Teen Boy Concerned About Height (lack of)

[Anonymous]

My 14 yr old is 5’3 and desperately wants to be taller and is concerned he won’t get to at least 5’9. His dad is 6’1 but I am 5’0. The doctor predicts based on his growth chart 5’6 to 5’7. How rough is it for teens/men on the shorter side? He is not only concerned with sports but dating (e.g. girls like taller boys). I so far have told him that he can’t control how tall he will be and that he isn’t done growing and that when he achieves his full height (whatever it is) that his character, personality and efforts in life are more important in life than height.

[Anonymous]

Feed him lots and lots of meat with added antibiotics, nitrates and growth hormones

[Anonymous]

OMG— he has so much time for this to change. My son will be 18 this summer and has grown so much since he was 14–at least 6 inches!

[Anonymous]

My 6-1 son didn't really grow until 16 or 17.

[Anonymous]

But the truth is that this kid does not have the genetic to be tall.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the poster to feed him milk, chicken, meat with added hormones etc (anything that is not organic)

My friend who comes from a country where the average male is about 5'4, has 2 kids that are 6 feet tall. She and her children travel back and forth from the US and they mostly eat American food they buy in their country. Her kids are taller than there parents who are about 5'6 / 5'7.

[Anonymous]

Look at Tanner's chart for puberty. Where is he on the chart? Did he have a major growth spurt yet? All depends, many boys that had a growth spurt and stopped at 14, might stay the same height. Others will grow a foot at 16 or later. Why not see pediatric endocrinologist if this will help ease his mind? Is he very skinny? If he is, nutrition plays huge role in height. Look it up online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at Tanner's chart for puberty. Where is he on the chart? Did he have a major growth spurt yet? All depends, many boys that had a growth spurt and stopped at 14, might stay the same height. Others will grow a foot at 16 or later. Why not see pediatric endocrinologist if this will help ease his mind? Is he very skinny? If he is, nutrition plays huge role in height. Look it up online.

He is a 1 or 2 at most on that scale. He is thin (eats like a horse) but not super skinny..about 110 lbs. He has grown 3.5 inches in a year. Not sure what that all adds up to.

[Anonymous]

If it’s any consolation, my 14 is 5’2”. Sounds about the same stage. I’m 5”4 and dh is 5’11”. Sounds normal and I wouldn’t sweat it.

[Anonymous]

My almost 14 yr old is 5'2. I'm 5'. DH is about 6'2. DH said he hit his growth spurt around 15/16, grew a foot over a summer (plus a bit). He hit puberty late, as did I, which means both my kids will probably hit puberty later than average. DS has not hit puberty yet. Very little sign of it.

DS had an xray on his foot when he was 10 because he was complaining about foot problems. The dr. suspected that it was growing pains. He said DS' bone age was about one year to a year and half behind his chronological age. Coupled with the fact that he will hit puberty late, he is going to stay short for a while.

I'm not sure if this is how it works, but if I peg him at 13 (his bone age), then DS is actually about average height. And if he does hit puberty late, then he has more chance to grow.

That said, DS is also very frustrated and upset about how short he is.

[Anonymous]

My 13-year old (turns 14 in mid-Sept) is around 5’2” and has not hit growth spurt yet. If you see him with a group of classmates and peers, he does not appear short, just average. We all grew later in my family. He also had an X-ray of ankle from an injury and we were told the growth plates are wide open.

Growing up, I remember all the girls at 13 being taller than the boys. I think with hormones/chemicals kids are just hitting their spurts earlier nowadays. It’s perfectly normal for a boy not to ha e sprouted. My brothers “tall” MS friend was 5’8” and stayed there. My brother ended up 6’3” by Fresmen year in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 13-year old (turns 14 in mid-Sept) is around 5’2” and has not hit growth spurt yet. If you see him with a group of classmates and peers, he does not appear short, just average. We all grew later in my family. He also had an X-ray of ankle from an injury and we were told the growth plates are wide open.

Growing up, I remember all the girls at 13 being taller than the boys. I think with hormones/chemicals kids are just hitting their spurts earlier nowadays. It’s perfectly normal for a boy not to ha e sprouted. My brothers “tall” MS friend was 5’8” and stayed there. My brother ended up 6’3” by Fresmen year in college.

They are. My dr said it used to happen around 15 for majority of boys.

[Anonymous]

2nd kid consumed tons of milk and meat with hormones, antibiotics, etc. Is 5 inches shorter than sister who was vegetarian from grade school and drank organic milk.

[Anonymous]

Boys can grow until about age 18 to 20. If he does end up 5 ft 6 or 7, it’s a little short but not bad because many women are 5 ft 6 or shorter. I wouldn’t worry about it! Tell him not to worry.

[Anonymous]

Is it too late for growth hormones?