DS recently had his 15 year check-up. He's super small (5'4", 105lbs) but Dr could tell he wasn't showing signs of puberty so ordered bloodwork and bone age scan. He's barely Tanner stage 1 and bone age is 12. Still lots of growth potential. It just might not happen until much later than his peers, which DS is not happy about.

My son started puberty later than most of his friends. He is turning 14 this summer, and did not have any significant growth until this past year, when he grew 4" (went from 5'0" to 5'4"). He has some armpit hair and a very light mustache, but not significant. Most of his friends are over 5'8" and need to shave. However, he is also between 4-9 months younger than most of his friends.

His doctor has never mentioned Tanner stages to me.


If he is just now turning 14 and has some armpit/facial hair he's really not that far behind at all. He's probably Tanner Stage 3 which is pretty normal

I don't know what stage he is. Unfortunately, he is only 100 lbs, so hopefully when he moves to the next stage he will gain some mass.

My son started puberty later than most of his friends. He is turning 14 this summer, and did not have any significant growth until this past year, when he grew 4" (went from 5'0" to 5'4"). He has some armpit hair and a very light mustache, but not significant. Most of his friends are over 5'8" and need to shave. However, he is also between 4-9 months younger than most of his friends.

His doctor has never mentioned Tanner stages to me.


Then he is not late.

Thanks. All I have to compare him to are his friends, all of whom started puberty earlier than him based on physical appearance and growth, even adjusted for their slightly older ages overall. However, that's clearly not a representative sample size.

Sounds like my son. He’s 14 1/2 and was Tanner 2 at his 14yo appt. He’s grown 3 inches this year (currently 5’5”) but definitely still looks like a kid. Super skinny, No underarm hair or voice changes etc. It happens at different times- wide range of normal. My DH was also a very late bloomer. Also, not every boy just “shoots up” and changes overnight- for many, it is more gradual. I suspect my own DS will be this way.

Anonymous wrote:My son started puberty later than most of his friends. He is turning 14 this summer, and did not have any significant growth until this past year, when he grew 4" (went from 5'0" to 5'4"). He has some armpit hair and a very light mustache, but not significant. Most of his friends are over 5'8" and need to shave. However, he is also between 4-9 months younger than most of his friends.

His doctor has never mentioned Tanner stages to me.

Then he is not late.

Anonymous wrote:My son started puberty later than most of his friends. He is turning 14 this summer, and did not have any significant growth until this past year, when he grew 4" (went from 5'0" to 5'4"). He has some armpit hair and a very light mustache, but not significant. Most of his friends are over 5'8" and need to shave. However, he is also between 4-9 months younger than most of his friends.

His doctor has never mentioned Tanner stages to me.

If he is just now turning 14 and has some armpit/facial hair he's really not that far behind at all. He's probably Tanner Stage 3 which is pretty normal.

My son started puberty later than most of his friends. He is turning 14 this summer, and did not have any significant growth until this past year, when he grew 4" (went from 5'0" to 5'4"). He has some armpit hair and a very light mustache, but not significant. Most of his friends are over 5'8" and need to shave. However, he is also between 4-9 months younger than most of his friends.

His doctor has never mentioned Tanner stages to me.

OP, no advice because we are in it now. My DS is 14 and in Tanner Stage 1. He's a little over 5'3" so he's shorter. He's due back at the doctor's office in six months to check progress. If there is has been no progress by then, he'll get a referral to an endocrinologist. He's ready to get the show on the road!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should be glad it’s late instead of early. My poor boy is really struggling with mood and hormones before he’s ready for it.

Disagree. It’s harder for boys to go through late puberty than on the early side. That’s why they offer testosterone shots, if needed for physiological reasons.

It’s harder emotionally and socially for my boy to deal with it when he is still so immature.

Anonymous wrote:You should be glad it’s late instead of early. My poor boy is really struggling with mood and hormones before he’s ready for it.

I don't know if boys ever *not* struggle with mood and hormones!

OP, my son was late to start puberty, our ped even referred us to an endocrinologist. But your son is fortunate that he's not shorter than his peers, that was the toughest one for my son. It's good that your son is being watched, because getting "stuck" in a Tanner stage and not progressing can be something to also be referred to an endocrinologist.

My son is almost 20 now and while he started his big growth spurt around 15 (and has reached his full adult 5' 10" height), he's still waiting for his body to fill out. He's quite slim and narrow, where his friends broadened in high school, and have wider shoulders. His body hair didn't really come until after high school, and he still doesn't have much, but he gets that from my side of the family. My father and brother couldn't grow full beards if they tried.

So in other words, it's all so variable.

Anonymous wrote:You should be glad it’s late instead of early. My poor boy is really struggling with mood and hormones before he’s ready for it.

Disagree. It’s harder for boys to go through late puberty than on the early side. That’s why they offer testosterone shots, if needed for physiological reasons.

You should be glad it’s late instead of early. My poor boy is really struggling with mood and hormones before he’s ready for it.

Anonymous wrote:DS comes from a family of late bloomers on both sides.

Probably hit Tanner stage 4 around 16. Was still stage 2 at 14, stage 3 at 15. No 6" type growth spurt, but steady average 2" per year, then grew 3.5" between 15 and 16. He was super short freshman year, like 5'1" and is now 5'10.5" at 18.

He grew passed his friends who all stopped growing at 16. He's still growing according to the pediatrician.

It's tough when they are young, but it eventually evens out.

My younger DD is going through the same angst now. Almost 15 and just about starting her period.

pp here.. acne was a noticeable sign. DS didn't really have acne until around 17.

DS comes from a family of late bloomers on both sides.

Probably hit Tanner stage 4 around 16. Was still stage 2 at 14, stage 3 at 15. No 6" type growth spurt, but steady average 2" per year, then grew 3.5" between 15 and 16. He was super short freshman year, like 5'1" and is now 5'10.5" at 18.

He grew passed his friends who all stopped growing at 16. He's still growing according to the pediatrician.

It's tough when they are young, but it eventually evens out.

My younger DD is going through the same angst now. Almost 15 and just about starting her period.

My son is 14 years and 6 months. He is progressing through puberty but started late and seems to be going through it slowly. The doctor says he is in Tanner Stage 2. He's been Tanner Stage 2 for at least a year now, though according to the doctor is progressing...

His face has matured a little bit in the last few months. But there are no other visible signs of puberty - no acne, no body hair, no voice changing. He is very eager for things to get moving. He's average height but clearly behind all of his friends puberty-wise.

Anyone gone through a similar situation? What were the first noticeable signs - i.e. leg hair, armpit hair etc. Did you have boys who stayed in Tanner Stage 2 for a really long time? When stuff started happening did it happen seemingly overnight or was it all still really slow? When did he get a big height growth spurt? Does that come with the visible signs of puberty like leg hair, or before?

Thank you!