Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the reassuring stories, all. He has his annual checkup later this month, and I'm going to ask that we review his growth curve and, if it looks like he's fallen off it, ask for a referral for an endocrinologist and/or wrist x-ray, just to rule out any possible issues.

I'm the PP that just posted I was 6'0 at 15 and done growing. And that's how I found out too: wrist x-ray.

I broke my wrist. And in a passing comment from the doctor, he said "you're also done growing." which tbh, was kind of a crappy way to deliver news to a 15 year old kid

How is it crappy to tell someone 6 feet tall they are done growing. My 14 3/4 year old son is 5'3". It would be crappy to tell him he stopped growing, but not someone 6 feet tall. This thread isn't for you.

He was 15 years old. Teenagers are insecure.

This. Thank you.

Plus, my Dad is 6'5. Both of my brothers are 6'3 and all my cousins are over 6 feet.

At 15, it was crappy news to get in such a cavalier manner from the Dr.

I'm obviously fine with it now. But at the time, it sucked

PP- FYI- time is of the essence and that was brought up to his at our apt when this was discussed. Once growth plates in wrist are closed, nothing can be done. That usually happens in high school but not always. They will also do bone age which shows his growth age on bones bs chronological age.
My son has always been 1 year below in bone age. So at 13, he had bone development of 12 years. That was great for us as game us more time.
At 17 he is still growing although now in full puberty. So when we started he was in level 1 which is pre puberty.
So you can get through puberty and still have open growth plates.
Your decision should be based, in my opinion, on the growth hormone level. Decide quickly as you probably have three to 4 years best case - more like 3.
Every day counts.

OP- not sure if you are even reading these anymore, but we did go on growth hormones.
I’m 5”7 and my husband 6. My son was bball player, he got upset when we went in 7th snd 8th grader from totally in line to shortest on team. I blew off and told him it’s just how you develop.
Then at his sports physical 8th grade I asked doctor for reassurance for my son.
I can’t remember my puberty -late or not- husband grew in college a good bit.
So doctor took closer review and got concerned. Son only grew 1 inch prior 2 yrs and went from 55th percentile to 12th.

We went through a lot of testing- a lot- bloodwork with pediatrician and then to a specialist for all day hospital test. That testing was rough. He was low on growth hormone which had other implications. But before I did growth hormone- I flew to CHOP in Philly to see top specialist on growth. It is a personal decision but for us the other health issues were as important- how it is intertwined with cholesterol, testosterone, all sorts of hormones. If he was short on this hormone, we wanted to resolve. Not sure we would have done for height alone. Although height and that emotional perspective of being short for guys is discussed by these doctors in your desire for GH.
Daily shots now for 4 years. He is now 6”1 and still on it. They do 6 month bone plate X-ray and as long as he’s growing we continue.
But his height is now taller than most.
We always wonder where he would have grown without. We met with multiple specialist as it is tough decision but has worked out.

If his voice hasn’t changed, then I am guessing his growth spurt is still ahead but I think your plan is good.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the reassuring stories, all. He has his annual checkup later this month, and I'm going to ask that we review his growth curve and, if it looks like he's fallen off it, ask for a referral for an endocrinologist and/or wrist x-ray, just to rule out any possible issues.

Excellent plan of action.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the reassuring stories, all. He has his annual checkup later this month, and I'm going to ask that we review his growth curve and, if it looks like he's fallen off it, ask for a referral for an endocrinologist and/or wrist x-ray, just to rule out any possible issues.

I'm the PP that just posted I was 6'0 at 15 and done growing. And that's how I found out too: wrist x-ray.

I broke my wrist. And in a passing comment from the doctor, he said "you're also done growing." which tbh, was kind of a crappy way to deliver news to a 15 year old kid

How is it crappy to tell someone 6 feet tall they are done growing. My 14 3/4 year old son is 5'3". It would be crappy to tell him he stopped growing, but not someone 6 feet tall. This thread isn't for you.

He was 15 years old. Teenagers are insecure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the reassuring stories, all. He has his annual checkup later this month, and I'm going to ask that we review his growth curve and, if it looks like he's fallen off it, ask for a referral for an endocrinologist and/or wrist x-ray, just to rule out any possible issues.

I'm the PP that just posted I was 6'0 at 15 and done growing. And that's how I found out too: wrist x-ray.

I broke my wrist. And in a passing comment from the doctor, he said "you're also done growing." which tbh, was kind of a crappy way to deliver news to a 15 year old kid

How is it crappy to tell someone 6 feet tall they are done growing. My 14 3/4 year old son is 5'3". It would be crappy to tell him he stopped growing, but not someone 6 feet tall. This thread isn't for you.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the reassuring stories, all. He has his annual checkup later this month, and I'm going to ask that we review his growth curve and, if it looks like he's fallen off it, ask for a referral for an endocrinologist and/or wrist x-ray, just to rule out any possible issues.

I'm the PP that just posted I was 6'0 at 15 and done growing. And that's how I found out too: wrist x-ray.

I broke my wrist. And in a passing comment from the doctor, he said "you're also done growing." which tbh, was kind of a crappy way to deliver news to a 15 year old kid

OP here. Thanks for the reassuring stories, all. He has his annual checkup later this month, and I'm going to ask that we review his growth curve and, if it looks like he's fallen off it, ask for a referral for an endocrinologist and/or wrist x-ray, just to rule out any possible issues.

Anonymous wrote:Where the hell did you read that? Boys grow beyond 16. Its girls who stop growing at 16.

It's actually true. I'm 6 feet tall and stopped growing at 15. Heck, if you google 'average age boys stop growing' the results indicate that most boys stop growing (height) by 16.

They continue to grow in size (muscles) for years

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my son is nearly 15 and just started a growth spurt in the last two or three months. His pediatrician said not to worry as he was only in the very early stages of puberty. He's grown about two inches in the last two or three months and his voice has suddenly deepened. He was only about 5'2 at his 14 year old appointment, and the doctor told me that he'd probably end up being taller than my husband (who is 5'9") given how late he was starting puberty. I wouldn't worry at 14.

+1

My oldest son started Covid age 14.5 (March 2020) shorter than me (barely 5'5"...I think he was 5'3"), but September 20 he was 5'7". He's 16 and 5'10.5" now. My brother who is 6'2" grew two of those inches in college and I (female!) grew an inch in college.

My 13.5" year old son (8th grade) is even tinier and very, very skinny...maybe 5'1-5'2". But, his voice is still very young. He has an x-ray on his heel this Fall for a sports injury and growth plates were wide open. He is going to start high school soooo small. His arms are very long. His feet have not taken off yet. With my older son, the year or so before he grew---his feet kept going up a size every other month from like an 8 to an 11.5 over a very short amount of time. But, he didn't go up vertically until a year later.

The other weird thing is my younger son still has baby teeth. Older one was done with Invisalign when high school started, but the younger one hasn't been able to start it yet because he still has baby teeth. I think he is closer to 2 years behind in growth.

On his soccer team there are at least 5 kids his same build and height, then a few that are already 5'9-5'10" and filled out. I find the 8th grade year so crazy in sports. You have boys that look like 6th graders and some that look like 11th graders

Anonymous wrote:OP, my son is nearly 15 and just started a growth spurt in the last two or three months. His pediatrician said not to worry as he was only in the very early stages of puberty. He's grown about two inches in the last two or three months and his voice has suddenly deepened. He was only about 5'2 at his 14 year old appointment, and the doctor told me that he'd probably end up being taller than my husband (who is 5'9") given how late he was starting puberty. I wouldn't worry at 14.

+1

My oldest son started Covid age 14.5 (March 2020) shorter than me (barely 5'5"...I think he was 5'3"), but September 20 he was 5'7". He's 16 and 5'10.5" now. My brother who is 6'2" grew two of those inches in college and I (female!) grew an inch in college.

My 13.5" year old son (8th grade) is even tinier and very, very skinny...maybe 5'1-5'2". But, his voice is still very young. He has an x-ray on his heel this Fall for a sports injury and growth plates were wide open. He is going to start high school soooo small. His arms are very long. His feet have not taken off yet. With my older son, the year or so before he grew---his feet kept going up a size every other month from like an 8 to an 11.5 over a very short amount of time. But, he didn't go up vertically until a year later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to an endocrinologist. My cousin's son is 16 and 5'3" it isn't looking like he'll grow more. They regret not seeing a doctor about it.

Poor kid! That is so short for a man. Agree, OP needs to take DS to endocrinologist ASAP.

What can an endocrinologist do?

An endocrinologist can do a lot if there is a treatable issue, like a growth hormone deficiency, for example.

Signed, mom of a kid with a growth disorder who is now on treatment and likely to reach a normal adult height because we started treatment while growth plates were still open

It's better to get it checked. As these PP point out, once the growth plates close, there will be many fewer options. OP's son may very well naturally grow, have a later growth spurt, etc. But I don't see any harm in checking now while you have the most options _if_ something is wrong. And clearly one of those options is to do nothing because I agree that pathologizing human differences in height is not good. That said, it is a conversation to have and a deliberate choice to make, not something to wake up "late" and then find out you have very few options.

I’m the PP whose child has a growth disorder. I completely agree with you, I absolutely do not think there is anything wrong with being short. But I would hesitate to do nothing for a child who is very short without an apparent reason. Short stature can be caused by many things but one is growth hormone deficiency, and GH is essential for many things in addition to linear bone growth. If a child is GH-deficient, forgoing treatment can have health implications in other areas.

If his dad is only 5’7, he was really luck to get up to 5’9.

DS 16 has been 5'9 for the past 18 months. I am pretty sure he is done growing (DH is 5'7 and I am 5'5), He would love to keep growing but his voice is deep, he shaves and I really think this is it for him.