Fluff...Unusual sized children (regarding height)...

[tkd lisa]

My kids are pretty small. I'm the smallest one in my family (5' 4", while most of the family is around 6' for the men, 5' 7" for the women), but my DH's family is really small (MIL is 5' tall, and 100 pounds soaking wet, biggest person in the family is BIL who is 5'6").

My daughter just turned 12, and she's probably 4'11" (not abnormally short) and weighs around 80 pounds. She's gained two full shoe sizes this school year, as well as two pants sizes (started in 10slims, now in 14 slims). I do a lot of internet shopping for pants for her. JCPenney has a fair selection of slims. Capris are also great once the weather warms up. I think she's in about an 8 still except for length. She was still able to wear 6x shorts at the beginning of last summer!

DS is 10 1/2, and has finally taken a growth spurt. He's about 4'7", but is still 56 pounds. We've asked about the growth stuff, but the basic answer is that he'll probably always be small. He's been in the 10th percentile or lower his entire life. He's definitely the smallest kid in his class.

 

[KathyTX]

Because DS is tall, people have always assumed that he's older than he really is...

He's 10, 5'5", wearing men's 9 1/2 shoes.

He's catching up with me fast- I guess I'll be looking up at him by the time he's 12. I'm 5'10, DH is 6'2"... so no surprise that DS would be tall. I just didn't expect it so soon.

He's the tallest kid in the 4th grade at his school. I know that he'll have the coaches bugging him about sports as soon as he hits middle school... but he doesn't have much interest in team sports. And absolutely NO interest in any activity that might involve pain or injury!

 

[Sleepy]

My son is pretty small for his age. At 12, he is 4 ft 7 in tall. Weighs a whopping 67 pounds. He has been growing like a weed since Dec. I am glad about that. He is in middle school (6th grade) and some of those kids are 2 times larger than he is. I worry about bullying.

 

[BethanyF]

My son was 2 feet tall at birth....23 3/4 inches. And it was all hieght, he was c-section so there was no 'cone head' in the measurement. The nurses would all comment 'ahhh, so you're the one with the tall baby'.
Im 5'7 and dh is 5'9. Im thinking Sam got his height form my side though, my dad and brothers all all 6' or better.
He is now 5, almost 4 feet tall and weighs 50 lbs. He has consistently been 95th percentile or more for his height and weight.
He is one of the youngest kids in the class and is taller than all but one kid who is more than a year older than him.

 

[Sleepy]

Originally posted by poohandwendy
Just a few questions, how do they decide if hormone shots are needed? Is it just because they aren't growing or is there some sort of bloodwork that shows they are deficient or what? Also, does it usually work, or is it a trial basis type of thing? And, what, if any, side effects are there? (I obviously know very little about this, LOL)

I am also interested in this. Had no idea there was such a thing.

 

[jacksonsmom]

My son started out tall (23.5 inches) & has always been in the 95% in his height.

He is 4 yeas old now & at last check he was 45.5 inches.

His doctor did some kind of formula & she predicted he will be around 6' 2" when all is said & done.

I am 5' 7" DH is 6'. But the men on my father's side are all tall 6' 2"--6' 7" So it doesn't surprise me that my son is tall.

The only thing I hate is he looks older then he is & people EXPECT him to act older. I have to remind people he is only 4 years old & can't be expected to act like a 6 or 7 year old.

He also is the tallest in his preschool class right now.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Growing up I was a real stick. (Sorry no numbers that I can remember) I had really long legs for my height and it was so hard to find pants that fit me.

To find pants that fit my small waist and really long legs my mother had to take me to the boys department. It was so depressing to want to have all the stylish clothes but not be able to wear them because if I tried to wear girl's pants they were floods.

Now I don't have that problem anymore. The bean pole is no more.

 

[luvflorida]

We are short people here. My 13 year old daughter seems to have stopped growing at 4'10" and 90 pounds. She has been at that height for all of eighth grade. She has been teased a lot about her height, kids calling her shorty, etc. I don't think it's a mean kind of teasing, but she really hates being so much shorter than her friends. She is not looking forward to high school in the fall, unless she gets a growth spurt over the summer! And it's kind of funny because the boy she likes is 5'10", and so much older looking than she is, but he's also in eighth grade. He wears a size 14 shoe and she wears a size 5. I don't think there is much hope for my daughter, though, because I'm barely 5', and her older sister, who will be twenty next month, is only 5'1".

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The determination is based on the individuals growth curve, how it is progressing. Also dd was a premie and what was called "SGA" (small for gestational age) at birth. She was only 16 1/2" at birth (5 weeks early).

As long as she progressed on "her curve", ie she was growing her peditrician felt she was OK. When she turned 5-6 she didn't grow. We monitored her a full year.

I went to the endocronologist. They did test her for Turners Syndrome which turned out to be negative.

Now since dd was "SGA" & proven not to be growing she did NOT have to do the "TEST". Which as explained to me is VERY unpleasant. My understanding is that the child is injected with a something to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce the highest level of hormone. They then draw blood every 15 minutes for 2 hours to see what the gland is putting out.

Thank goodness we did not have to do that!

The determination based on results, ie she is on growth hormone and it is making her grow, is an indicator that her pituitary gland is not working properly.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

DS 14 and DS 12 are both 5'6" and weigh between 110-120 lbs. The Dr. says the younger one should top out at 6' 8" or so and the older one 6'4". Both are currently in a men's 10 shoe, but the younger one already wears EEEE width!

DH and I are both around 6'1", and I have always enjoyed being tall..... but it comes in handy in athletics!

 

[pixiemomma]

My DN's boyfriend just turned 15 and is 6' 2". She is 5" 1' but both her parents are short. Her 13 year old brother, 5' 6", is already taller than their father.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

My older two children have always been in the 90+ percentiles for height and I agree that I'm glad they are boys. They did the bone measurement thing as infants and both predicted around 6' 4". The 13yo is already 5' 11" so I wouldn't be surprised if he passes that estimate.

I was 5' 9" myself in 6th grade and it was miserable. I stopped growing though and I'm still 5' 9".

Now this newest baby --- he is way off the charts in height. The Dr. told me at his last appointment that she'd guess he would be about 125% if there was such a thing. He just turned 14months and when people see him they guess he's about 3yo and then wonder why he can't talk and walks so unsteady.

My Dad was 6' 6," they come by it naturally.

 

[poohandwendy]

Originally posted by The Mystery Machine
The determination is based on the individuals growth curve, how it is progressing. Also dd was a premie and what was called "SGA" (small for gestational age) at birth. She was only 16 1/2" at birth (5 weeks early).

As long as she progressed on "her curve", ie she was growing her peditrician felt she was OK. When she turned 5-6 she didn't grow. We monitored her a full year.

I went to the endocronologist. They did test her for Turners Syndrome which turned out to be negative.

Now since dd was "SGA" & proven not to be growing she did NOT have to do the "TEST". Which as explained to me is VERY unpleasant. My understanding is that the child is injected with a something to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce the highest level of hormone. They then draw blood every 15 minutes for 2 hours to see what the gland is putting out.

Thank goodness we did not have to do that!

The determination based on results, ie she is on growth hormone and it is making her grow, is an indicator that her pituitary gland is not working properly.

Thanks for the explanation, I hope my niece doesn't ever have to go through any test like you mention! She was full term and maybe a bit smaller than normal, but nothing unusual at birth. I had no idea what all wa sinvolved, wow!

 

[Melora]

My ex is a little over 6 foot and I am about 5'4.

My oldest was TINY! He started school early too so he was always the smallest one. When he was 16 he was still about my height and wore a size 9 shoe. Then all of a sudden he started growing and hit 5' 9 in about 6 months. Though he only weighs about 148. His shoes went up to an 11 in that time also. I was so relieved. I didnt want him being a short guy. I think hes still growing at 18.

My 2 girls... the oldest was smaller than the younger one at each age mark. Now they are 16 and 15. The 16 year old is 5'3 with a size 9 foot (I somehow do not think she is going to grow into that!) and the 15 year old is 5' 6 with the same size foot. I wear an 8 and neither of them can borrow my shoes....

The younger one is so much bigger than the older one. Different bone structure and everything. Though as I said, the younger has big feet (sorry Sarah!) and a very curvy figure. No sticks for the girls in this family.

My 8 year old is average and my 3 year old is small for his age.

 

[peg2001]

DD is 7.5 years old and is wearing a size 5 outfit today. She runs about 25th percentile for height and 5th percentile for weight.

Peggy

 

[Emmyfaye]

At fully grown heights, my daughters are 6'1 1/2" and 6 feet even - the eldest was only 7 lb. 13 oz at birth, but she was born about one month prematurely...the second weighted 10 lb. 3 oz. Both were always over the 100 percentile for height...

Both are terrific athletes, great students, and very confident people They are beautiful girls, look like models (if I may be permitted just a little pride), and have always been proud of their height.

I feel sorry for kids who are brought up to feel awkward about their height, rather short or tall! (Or their weight, shape, abilities or lack thereof, etc.). Glory in their individuality!

 

[SpecialK]

I agree that kids should be brought up to be proud of their individuality, however....My DH is 5"2" due to genetics and life-threatening illness as a child. He is also a wonderful guy. He worries about our two sons being short because he doesn't want them to have to deal with the same grief he has encountered - and continues to encounter - because of his stature. Our boys have always been in the 95th to 75th percentile in height so I think they'll be of average height. I'm 5'6" and have some height in my family.

 

[Talking Hands]

I wore a 2T at age 5. At 13 I was 4'8" and I have been that way ever since. At that point I was also about 125 pounds. Both my parents were short and heavy as well so I get it from no place strange. Working on getting back to 125 or less. Down to 170 from around 225 and still losing slowly. Mom was 4'11" and Dad 5'2" and my aunt was 4'6"
My daughters are 5'2 and 5'4" but their Dad is short as it goes for a man. 5'7"

 

[Bob Slydell]

DS is something like 75-80% in height, but only 10-15% in weight. At 3, he's too tall for 3T pants, but 4T's literally fall off him. Our ped keeps saying there's nothing to worry about, that there's worse things to be than above-average height (he'll likely never be "tall" as I'm only 5'9" and DW is 5'2") and skinny.

 

[caitycaity]

i was always towering over everyone. i finally hit 5'10" in 7th grade and stayed there. i had a really bad self-body image about being so tall (i was not overweight then) and i wish i had realised as a kid that being tall is a wonderful thing.