Parents Question about height

[Gymmom826]

My dd's pediatrician wants to recheck her height in six months. She's concerned because she's in the 12th percentile and when she was three she was in the 50th percentile. Do you think it's anything to be concerned about? Has anyone experienced this with their gymnast?

 

[Committed]

How old is she now?

 

[Gymmom826]

She's 8 years and 48 inches tall.

 

[mimi]

My dd is in the -3rd percentile. Yep not on the chart. She has followed pretty much the same line over the years though. The pediatrician referred us to an endocrinologist who offered HGH shots which we passed on. It was determined my dd is perfectly healthy but very tiny. We were told she would get a maximum of 2 inches additional with the HGH shots and for us it wasn't enough for 4 years of daily shots and who knows what kind of side effects.

 

[Rockygym]

Well I think there is always much more of a concern when a child "falls off" their particular growth curve more than the actual percentile. So being 3rd and staying 3rd not as big of an issue as starting at 50th and dropping to 12th. Outside of making sure she is getting enough calories that are well balanced to match her activity level not sure what more you as a parent can do. Did the pediatrician make any suggestions? Has there been a similar drop in her weight percentile? Good to hear the pediatrician is monitoring a little more closely.

 

[Gymmom826]

My dd is in the -3rd percentile. Yep not on the chart. She has followed pretty much the same line over the years though. The pediatrician referred us to an endocrinologist who offered HGH shots which we passed on. It was determined my dd is perfectly healthy but very tiny. We were told she would get a maximum of 2 inches additional with the HGH shots and for us it wasn't enough for 4 years of daily shots and who knows what kind of side effects.

Wow that sounds scary to me. I've never heard of having to get shots. Why is height so important? I don't undertsand the concern if they are otherwise healthy.

 

[Gymmom826]

She's in the 20th percentile for weight.

 

[B&M's mom]

Yes. Been there, still waiting for the big growth spurt and mine is 14.5. My pediatrician has been monitoring and a couple of years ago sent my DD for a bone age scan. That showed she was about two-three years behind her chronological age. We also saw an endocrinologist who agreed with the findings. Everyone thinks she'll eventually grow. She's finally grown two inches in the last year which is most she's done in several years. But she's in perfect health, just tiny.

 

[cbifoja]

I agree with the poster who mentioned that the concern comes from falling away from her curve. Mine has never been above 5% so her pediatrician has never been concerned....because she is growing at the same rate as she always has. I can understand your pediatrician being a bit worried. I don't think it's her overall height but he might be worried about general nutrition, nutrient absorption, bone disorder, etc.

 

[sce]

My dd's pediatrician wants to recheck her height in six months. She's concerned because she's in the 12th percentile and when she was three she was in the 50th percentile. Do you think it's anything to be concerned about? Has anyone experienced this with their gymnast?

Doctors do get concerned when they don't follow a growth curve. Dropping significant percentiles can be concern. What was her height at 3, 4 ,5 ,6 and 7? Was there growth each year?

 

[iwannacoach]

The only time I become concerned is when kids are so short they can't get their feet on the ground.

 

[Gymmom826]

Doctors do get concerned when they don't follow a growth curve. Dropping significant percentiles can be concern. What was her height at 3, 4 ,5 ,6 and 7? Was there growth each year?

Yes. She grew each year. She was 40, 42, 43, 45 and now 48 inches. Starting at age 4.

 

[GYM0M]

My dd, 9, is also in the less than 3rd percentile. She's at 45 inches tall. We also went to the endocrinologist who offered the same program as stated above. BUT dd has never been on the charts for height so her pediatrician (who passed away before the referrals began) was never concerned about her size. It wasn't an issue until we began searching for a new one than the Drs raised their eye brows at her size.

 

[sce]

Yes. She grew each year. She was 40, 42, 43, 45 and now 48 inches. Starting at age 4.

She's grown 3 inches in the last year, which is bigger than any previous year, so it's interesting that the doctor is concerned now. I would just continue on, without much concern and go back for the check in 6 months.

 

[Gymmom826]

She's grown 3 inches in the last year, which is bigger than any previous year, so it's interesting that the doctor is concerned now. I would just continue on, without much concern and go back for the check in 6 months.

Yes. I wonder why they're concerned now. Thanks for the advice. I'll just take her in six months and we'll see.

 

[Faith]

If you weren't weighing and measuring would you be worried about her?

If not, stop weighing and measuring, and you'll find the problem goes away

My DD's were last weighed/measured as babies. I wouldn't know which centile they were on, never mind if they'd fallen off it.

Numbers are just numbers with out any context. If she's growing in proportion, healthy, well etc it's likely she's waiting on a growth spurt. Not everyone grows in a smooth curve on a graph, some go in steps, drop off, jump up. Remember it's average, so not exact

 

[GymCMLA]

I would trend her. THe expected growth is about 5 cm a year (so 2 inches) all years but one she achieved that. Also, kids don't grow a mm a day, they grow in spurts. SO I would measure her every 3-6 months and watch for treands. A bone age is a quick hand xray and can be reassuring if her bone age is younger than her chronological age. Also, you can calculate a mid parental height for her. Mom's height in inches + dad's height in inches -6 / 2. Then +/- 2 inches for variations related to timing of puberty etc. I would worry more if her % dropped for height and she developed breast buds at the same time (usually breast buds to menarche is about 2 years) and there is some, but not as much growth left after menarche. (the spurt usually happens in the 2 years from buds to menarche)

 

[mimi]

Wow that sounds scary to me. I've never heard of having to get shots. Why is height so important? I don't undertsand the concern if they are otherwise healthy.

Now that they have done some testing (bloodwork, bone age test) they have determined that there is nothing concerning except the fact that she will likely not hit 5 feet as an adult and that some consider that to be "socially unacceptable". The shots would have been considered "cosmetic endocrinology" and hence not covered under insurance. Roughly $40,000.

OP what has your pediatrician recommended at this point? Try not to worry. I lost a lot of sleep worrying about my dd and still do sometimes wondering if we made the right decision. Chances are things will be totally fine with your dd. So sorry you are having to deal with this!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

My eldest boy has delayed puberty.

When he was 14 he was quite upset by it. As a small boy he was on the 75th centile, at 14 he was on the 5th and was at least a foot smaller that the rest of his rugby team, consequently he was not picked for lots of matches as it was dangerous - imagine 4ft 11 and 130lbs going up against 6ft 2 and 170lbs !

We saw a paediatric endocrinologist who I expected to say, normal delayed puberty (both his dad and I had delayed puberty), but he gave him a bone scan, told us he was 2-3 year behind his chronological age and offered us testosterone injections for 6 months.

He went ahead as he was being bullied a bit in school and is now, at 16 5ft 7 and still growing.

I would add that I was surprised the treatment was offered and that we are lucky here in the UK that healthcare is free at the point of delivery (paid for through taxes). It has certainly improved his quality of life, but i do think there is a lot more social pressure on boys to be taller

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

If you weren't weighing and measuring would you be worried about her?

If not, stop weighing and measuring, and you'll find the problem goes away

My DD's were last weighed/measured as babies. I wouldn't know which centile they were on, never mind if they'd fallen off it.

Numbers are just numbers with out any context. If she's growing in proportion, healthy, well etc it's likely she's waiting on a growth spurt. Not everyone grows in a smooth curve on a graph, some go in steps, drop off, jump up. Remember it's average, so not exact

I agree with this entirely. No weighing or measuring here, not since they were babies. They are all taller than me, that's as much as I know.