Growth plates close at bone age 16. But some kids hit bone age 16 at 14 or 15 years old and some don't hit it until 18 or 19.

It's closely tied to puberty. Testosterone converted into estrogen is what makes bone age advance and growth plates close.

My 16 yo sons growth plates are about closed. Checked with xray while seeing ortho doctor for an injury. I wish he would grow taller. He's about 5'11.

One way you can tell if his major growth has stopped is whether he is bulking up considerably in terms of muscle. My 14 year old is 5'5", and my husband is only 5'7" (we are Asian). However, he is still a skinny string bean compared to his other friends (same race as us). His doctor said in light of that, we can definitely expect at least a bit more growth.

Anonymous wrote:

At my son's 14 yr appointment his doctor said based on his public hair growth (or pattern I forget) he was likely close to done growing.

Wow. My son is 15 and his doctor has most definitely not examined his pubic hair pattern. He just feels around for a quick second to make sure nothing is wrong in that area.

Joey Tribbioni has entered the chat

Anonymous wrote:When people say their son hit puberty at just before 16, what does that mean? Someone said upthread that their son was 10. Girls I get it, but for boys what is that definition? My son is 11.5 and doesn’t appear anywhere near it but wondering how it’s defined?

I’m the poster whose kid started at 10, and the early stuff was acne and pubic/underarm hair growth. Big growth spurt started around 11, voice changed before 12. But my other kid, who started puberty around 13, saw changes more quickly once things got started.

When people say their son hit puberty at just before 16, what does that mean? Someone said upthread that their son was 10. Girls I get it, but for boys what is that definition? My son is 11.5 and doesn’t appear anywhere near it but wondering how it’s defined?

DS just turned 17, but had his yearly at the ped in June and measured just under 6’4” and after examination the ped said he was not done growing. He hit puberty at just before 16. Voice change, underarm hair etc. all happened last summer.

I am 5’6” and my husband is 6’2” but we have male relatives on both sides that are 6’5” or taller. There was a time in 7th/8th grade when he was shorter than most of his friends and aware of it.

Anonymous wrote:This is an interesting thread. Is there correlation between baby teeth and late puberty?
My 15.5 ds is still gradually losing a few more baby teeth. Dentist says he won’t get into braces until he’s 16.
My ds does show other signs of puberty - voice changing, hair etc- but wondering if he may have a growth spurt to come.

Not in my son's case. He lost his baby teeth pretty young. Got his first round of braces when he was 9 but a super late bloomer otherwise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our Dr. said he thinks my son is done growing at 15 - he's 5'6". I thought boys grew until 19 or 20? This is just based on an annual exam, no x-rays fyi.

Mine stopped at that age. He’s 18 now and still 5’5”.

NP here. Same for DS. Stopped growing at that age and also 18 now and 5’5”. Pediatrician has been saying for years that he’s done growing.

And another one. As others have said, seems closely correlated to when puberty starts. He was always short, started puberty early (10), grew 6-7 inches from 11-13, then another 1-2 inches total. Younger brother was also always short, started puberty later (13), and is 5’7” at 15 and still growing (although we are short, so I suspect he will top out at 5’8”).

Anonymous wrote:

At my son's 14 yr appointment his doctor said based on his public hair growth (or pattern I forget) he was likely close to done growing.

Wow. My son is 15 and his doctor has most definitely not examined his pubic hair pattern. He just feels around for a quick second to make sure nothing is wrong in that area.

It only takes a quick glance to see whether pubic hair has spread to the medial thigh. That’s the big tell for Tanner stage 5. But I’ve also read the Tanner model is not definitive.

At my son's 14 yr appointment his doctor said based on his public hair growth (or pattern I forget) he was likely close to done growing.

Wow. My son is 15 and his doctor has most definitely not examined his pubic hair pattern. He just feels around for a quick second to make sure nothing is wrong in that area.

Are you short? I'm 5'1 and doctors and everyone in general looks at my kids and assumes they're short and that they'll be short. I've just noticed it as a pattern that's strange.

Affirmative. Mine done growing at 16. Precocious puberty. He is 5'9". Perfectly average. I don't mind. He takes after our height.

This is an interesting thread. Is there correlation between baby teeth and late puberty?
My 15.5 ds is still gradually losing a few more baby teeth. Dentist says he won’t get into braces until he’s 16.
My ds does show other signs of puberty - voice changing, hair etc- but wondering if he may have a growth spurt to come.

At my son's 14 yr appointment his doctor said based on his public hair growth (or pattern I forget) he was likely close to done growing. He did grow about 1 or 1.5 inches since then (10 months ago). He's about 5'10" we are hoping he'll eek out another inch or two but who knows.

I grew an inch in college and allegedly I was done growing in early HS.