My middle child isn't growing as fast as his brothers
Filed under: Teens, Health & Safety: Babies, Nutrition: Health, Development/Milestones: Babies
My ex-husband called me on Christmas night. He had some information and a request. He said that he measures the children's height once a year, and that in the past year, our ten-year-old son has only grown one inch, whereas our youngest son has grown three inches. (I forgot to ask about our oldest, but I know he has grown tons this year, and the main issue seems to be our middle child). Our youngest son, who will be nine on Friday, is now taller than Christian, age ten. I have noticed this, of course: Christian and Tommy wear the same size, though I have had to buy larger pants for them both this year, because they have grown too tall for their old pants. Christian has had to move up a size in underwear. And he is a trim child, so it's not his waistline that has instigated the change.
But people do now tend to think that Tommy is the older boy, because he has outgrown Christian. I told my ex, "I haven't really worried about it, because you are tall (he's 6'1") and your father is not (he is 5'7")." But Mark asked me to write about this on Blogging Baby and ask you: Is this a common phenonemon? Have any of your children grown at vastly different rates? Have your younger chldren outgrown their older siblings?
Bottomline: Is this something we should worry about?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
12-27-2006 @ 7:32AM
Ginny said...I'm 5'7" and my older sister is 5'1". I think it's all in the roll of the genetic dice. I would probably run it by the pediatrician anyway.
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12-26-2006 @ 1:33PM
rochelle said...I know lots of people whose younger siblings are taller than them. I think as long as your doctor says your child is growing normally, then you shouldn't worry about it. In the end, age has more to do with your social and emotional development than your height. But if your child is feeling bad about it, just tell him "your brothers may be taller than you, but you're smarter" ... haha
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12-26-2006 @ 5:41PM
Uly said...Throughout my childhood, people thought my older sister (by three years) was my twin, or else the younger one. I was quite tall, she was (and is) rather short.
As long as your middle son doesn't seem to be *sick*, I wouldn't worry - some people are shorter than others. That's just life. And with kids, sometimes one hits their puberty growth spurt earlier than another (I got my first period only a few months after my sister got hers - I was ten, she was thirteen). That's *normal*.
If you're really worried, ask the doctor, but s/he'll say the same thing.
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12-26-2006 @ 1:43PM
Emily said...I am a middle child, and my little sister has been taller than me for the past four years, maybe longer, I can't remember. I am 20 and she just turned 17. She is a full three or four inches taller than me. Several people, when meeting my sisters and I for the first time, think that I am younger than her. I am short like my mom, and my little sister and older sister are tall like my dad. It's normal, I wouldn't worry about it. Just tell him he takes after the shorter people in your family. :-)
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12-26-2006 @ 1:51PM
Mama C-ta said...I have 3 older sisters and I'm taller than 2 of them, the shortest of the bunch was the 2nd born. She's just 5" where I'm 5'5" and my other sis is 5'8" (the tallest).
If all else seems well I wouldn't worry about it but I know my friends older sis stopped growing b/c of a thyroid issue (there were minor other signs) and another because of a wheat allergy but it was found much younger than 10.
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12-27-2006 @ 5:30PM
Tulio said...My brother is 10 years younger than me and passed me by almost a full foot while I was in high school and he was in college and he was in grade school.
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12-27-2006 @ 9:31AM
emjaybee said...My husband is 6'4"; his brother is under 6'. He is dark, his brother is blonde. Same parents, but brother looks like mom, husband looks like dad. It happens all the time. Brother did have some resentment over realizing he'd never be as tall, but is over it as an adult, and they're good friends--just very different people.
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12-26-2006 @ 10:51PM
Julie B said...My husband is the youngest of 6 and by far the tallest. His oldest brother is at least 5 inches shorter than my husband. I wouldn't worry, but you might mention the concern to your ped. next visit just to have it documented.
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12-26-2006 @ 6:13PM
elsa said...I am also a middle child and my younger sister has been taller than me since i was about 14. There were also sparadic times when we were younger that she would be taller than me. It was hard when people thought she was older but i have gotten over that know that we are grown up. My pediatrician sent me to an endocrinologist to make sure all my hormones were in check =. I was perfectly healthy, just not destined to be tall.
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12-27-2006 @ 9:00AM
ann adams said...I wouldn't worry as long as he's healthy. Rebecca just turned 11 and is still much smaller than her ten month older sister. Rochelle hit a growth spurt; Rebecca hasn't yet.
Just can't tell with kids. Christian may suddenly start growing.
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12-27-2006 @ 7:16PM
Charlotte said...The second child in my family was always shorter than his younger brother. My brother, now 25 and 6'2", was 5'2" tall until he was 16. Then over the next two and a half years he grew 12 inches! Also his voice didn't start changing until the same time. My youngest brother, now 23, is 6' but he reached that height by 17 years old. I am the oldest sibling and 5'7"m the youngest child, my sister didn't get past 5'1".
I guess the bottom line is every child is different, even if they have the same parents.
I wouldn't worry too much about your son. He may just end up being taller than the others.
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12-28-2006 @ 1:43PM
Jen said...I have two younger sisters who are both taller than me. I didn't grow after the age of about 15 - they both overtook me - one at 13, the other a couple years later. Christian just drew the 'short straw' of the genetic pool.
My husband is 6ft, his younger brother 6ft 7inches.
My son is a shortie, and the infant in my tummy just measured at the scan today is up off the scale for length, so I guess history repeats itself...
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1-10-2007 @ 11:34PM
Darla said...As every mom can tell you, your children, although spawned from the same parents, can differ in many areas. I have three daughters, and all are extremely different! Brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes...Brown hair, red hair, blonde hair! It's amazing! They're each four years apart, but my middle child has grown twice as fast as my oldest. Although they aren't close enough in age for her to actually "outgrow" her older sister, she does wear last years hand-me-downs. (which is a great feat considering that four year span) Her eating habits are nothing like her sister's. She's the picky one, and won't eat anything that she thinks is good for her. She just has that "quick grow" gene that the eldest didn't get. Just because they have very tall grandfathers, (6'4", 6'5", and 6'11") it doesn't prevent the oldest from being the shortest girl in fourth grade. However, I don't worry about my "short-stuff," because I know she's healthy,and eats incredibly well.
Point being, even the good eaters, and the most active kids might have delays in their growth, unlike their siblings. Does that mean you have to do something different? Not at all. Does that mean your son will always be shorter than his brothers? No. But, don't be surprised if his Jr. High dance date is forced to wear flats. :) His body will grow when his body is ready.
BTW: My sis is a good three inches taller than I am. I might look like our Dad, but she got his height! Thanks a lot mom! :)~
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