My son was always tall as a baby and toddler but then in the last few years (he is 10 now,) he has dropped into about the 30-35th percentile. We have switched pediatricians twice due to a change in insurance so the ped we have now does not have all of his records but I have been measuring him and keeping record myself and he has grown at a steady rate of only 1.5 inches a year for the last 3-4 years. I just read in several places that he should be growing 2.5-3 inches per year. My MIL is saying that it could be my fault because we don't eat a lot of meat or let them drink a lot of milk (they have organic milk in their cereal)… I am assuming that she is insinuating that it is due to a lack of protein??? He does eat a lot of peanut butter (eats a pb apple for a snack almost daily) and a fair amount of nuts, eggs etc… has a generally healthy diet and is healthy, happy and active… is this something I should be worried about? My pediatrician said as long as he is following his same percentile it should be fine but it seems like so many kids are SO much taller than him!! A few girls and boys are a whole entire head taller than him. Our family height is all over the map - immediate family and first-gen relatives range from 4 foot 11 to 6 foot 7. I am 5'4 and hubby is 6'1… I just don't know if I should be worried.
Some boys have a slow growth rate till middle school or high school (some even in college) and then they shoot up like you wouldn't believe.
I wouldn't worry just yet.
See how he's doing by 13 yrs old.
I would not worry. I have learned that it is always best NOT to compare my kids to others. You will drive yourself insane thinking that there is something wrong. My son was always on the shorter side and from ages 11-12 he grew 5". Needless to say the growing pains (yes they are real) were horrible! On the other hand his best friend was 5' by 3rd grade and now him and my son are the same height, both are now 5'2.
He is getting to the age where most girls will be much taller than him anyhow as girls get their height usually before high school. While boys will continue to grow until they are 18-20.
Your son hit his height earlier than others and with the variation in height in your family I would expect a growth spurt in the next couple years. Hopefully not as full as the one my son had :)
Your MIL is very likely from a generation that believes meat is important and a necessary part of most meals. My MIL has some archaic, ignorant ideas about food - she believes no meal is complete without some form of potatoes and bread, she never tastes food at restaurants before salting them, she believes iceberg lettuce is the only healthy lettuce and criticizes me for buying romaine, green leaf and spinach, the only veggies she makes are potatoes and corn. I suspect your MIL is just repeating beliefs of her generation.
The reality is kids grow at different rates. Sure your son needs to eat protein. There are many things kids need in a balanced diet. But it sounds like he is getting protein, and from healthy sources, too.
If you are concerned, go ahead and call your doctor. Before you do, I would keep a food log for a few days or even a week. That way you can mention those concerns and be able to tell your doctors what his typical diet is.
It never hurts to ask your doctor, but I don't think I'd be too worried. Some kids grow earlier than others. Kids have growth spurts at different times.
No, you should not worry.
My little brother was always small. He was the shortest kid in his class, every year. He was scrawny with it. He also happened to be a late bloomer, and didn't really hit full puberty until closer to 17. Then he SHOT up and bulked up. He is now just under 6 feet, and has a decent build.
Do.Not.Worry.
Boys, have most of their growth spurt, later. High School.
Just because SOME of his classmates are taller now, it doesn't not mean your son is worse. So what. Height does not matter.
If you keep measuring him, you will give him an emotional hang-up. And he will get dysfunctional emotionally.
That is not, good.
Do NOT listen to your MIL.
She is not an expert. She is not a Doctor.
Why get hang ups, in yourself, because of your MIL?
Kids growth and heights and body shape... takes many forms. And kids go through MANY growth phases. Just because they are like this at 10 years old... it does not mean, a child will be that way, ALL their life.
But, this is the age, when a child can develop, dysfunctional emotional hand-ups, about themselves.
So tread carefully.
I have 2 kids. And their classmates are all sorts of sizes. Short. Tall. In between. So what. I don't expect my kids to be the tallest. They are the way they are. I also know, MANY kids, that are short or small OR both short AND small/petite. Boys and girls. So what. They do not suffer in school in any manner, and they do not get hung up on it.
Do not give your son a hang up, about his appearance.
Stop worrying. The fact is that he's still growing. My 13 year old is 5 feet tall and 72lbs. But he's always been slim and small, just like I was until I hit my growth spurt in high school. I was much smaller than my peers until I was 17.
Your MIL is being a snot. You are feeding them just fine.
He sounds like a healthy kiddo to me. Boys typically grow until they are older teens and even early twenties, girls tend to stop by 18 or so. My husband and I went to HS together, in 10th grade I was a good 3 or 4 inches taller than he was. By the time we finished our freshman year of college I was the same height I'd been, but he had 3 or 4 inches on me. Keep feeding him healthy foods and he'll grow at his own pace (ignore MIL, it's an old school thought that meat and milk make you grow faster).
If he is following his own curve, then he should be fine. I have always heard that it depends on the grandparents' height too. My mom is 5'8" and my dad 5'11". My sister is 5'3 and I am 5'5, but my little brother is 6'3. Both my grandmas were under 5'2, but my grandpas were tall. But, my brother didn't grown until he was 15. He went from my shoulder to his full height in less than 18 months, so you never know when it will happen. My husband on the other hand, had his full height by the time he was 12. So, yes, he was 6'1 in 7th grade and has been ever since, he just needed to get his width.
If your doc isn't worried, your son is probably fine. Oh, and shoe size has nothing to do with it, my brother wore a men's 6 until he grew, but hubby wore a 13. I hope that helps alleviate some of your fears.
He's fine. Don't worry about him. Sounds like he eats a great diet.
He's fine. He's growing steadily at his own rate and there is no actual "should be growing at such and such rate" at this age.
His height and weight aren't indicators of how healthy he is. Is he sick often? Is he all over healthy? Is he happy?
Your MIL can kindly shove it. My MIL hates the fact that I'm vegetarian and that my husband prefers mostly vegetarian dishes. I cook some meat for my family, but not a lot... usually only on the rare times they ask me. They seem content having it when they're guests at a party or something or we got out to eat and they can order it if they want. My MIL thinks I'm "depriving" them all. Really? They've never been healthier. Check their gums. :-)
When did your husband have his growth spurt? My son was short from age 6 to 16, but I knew his father was a late grower, when other boys stopped growing he kept growing... until age 21 or 22, now he is just over 5'10
I wouldn't worry. They say as a rule of thumb a male child will be the average of the parents plus two, female, average -2. Hasn't held at all with my adult kids but it sounds good. I am 5'8 my ex 5'10, my older boy is 5'11, daughter 5'8. O well. My younger daughter will be lucky if she hits 5'2
Worrying will not change the end result so I don't worry.
Oh my younger son, with bar none the worst diet on the earth! he is already 5'11 and will probably hit 6 ft. The youngest, miss 5'2, probably the healthiest eater
My son 10yrs old is in the 5th% at 52 inches. He is small. My 9yr old boy is 56 inches, he is bigger. My 10yr old has had all the tests done to check (wrist xray, blood tests to check hormones and some other blood tests), I even took him to an endocrinologist to be sure. The endocrinologist assured me he is fine and healthy. I did not hit puberty until 16 and my husband was late too. So there is good reason to believe my 10 yr old will be too, they called it constitutional growth delay. We are not tall people, I am 5'4 my husband is 5'10. It is crazy that my youngest is so much taller but everyone grows at different times. So far it doesn't seem to bother my 10 yr old, he says because he's so small it makes him fast! Which is crazy true for him :)
How big are his feet? My son was always a little guy but wore a man's size 8 shoe in 3rd grade, so I knew he would be tall. He started 8th grade with the top of his head barely touching my chin and ended 8th grade I was barely touching his chin.
He is now 23, 6" 3' tall. He wears a 30/32 size pants. So he's skinny as a rail but strong as they come.
