Growth spurt in boys

[Anonymous]

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!

[Anonymous]

You know the answer--everybody's different. I hear (and have seen) stories about basketball players entering freshman year of high school at 5'4'' and graduate at 6'6'. Heck! Scottie Pippen grew 7 inches in a year after graduating high school! I also know of some friends who entered middle school 5'9/10 but peaked at that height. So it all depends.

I think the safest barometer is the parents' height (any maybe the grandparents). I remember there was a formula out there where for boys you take the average of the the parents height plus x amount and a different formula for girls. I'm sure the formula is out there by simple google.

[Anonymous]

If you look at the growth charts for boys, you can see where the big spike occurs in the curves - but as PP says, everyone is different. I have a college freshman who is still growing slowly and was very short starting high school. His middle school brother is almost as tall as he is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look at the growth charts for boys, you can see where the big spike occurs in the curves - but as PP says, everyone is different. I have a college freshman who is still growing slowly and was very short starting high school. His middle school brother is almost as tall as he is now.

Thanks for the replies so far. I agree that everyone is different but was just looking for anecdotal stories about a tall boy at 12 with short parents and what the final result was. Most boys at his age are yet to enter their true growth spurt, I think on average it starts closer to 13. I just feel like it might be his growth spurt is early and was just curious what others experienced in this setting. The growth curves only represent the norm, but there are over 20000 kids each whose data contributes to those curves, each with their own story that all average out to create those norms.

Anyone out there who is short and had a tall twelve year old willing to share their experience? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Your pediatrician can give you some guidance about this.

I think you can to some extent judge based on how physically mature your son is. If you Google it, you will find descriptions of the typical pattern of maturity in boys and how the growth spurt fits in with other developments. At 12, DS was probably about 5'3" and had no facial hair and voice had not changed. He grew quickly from 12-14. Facial hair and voice change came while he was in his growth spurt. At 15 he's still growing but slower. He still does not have facial hair other than his upper lip. He's 6'2" now. I'm 6'2" and his mom is 5'8". I grew until I was about 21, which is about when I reached my adult level of face/body hair.

DS has a buddy whose parents are shorter than us (maybe 5'11" and 5'6"). He's a bit shorter than DS, but about a year ahead of DS in terms of voice change and facial hair. His dad says he was done growing before 17.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Look at other signs that he is in early puberty? That will be more telling than his height. But, from my experience, and I am around a lot of teens as a teacher, boys who are tallest in grade at 12, usually end up on the short side. Given that you are both short, this is most likely the case. But, nothing is set in stone, genetics are funny and maybe your DS is taking after a tall grandpa and will be taller than your DH. Unlikely, but possible.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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

Wow! And you and dh are short, just like OP? That's almost beyond belief.

[Anonymous]

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

Good for you. Do you want an award?!

[Anonymous]

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.

[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.

maybe it depends on where? Some ethnicities on average are shorter than others.

[Anonymous]

My nephew was always at or above the 95th percentile for height. We all expected him to end up at least 6 feet tall even though his mom is 5'3". He was 5'5" at 12. He is now 17 and is 5'9". I think he just grew early. He was always a stocky kid and maybe the extra weight made him grow early?

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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

I have a 12 year old and I believe you that your child might be that tall but I don't think the last part could possibly be true.