Tiny Teen

[Anonymous]

So we have been watching my now 15 year old DS. He was normal size at birth (bigger than all his siblings not by much) and has developed totally normally. My DH is 6'5" and I am 6'1", we are not small people. His older sibling is 16 and 6'2" and 150 lbs. He younger sister is 10 and a shocking 5'7". He started to fall off the weight chart around 11 or 12. I just had him into the doctor for his 15 year old check up and he is really low on the height chart. Last year I was worried about him not growing or hitting puberty (he has like 4 arm pit hairs). He came in today at 5'6" and 95 lbs. For perspective, he will be starting his sophomore year in the fall. Our doctor last year said we should watch him and reevaluate this year. He grew 1 inch and put on 7 lbs. Our doctor seemed to hesitate about doing anything more at this time and feels like he is on the cusp of really growing. She wants to see him back in 6 months but hasn't recommended further testing. People keep telling me they know these guys who were tiny in high school then really grew in college and I know that males tend to continue to grow later but I can't help to worry that something is going on. I just don't want to miss that ability to help him grow if we have to. Has anyone experienced this? Another issue is that even being together as a family always turns into someone saying something about their sizes which I think is beginning to affect him. It is really hard to control that even when outside people (such as buying t-shirts at the beach) say something.

I do like our doctor and feel like I could ask her for more. Should I? And if so what?

[Anonymous]

What's his height percentile and what was it before? This is how you can evaluate by how much he's fallen off his growth curve and if it's concerning or not.

Your ped should have told you this, and also perhaps done a bone X-ray to test his bone age, which might be delayed.

I'm trying not to be mean or jealous here. My son fell to the 2nd percentile this winter, well below your son, given his numbers and age. We will do an X-ray this summer. He will never be 5'6".
Please don't characterize your son as tiny. It's simply not true.

[Anonymous]

OP, google "constitutional growth delay".

[Anonymous]

My DD was a very late bloomer and showed no signs of puberty until 14. We were concerned by how tiny she was in middle school. People always commented on it. She only weighed about 70lbs at the end of 7th grade. We are not tall, but not super short and I wanted to make sure she would be over 5 feet. I ended up taking her to an endocrinologist for my own reassurance. He said her bone size was 2 years behind her peers and predicted where she would end up height wise- 5'2'. She's actually an inch taller! i don't think you have anything to lose by seeing an endocrinoloigst. Your DS could very well be a very late bloomer like my DD, but I found the reassurance well worth the visit.

[Anonymous]

I like what 22:23 has to say. She found out more sophisticated answers, which put her worry to rest.

My son is 17 with no hair under his arms and growing now almost visibly. At 15 he didn't look to different from your son. Probably smaller.

The range of normal is wide and your son seems to be in it, but if worried, see the endocrinologist.

[Anonymous]

Your subject is incorrect. You do not have a tiny teen. You and your DH as well as your other children are very tall so anything else seems tiny to you. If you are concerned, ask for recommendations for a doctor for a second opinion. It is done all of the time. I, like one of the PPs has a tiny pre-teen. He is in the 3rd-4th percentile for height and weight.

[Anonymous]

My nephew, who has just average height parents, was sent to a specialist at age 14 who did a scan of his growth plates to see their measurements. He was diagnosed with delayed growth and predicted to be 5"10. At age 14 he was 5'4" and 98 lbs. He's now 19 and is 5'11" and average height.

I don't think there's any harm in seeing a specialist. In my SIL and nephew's case, their Ped wanted him to see someone before he got too old.

[Anonymous]

Also OP, he might just wind up being smaller than all of you.

My dad is 6'4" -- his sister is 5'0". Same set of genetics, different outcomes.

[Anonymous]

My son will be 5'5" if he's lucky, it may be that he is barely over 5'0". Now that is a real problem and we are seeing an endocrinologist about it. I have very little sympathy for a boy who will probably be 5'8" at a minimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son will be 5'5" if he's lucky, it may be that he is barely over 5'0". Now that is a real problem and we are seeing an endocrinologist about it. I have very little sympathy for a boy who will probably be 5'8" at a minimum.

I'm sorry for your son - that's tough.

I might have sympathy for the OP's kid if she can't solve her own projected body image problems. But that's different than a height issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son will be 5'5" if he's lucky, it may be that he is barely over 5'0". Now that is a real problem and we are seeing an endocrinologist about it. I have very little sympathy for a boy who will probably be 5'8" at a minimum.

8:38 here. My son is predicted to be 5'6" and I am praying that he actually does make it to that height. 5'8" sounds awesome to me!

[Anonymous]

Has the doctor checked for diabetes or celiac? Those can definitely affect growth.

[Anonymous]

5'6" at 15 is fine. He will probably grow another couple of inches, and maybe more. My DS is 20 and is 5'6" and it's not an issue at all. 95 lbs is on the very skinny side though. I'd talk to a Dr. about how to help him bulk up a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son will be 5'5" if he's lucky, it may be that he is barely over 5'0". Now that is a real problem and we are seeing an endocrinologist about it. I have very little sympathy for a boy who will probably be 5'8" at a minimum.

Yup, my son too. He's consistently between 3 and 5% on the growth charts. I expected to come here and see something form someone in a similar situation. Not a 5'6" 14 year old.
OP, if he has dropped way off his own growth chart, than that might indicate a problem regardless of how tall he is. But if your only concern is his actual height, let it go.

[Anonymous]

Where has he typically fallen on the growth chart? You mention a drop on the weight chart, but not the height chart. Yes, if he was always trending tall and suddenly stopped, I'd be concerned.

A lot of these posters are saying you should be grateful if he's 5-8 or whatever and I get it if you and your spouse are short and your son ends up 5-8, then you're happy. But with the DNA of his parents, his short height is a red flag assuming he was on the taller side when he was younger. So yes, I would get it checked out.