning is the hand scan more accurate than a foot scan ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a med student on pediatric endocrine right now. We see lots of kids like this in clinic. They will do a bone age (xray of the hand) to see if his bone age matches his chronological age. If his bone age is younger than his real age that means more growing time aka the late bloomers. If his bone age and chronological age match he may just be on the shorter side. Boys have their big growth spurts after puberty starts, of in the middle of puberty is when they have their fastest growth velocity which is about 14-15 years for most males. Facial hair and voice changes are later signs of male puberty.

Does an xray scan of the foot show bone age similar to a hand scan, meaning is the hand scan more accurate than a foot scan ?

As I understand it, the hand is used because the small bones show the most dramatic changes throughout growth/puberty. I imagine that the foot is similar since it also has small bones but the left hand is always used for bone ages to keep measurements standard over time and for measuring different kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a med student on pediatric endocrine right now. We see lots of kids like this in clinic. They will do a bone age (xray of the hand) to see if his bone age matches his chronological age. If his bone age is younger than his real age that means more growing time aka the late bloomers. If his bone age and chronological age match he may just be on the shorter side. Boys have their big growth spurts after puberty starts, of in the middle of puberty is when they have their fastest growth velocity which is about 14-15 years for most males. Facial hair and voice changes are later signs of male puberty.

You don't mean to say those are the signs they are near the end of their biggest growth spurt, do you?

[Anonymous]

My brother is 6’3” and grew 6 inches the summer between middle and high school.

[Anonymous]

My son has had armpit hair since elementary (no idea if he has hair down there) but his voice hasn’t changed and he has soft baby skin on his face...no facial hair. Is he “in puberty” or not? He’s not muscular yet but also isn’t a jock at all. He’s always been tall for his age but now he’s 13.5 and 5’7” and many of his friends have caught up or are getting close, while he’s kind of stalled out.

I guess I’m just wondering if he’s in puberty yet. I know he’s still growing because he had a foot injury recently and doc said so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grade son is 4'10" and is the shortest kid by far in the grade (including the girls who are nearly done growing). The boys in his grade are his age and a year older due to redshirting. I remind him of this sometimes when he brings up his height. He has short parents so he is aware that he is not going to be tall. But my cousin's son grew 6 inches one summer in high school (late high school). He now towers over his short parents so genetics can be a funny thing sometimes. My son may be short but he is the coxswain on his rowing team so he is in charge. It has really boosted his confidence to know that he has a lot of control over these giant boys. Their team photos are hysterical. My son is a foot or more shorter than them and they are basically the same age.

Great, so you’re thrilled that your son is able to feel better about being short by seeking out positions of power over others, in this case taller boys. This is just what the world needs.

NP. Calm down. It’s ok for short and tall kids to have leadership positions and, yes, it does help their confidence. Nothing new here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grade son is 4'10" and is the shortest kid by far in the grade (including the girls who are nearly done growing). The boys in his grade are his age and a year older due to redshirting. I remind him of this sometimes when he brings up his height. He has short parents so he is aware that he is not going to be tall. But my cousin's son grew 6 inches one summer in high school (late high school). He now towers over his short parents so genetics can be a funny thing sometimes. My son may be short but he is the coxswain on his rowing team so he is in charge. It has really boosted his confidence to know that he has a lot of control over these giant boys. Their team photos are hysterical. My son is a foot or more shorter than them and they are basically the same age.

Great, so you’re thrilled that your son is able to feel better about being short by seeking out positions of power over others, in this case taller boys. This is just what the world needs.

+1. This was a very strange response.

Go away tall moms.

She is talking about boosting her son's confidence.

There is nothing wrong with her being excited.that there is a sport where her short son can be a stand out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taller than the boys who grew early? I think this would only be true if the kid had the genetic potential for it.

Yes.

The boys who grow early and hit puberty early (voice changing, early body hair, etc) often finish growing early and tend to be shorter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a med student on pediatric endocrine right now. We see lots of kids like this in clinic. They will do a bone age (xray of the hand) to see if his bone age matches his chronological age. If his bone age is younger than his real age that means more growing time aka the late bloomers. If his bone age and chronological age match he may just be on the shorter side. Boys have their big growth spurts after puberty starts, of in the middle of puberty is when they have their fastest growth velocity which is about 14-15 years for most males. Facial hair and voice changes are later signs of male puberty.

You don't mean to say those are the signs they are near the end of their biggest growth spurt, do you?

I would think that a boy with facial hair is close to the end of his growth spurt, but I'm sure everyone is different.