Parents I know gymnasts are small..but

[3stars]

My daughter has always been extremely tall (she gets it from her momma ). At 6 years 7 months she easily can pass for an 8 or 9 year old. At her last check up, so almost six months ago, she was 54" tall which was off the growth charts and the last time we weighed her I think she was 72 pounds which puts her at around the 97th percentile. She's getting those growing pains in her legs again these days, so she should be having a growth spurt any time now. She is just a really tall, solid girl. The growth chart predicter came out as her adult height being 6'1" (which is what was what the ped predicted when she was an infant).

 

[CaitsMoM]

I worry about my daughters height all the time! She is 5 years old and about 38" which I believe is 5th percentile but she's got some meat to her!!! Gymnastics has been great in helping her use her small size to her advantage instead of it being a neg.

 

[IrenicMom]

At 5 years and 5 months:

your child is 40 pounds, and that is
at the 38th percentile for weight.

your child is 42.75 inches, and that is
at the 31st percentile for height.

Her twin brother is a solid three inches taller than she is, though he has very little muscle mass, so their weights aren't much different. He's a stringbean; she's a powerhouse. Clothing size wise, she can still wear 3T shorts (she's more torso than leg) and they're a little loose on her. We need 5 slims for pants, and even then, we're adjusting that elastic way in. Her uniforms for school are a nightmare - they don't come in slim, and they don't make the skirts smaller than a 4, so we end up spending almost as much as the original cost in alterations just so they fit.

 

[teamgirl]

Since birth my daughter has been below the 25% for both her weight and height. She's been 10%, 5%, and even 1%. Due to a drop in the curve they map, the doctor even gave her the failure to thrive diagnosis for a while. She is now 6 years old with 24% for weight and 3% for height. Since starting gymnastics her weight % has gone up. I think it's because muscle weighs more than fat. She's always the smallest one in school. I know it bothers her at times. Doing gymnastics she has gained self-esteem in regards to her body image because of what she can do physically.

 

[Granny Smith]

Ha-ha, it's fun to look back. Back in 2008, these were dd's stats:

Dd - 11yrs, 8 months old birthdate 9/17/96

height - 54" which is less than 3%
weight - 62# which is less than 3%


Now she will be turning 14 on the 17th and her current stats are:

Height - 58" (4'10"), which is still less that 3%
Weight - 88# (she gained 16#s last yr), which I do believe is about 25%.

She is definitely in puberty now, so if she can get to 5', she will be thrilled.

 

[cathiann]

Did realize Beth was so short--she doesn't seem it. Here's what Mariposa's link came up with:

At 12 years and 7 months:

your child is 83 pounds, and that is
at the 19th percentile for weight.

your child is 59 inches, and that is
at the 22nd percentile for height.

 

[nettyinpa]

Here's dd's stats:

At 9 years and 1 months:

your child is 66 pounds, and that is
at the 53rd percentile for weight. your child is 53.5 inches, and that is
at the 64th percentile for height.

Guess she's middle of the road! Last year in school they did the height & weight measurement check. I guess they must calculate things off site because we got a letter in the mail stating that she was borderline obese! I was like, HUH??? They obviously didn't see her when they put that letter together! Threw it in the trash.

 

[mariposa]

Here's dd's stats:

At 9 years and 1 months:

your child is 66 pounds, and that is
at the 53rd percentile for weight. your child is 53.5 inches, and that is
at the 64th percentile for height.

Guess she's middle of the road! Last year in school they did the height & weight measurement check. I guess they must calculate things off site because we got a letter in the mail stating that she was borderline obese! I was like, HUH??? They obviously didn't see her when they put that letter together! Threw it in the trash.

I bet it was a typo, because even though muscular builds can throw off the BMI calculator, her weight and height seems just fine. BMI calculators usually warn that people with muscular builds can show up as obese and of course, they aren't, but muscle weights more than fat.

They do BMI at well checks now. At least at my DDs pediatrician. DD1 always showed up underweight until she started on team. Now just DD2 is "underweight".

BMI Calculator

 

[LizzieLac]

I don't think the BMI calculators are a good thing and are misleading at best. Remember these gymnasts may weigh more than their "same size" friends becuase they are muscular. These calculators can't take that into account. You are better off doing a real BMI test with a sports trainer or doctor, a professional, not an online tool.

 

[gymnastmom38]

My dd is 7 1/2 years old and here are her stats:

46 inches (13% percentile)
53 pounds (I think around 50% percentile) - but she's strong!

She's projected to be about 5'2 and we're not sure where that's coming from considering I'm 5'7 and her dad is 5'11. Oh well, she'll be petite, which I guess is good for a gymnast, right?

 

[kristilyn73]

At 12 years and 8 months:
your child is 88 pounds, and that is
at the 28th percentile for weight. your child is 58 inches, and that is
at the 12nd percentile for height.

Beetle is the second smallest on the optional team. The smaller girl is over a year younger than her.

Beetle will be 15 next month..

At 14 years and 11 months:

your child is 120 pounds, and that is
at the 60th percentile for weight. your child is 64 inches, and that is
at the 54th percentile for height.

And is now the 2nd TALLEST on the optional team. She hit Puberty and shot up 5 inches in just over a year

 

[nettyinpa]

Oh, believe me, I knew where they were coming from with that. She has no fat on her body. I wish I had that problem!

 

[Bajanswife]

My 7.5 yo Level 4 gymnast is only at the 6th percentile for height, at 46 inches. I have no idea what she weighs!

 

[bogwoppit]

Beetle will be 15 next month..

At 14 years and 11 months:

your child is 120 pounds, and that is
at the 60th percentile for weight. your child is 64 inches, and that is
at the 54th percentile for height.

And is now the 2nd TALLEST on the optional team. She hit Puberty and shot up 5 inches in just over a year

Bigger Bog is exactly the same size as Beetle, she also shot up like that, it is quite the adjustment to go from little kid to young lady in one year. Mine turned 14 in August.

 

[jdf]

At 11 years and 6 months:
your child is 57 pounds, and that is
at less than the 3rd percentile for weight. your child is 54 inches, and that is
at the 7th percentile for height

My dd has been in this percentile range since birth. She is tiny. She wears size 8 pants and size 2 shoes. She doesn't mind being small. She has a lot of confidence and loves being a gymnast. I hope she makes it to 5 feet though.

 

[sally]

My dd is really small. She is the smallest in her class at gym by a fair bit. She worries about it. But I keep telling her height means nothing, it is what you are as a person that matters


At 6 years and 5 months:

your child is 34.8 pounds, and that is
at less than the 3rd percentile for weight. your child is 44 inches, and that is
at the 11st percentile for height.

 

[mumoftwogymnasts]

DD...
At 7 years and 8 months: your child is 55.1 pounds, and that is at the 52nd percentile for weight.

your child is 47.25 inches, and that is at the 14th percentile for height.

Ds...

At 10 years and 3 months:your child is 66.1 pounds, and that is at the 29th percentile for weight.

your child is 52 inches, and that is at the 11st percentile for height.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

DD is on the taller heavier side of average-
she is: 6 years 11 mos
47 inches tall and
51 pounds

All pretty average. I am 5'3" I suspect she'll be about the same as a fully grown adult but may even be taller.

She is not going to the Olympics, gymnastics her sport just like soccer or basketball are some childrens' sports. I suspect she'll do just fine and achieve all she sets her mind to and works hard for in this sport.

 

[ek2]

DD 13yrs is 8th percentile for height and 10th percentile for weight. When she was born she was in 50th and 25th percentiles for several years. She is definitely one of the shorter kids in her class, but has not gone through puberty like many of her classmates so maybe she will get to a height over 5'.

Do you all think that gymnastics slows growth down?

 

[Granny Smith]

Do you all think that gymnastics slows growth down?

I don't know, but I do believe that gymnastics tends to draw smaller children or parents who know that smaller children tend to excel at the sport, so is it possible that these kids would of been "small" regardless of what sport they did or if they did a sport at all.

Now I do believe that gymnastics slows down puberty. Not all signs, but in regards to getting their periods and stuff, they usually have to have a certain amount of body fat on them and the sport tends to keep the body fat off so while they seem delayed in reaching certain "puberty milestones" they still do hit them.