Parents does gymnastics delay puberty?

[momto8in10]

My mother was 16 when she started her period. I was 3 weeks past my 10th birthday. I wasn't an athlete, but was very thin. That said, my 2 older daughters are 12 and 10 (gymmie is a 10 year old L7, at 51 inches and 45 pounds). My son, at 13, is very much in the throes of puberty, with hair everywhere, and growing at an explosive rate. My 12 year old might be developing a little in the chest, but nothing else. At her last well check, my Ped agreed that gymmie would likely never go through puberty. Well, lol, not NEVER, but not anytime soon...

I should add that my 12 year old DD is also small; barely 60 pounds. She cheers, but isn't overly active. I can't imagine her starting anytime soon.

 

[sewgood]

Very interesting! My younger DD is celiac- recently diagnosed- and I never knew this. She isn't really short- 11 and 5'2, but it's still interesting info. In my DDs case, celiac came hand in hand with Hashimotos.

Both are autoimmune diseases, and it's very common for people who have one to develop another one (or more). I actually have been diagnosed with 6 autoimmune diseases, which sounds like a lot, but it's all related to the fact that my body just likes to attack itself. So it's really not as bad as it sounds. I wish there was more research into autoimmunity, not just the specific diseases.

 

[1canadiangymmom]

Ok, I have to throw this into the mix, I was 11y 6m when I started my period, which was almost to the month the same as my mother, hubby was 12-13 which I would think is about average, no female siblings, his mom was around 11. DD is turning 13y this month and is just starting to bud. This would put her close to 15 before her period. She bounces between 10th and 20th percentile for height and weight. I have to think the 18hours of training has something to do with it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Quadqueen]

I think what all of these posts indicate is that there is no clear trend.

 

[Granny Smith]

I just want to add that I think parents who have small children and are into sports and such tend to seek out a sport that would meet the attributes that their child possesses, like small kids tend to do gymnastics, not basketball or volleyball. Kids who tend to be small quite possibly have delayed growth to begin with. I'm not saying that gymnastics stunts their growth, I'm saying these kids would of been delayed regardless of what they did.

My kid is a prime example of what I'm talking about. She was small and constantly being checked by doctor's to make sure there was nothing wrong with her. I am 5'3", dh is 5'6", yeah I know we just scream tall! At 5yrs old she had a bone age scan and it showed that although she was chronologically 5 yrs old, her actual bone age was that of a 3.5 yr old. So her body was 1.5 yrs behind her actual age. We continued to monitor. At 12, she had another bone age scan and at 12, her bone age was that of a 9 yr old. So, around 11-12 yrs old is when the standard growth charts start to soar up as that is when puberty hits many kids. So that is why when she fell off the charts the Primary again flipped out and we were off to the Endocrinologist (that is who does the bone age scan, not a Primary). This helps to explain a lot. So many girls are having growth spurt at the age of 11/12 and my kids till looks like a 9 yr old. No signs of puberty, but why would there be if her body is still showing signs of a 9 yr old, not 12 yr old. When my dd went off to high school, she looked like a 12 yr old her freshman year. She did do a whole transformation while in her freshman year and she finally looked like a teenager when she started her sophomore yr. Realize that my kid went through puberty from the age of 14-15.5, which again makes sense when you keep in mind the results of her last bone scan. Honestly, gymnastics wasn't stunting her growth, she was just delayed to begin with. She did get her period right before she turned 16.

She is now in college and guess what, she is small, very petite (not only in size, which by the way she is about 5'1") but she doesn't look like she is 12 anymore. She looks young for her age, but I told her she will come to love that when she is 30 years old!

 

[1canadiangymmom]

I just want to add that I think parents who have small children and are into sports and such tend to seek out a sport that would meet the attributes that their child possesses, like small kids tend to do gymnastics, not basketball or volleyball. Kids who tend to be small quite possibly have delayed growth to begin with. I'm not saying that gymnastics stunts their growth, I'm saying these kids would of been delayed regardless of what they did.

My kid is a prime example of what I'm talking about. She was small and constantly being checked by doctor's to make sure there was nothing wrong with her. I am 5'3", dh is 5'6", yeah I know we just scream tall! At 5yrs old she had a bone age scan and it showed that although she was chronologically 5 yrs old, her actual bone age was that of a 3.5 yr old. So her body was 1.5 yrs behind her actual age. We continued to monitor. At 12, she had another bone age scan and at 12, her bone age was that of a 9 yr old. So, around 11-12 yrs old is when the standard growth charts start to soar up as that is when puberty hits many kids. So that is why when she fell off the charts the Primary again flipped out and we were off to the Endocrinologist (that is who does the bone age scan, not a Primary). This helps to explain a lot. So many girls are having growth spurt at the age of 11/12 and my kids till looks like a 9 yr old. No signs of puberty, but why would there be if her body is still showing signs of a 9 yr old, not 12 yr old. When my dd went off to high school, she looked like a 12 yr old her freshman year. She did do a whole transformation while in her freshman year and she finally looked like a teenager when she started her sophomore yr. Realize that my kid went through puberty from the age of 14-15.5, which again makes sense when you keep in mind the results of her last bone scan. Honestly, gymnastics wasn't stunting her growth, she was just delayed to begin with. She did get her period right before she turned 16.

She is now in college and guess what, she is small, very petite (not only in size, which by the way she is about 5'1") but she doesn't look like she is 12 anymore. She looks young for her age, but I told her she will come to love that when she is 30 years old!

I think you are right on this. Curious now what my dd's bone scan would show as to age. I had never thought of it this way before. Thanks Granny Smith!!

 

[magymmom]

I just want to add that I think parents who have small children and are into sports and such tend to seek out a sport that would meet the attributes that their child possesses, like small kids tend to do gymnastics, not basketball or volleyball. Kids who tend to be small quite possibly have delayed growth to begin with. I'm not saying that gymnastics stunts their growth, I'm saying these kids would of been delayed regardless of what they did.

My kid is a prime example of what I'm talking about. She was small and constantly being checked by doctor's to make sure there was nothing wrong with her. I am 5'3", dh is 5'6", yeah I know we just scream tall! At 5yrs old she had a bone age scan and it showed that although she was chronologically 5 yrs old, her actual bone age was that of a 3.5 yr old. So her body was 1.5 yrs behind her actual age. We continued to monitor. At 12, she had another bone age scan and at 12, her bone age was that of a 9 yr old. So, around 11-12 yrs old is when the standard growth charts start to soar up as that is when puberty hits many kids. So that is why when she fell off the charts the Primary again flipped out and we were off to the Endocrinologist (that is who does the bone age scan, not a Primary). This helps to explain a lot. So many girls are having growth spurt at the age of 11/12 and my kids till looks like a 9 yr old. No signs of puberty, but why would there be if her body is still showing signs of a 9 yr old, not 12 yr old. When my dd went off to high school, she looked like a 12 yr old her freshman year. She did do a whole transformation while in her freshman year and she finally looked like a teenager when she started her sophomore yr. Realize that my kid went through puberty from the age of 14-15.5, which again makes sense when you keep in mind the results of her last bone scan. Honestly, gymnastics wasn't stunting her growth, she was just delayed to begin with. She did get her period right before she turned 16.

She is now in college and guess what, she is small, very petite (not only in size, which by the way she is about 5'1") but she doesn't look like she is 12 anymore. She looks young for her age, but I told her she will come to love that when she is 30 years old!

This just proves to me that my 4' 9" almost 15 year old gymnast that has always been delayed is fine. She started high school this year and is just starting to show signs of puberty. I have a feeling she will change a lot this year.

 

[profmom]

Poor, poor eldest DS. Granny Smith, when he broke his wrist last spring, the doc remarked in passing that his growth plates looked like a 12 year old's. He has his learner's permit, and one night this summer I had him drive to the gas station to pick up some milk and drive home. Ten minutes after we got back, the local police arrived at our house to investigate a report of a 13 year old spotted driving his mother around. He had to show his permit and verify that he is, in fact, sixteen. It's too bad he doesn't do gym, because he would have been my rings/vault/floor guy. I expect him to get to at least 5'9", though perhaps not until college.

 

[munchkin3]

My 15 YO son, who is 5'4" now, (After growing 3 inches this year!) Refuses to even star driving because he feels it is still too ridiculous!
I think this year is the 'year' for him......