Growth Problems in Children

The term “growth problems” can refer to a range of health issues that cause a child to fall below the average growth curve for their age, sex, and family history. Once we determine that your child has insufficient growth, our next step is to determine the underlying cause by performing x-rays to assess bone age and blood tests to check for hormonal and chromosomal disorders.

Common Causes of Growth Problems in Children

First, it’s important to understand that not every cause of growth problems or short stature in children is a growth disorder. Growth charts represent a range of what is common, but this does not mean that any child who falls outside of this range is unhealthy. Causes of growth problems in children include:

• Constitutional growth delay, more commonly known as a “late bloomer.” These children may be small for their age, but they are growing at a normal rate. They often enter puberty later than their peers, but typically, when these children reach adulthood, their height is about the same as their peers.Sometimes a constitutional growth delay is caused by Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR).
• Genetic short stature is a family history of being short. Short parents usually have short children. 
• Failure to thrive is a term used to describe children who are gaining weight and height slower than we’d expect. This is often due to inadequate nutrition, usually because of a feeding problem or digestive issues.
• Endocrine disorders can cause deficiencies in the hormones that regulate growth. Most commonly this includes growth hormone deficiency and low thyroid function.
• Turner syndrome is a genetic growth disorder that only occurs in girls. In addition to short stature, Turner syndrome impedes normal sexual development because girls who have this disorder have a missing or abnormal X chromosome, which prevents their ovaries from maturing.
• Systemic or chronic illnesses can also impact growth rates.

Treating Growth Problems

The treatments we recommend for growth problems depend upon the cause, their severity, and your child’s overall health and history. Sometimes, treatment involves a referral to therapy for a teen who is experiencing depression related to their height; other times, we may recommend a consultation with a pediatric subspecialist to help identify the cause of the growth problems, and in some cases to begin hormone treatments that can correct the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions About Growth Problems

When should I be concerned about my child’s growth?

We usually aren’t concerned about a child’s growth unless they are smaller than 95 percent of children of their age and sex and we also see that their growth rate is slower than it should be.

What diseases affect growth and development of a child?

A number of systemic and chronic diseases can affect growth. These include diseases of the digestive tract, kidney disease, malnutrition, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and thyroid disease.

What can I give my child to grow taller?

There is no magic pill or home remedy that can be used to make your child grow taller. The best thing you can do as a parent is bring your concerns to your child’s pediatrician and continue feeding your child a well-balanced diet at home.