Another predictor of slow but long growth is when the child got and lost his baby teeth.
My son is extremely small, but he got his first tooth at 11 months. His 2 year molars didn't come in until he was almost 3. He's 6 years old but hasn't lost any of his baby teeth yet.
His doctor said that based on this and without doing any bone density scans, she would predict a late puberty.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the best predictor are the parents height and growth pattern. Of course, there are anomalies, but in general, this is it.

My DH had a late growth spurt. He grew a foot over one summer when he was 15. He is now 6'3.

DS is just below average height at 13 but really packing on the pounds. Seriously chunky when he was always super skinny. DH said he did this too-- seriously packed on the pounds before he hit his spurt. He was a bean pole from his mid teens into his 20s.

I've heard of growing 6-7 inches over a summer but a foot? Really?

Yes.. he said it was extremely painful. He had constant joint aches, especially at night.

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the best predictor are the parents height and growth pattern. Of course, there are anomalies, but in general, this is it.

My DH had a late growth spurt. He grew a foot over one summer when he was 15. He is now 6'3.

DS is just below average height at 13 but really packing on the pounds. Seriously chunky when he was always super skinny. DH said he did this too-- seriously packed on the pounds before he hit his spurt. He was a bean pole from his mid teens into his 20s.

I've heard of growing 6-7 inches over a summer but a foot? Really?

Anonymous wrote:Hello, thank you for all of these messages. My son is 14 and 5 feet, 90 pounds. He has Constitutionak Delay of Growth and Puberty. His bone age at 13 was about 11. Both mom and dad are tall: mom 5 feet 8, dad 6 foot 3. We had one doctor recommend growth hormone when DS was 13 and then 5 subsequent doctors literally say they would not write the script. I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with Growth Hormone, Testosterone Treatment or just the wait and see approach with Constitutional Delay. Thank you for any input!!

My little brother had testosterone shots when he was 16 to jump start delayed puberty. That seemed to get things going for him. He is not tall as an adult (5’7”) but is very fit, active in rock climbing, and happily married.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the best predictor are the parents height and growth pattern. Of course, there are anomalies, but in general, this is it.

My DH had a late growth spurt. He grew a foot over one summer when he was 15. He is now 6'3.

DS is just below average height at 13 but really packing on the pounds. Seriously chunky when he was always super skinny. DH said he did this too-- seriously packed on the pounds before he hit his spurt. He was a bean pole from his mid teens into his 20s.

+1 to this. Both DH and I grew quickly but stopped growing young (I was 5'5" at 9 and DH was 5'11" at 11). Our kids are on the exact same path.

Did you lose your baby teeth young? My DD is almost 9 and 4 feet tall! She's only lost 9 baby teeth though...

Anonymous wrote:IMO, the best predictor are the parents height and growth pattern. Of course, there are anomalies, but in general, this is it.

My DH had a late growth spurt. He grew a foot over one summer when he was 15. He is now 6'3.

DS is just below average height at 13 but really packing on the pounds. Seriously chunky when he was always super skinny. DH said he did this too-- seriously packed on the pounds before he hit his spurt. He was a bean pole from his mid teens into his 20s.

+1 to this. Both DH and I grew quickly but stopped growing young (I was 5'5" at 9 and DH was 5'11" at 11). Our kids are on the exact same path.

IMO, the best predictor are the parents height and growth pattern. Of course, there are anomalies, but in general, this is it.

My DH had a late growth spurt. He grew a foot over one summer when he was 15. He is now 6'3.

DS is just below average height at 13 but really packing on the pounds. Seriously chunky when he was always super skinny. DH said he did this too-- seriously packed on the pounds before he hit his spurt. He was a bean pole from his mid teens into his 20s.

Anonymous wrote:Hello, thank you for all of these messages. My son is 14 and 5 feet, 90 pounds. He has Constitutionak Delay of Growth and Puberty. His bone age at 13 was about 11. Both mom and dad are tall: mom 5 feet 8, dad 6 foot 3. We had one doctor recommend growth hormone when DS was 13 and then 5 subsequent doctors literally say they would not write the script. I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with Growth Hormone, Testosterone Treatment or just the wait and see approach with Constitutional Delay. Thank you for any input!!

I am 5’9” and DH is 6’2”. His brother is 6’ and mine is 6’3”. There was no shortness is our family and no late bloomer either. My DS was 85% for height at birth and then sort of drifted down to 50% in preschool and then by the time he was 10 he was down in the 5% and then did not grow one single cm for a year. So at age 11 we took him to a pediatric endocrinologist and they watched him for 6 months. His bone age was 2 1/2 yrs behind his age at that point, after monitoring for 6 minths and no growth (so now he was below 5%) the ped endo did a study where they hooked him up all day and monitored his hormone levels. I forget what it was called! Anyway, his growth hormone came back at 5 and anything below 10 was considered deficient. So he went on growth hormones then and thereafter grew 4” in a year. Steady growth after that. He is 19 now and a hair under 6’.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: Thanks, PPs -- so helpful. We really don't dwell on or even bring up DS' height or size, but he will ask us whether it is possible that he will start and continue to grow more throughout high school and perhaps as late as college. We know it is "possible," but it is helpful to hear stories, while anecdotal, that describe real-life experiences.

Hey OP - in school I was always the smallest (5th percentile). Now as an adult, well, I'm 5'2". I will say that after HS; I went on to college, was a Div I starter, served proudly in the military, got a masters, have a wonderful DW and beautiful DD, and have a great job as a financial analyst. If your DS doesn't sprout up, yes he may have some challenges. But is it a death sentence - no way. Best of luck OP

OP, here...Yes, of course and thank you! When DS asks, we respond it certainly is possible he will grow more, but we really try to communicate that it doesn't matter much. It's not about growing "up" but about "growing up" and I would be thrilled to death if my son grew up to serve proudly in the military, support himself in a job he enjoys and have a family he describes as "wonderful."

DS is an athlete and feels that any chances of playing college sports depends on him growing, so it is interesting to hear you were a college starter.

13:58 here - I was a foil fencer. I had a small target area that was hard to hit, and since I'm a short southpaw I attacked from unusual angles that a lot of guys weren't used to defending. Actually, I got a late start with fencing, so if your DS is looking for a sport to do in college, maybe that's an idea. Also, I have a friend who rowed for a university team, and she told me that a good coxswain is worth their weight in gold. If there's a program nearby, it's something to consider.

My tiny 13 yr old DS has been both a foil fencer and a coxswain! Both great sports. Now he does archery and height doesn't matter.

my husband grew 10 inches his freshman year in high school (when he was 13-14) and is now 5'11 (so not TALL, but not short). He was tiny compared to others up until then. My 7 yr old son is also very short so I'm hoping he does the same.