What Can Affect Growth?

Posted on Fri, 24 Apr 2015

Question: I was told my son's bone age was 16 when he was thirteen years old, at that time he was 5ft 9 ins. His predicted height was about 5 ft 10-11 inches . He is fifteen now and is 6 ft 2 ins. The only change he has made in last year is to go from 207 pounds to 158 pounds after joining the track team in ninth grade. He also started puberty around 8 years old which is why I took him to see an endocrinologist. My son believes that his increase in activity has caused him to reach close to his ideal growth which is 6ft 3 ins. Is bone age a precise science?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Bone age is not precise

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case. There is nothing which can predict height with hundred percent preciseness. Bone age is also not a good predictor.Height depends on many factor. If he is 6 feet and 2 inches than I do not think he will gain any further height.
I would recommend you to get his growth hormone level so that we can identify if there is any abnormality in his growth. I would like to know if you or your wife also have height near to 6 feet?
You said that you meet to an endocrinologist in past, did he got some blood work done? If yes than share those reports also.
Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar