Loss of Growth Percentages in a 2 Year Old

L., I don't know if this would help but offer it to you anyway. I've been a distributor for a company called Reliv International
reliv.com
for perhaps 4 years which has a line of children's products called Kids Now. (I don't sell any more and my reluctance to give this to you is that this is a multi level marketing company, but I think the products are excellent, and I continue to use them daily myself.) There are many including myself who have been helped by taking these products (powder made into shakes) by giving your body all the nutrients it needs. Whatever else, it won't hurt your son and may help. If you would like more information, please let me know and I will put you in contact with someone who could give you more information. Best to you and your family.
S.

I have twin boys (27 months) and they have regularly gone from 50th percentile to 5th percentile in weight and height. They are EXTREMELY active and given that kids only take in about 1000 calories a day at this stage, it's just hard to keep weight on them. They regularly put on only 1/2 the weight the charts say they should, but they are ridiculously healthy. My pediatrician told me that it wasn't so much which percentile they are in, as whether or not there is consistent growth and weight gain. From what we can tell, after 2 rounds of putting them on a watch for failure to thrive, my guys essentially quit growing for a bit, put on weight, then shoot up rapidly in height. So their percentages are all over the map, but ultimately the growth is of a consistent pattern. Based on their growth pattern (not their current percentile), they'll likely hit at least 5'10" by 18.

One other thing that might be of comfort. I have a friend (yes a friend, not a friend of a friend) who was the shortest kid in his class since elementary school. It was weird, or at least more noticeable than the norm, because both of his parents were tall people. He started growing around the end of our sophomore year of high school. And kept growing until he was about 22. He's 6'3". Hope this helps.

We had the same thing with our son - he went off the growth charts at 3 mos. old - didn't go back on until he was 13 years old. My son had open heart surgery for an ASD at 17 mos. - then they thought his height and weight would shoot up and it did not.
His height started to stagnate at 3 years old. We were sent to a pediatric endocrinologist. We went to Children's where a team of Doctors looked at the parent's height and weight, our age at puberty and the height of our parents and grandparents.
They also did a bone X-ray of his wrist - this was VERY important. His bone age showed it was behind his chronological age - which meant he was not lacking the growth hormone.
That son is now 21, is 5'9" - I am 5'6" and his Dad is 5'7" = his body weight is 130 lbs. - he is very slender and muscular.

Have they sent you to a pediatric endocrinologist yet?
Ask why
M. in Elk Grove Village

Here are some resources that I hope might be helpful for you...

This first one focuses partially on breastfed babies/toddlers, but there is also info in it for bottlefed babies which might be helpful (if you're not breastfeeding)...

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t023600.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t031100.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t031900.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/fit1.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/fit15.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t131200.asp

Best wishes,
J.

I would be concerned as you are. The fluctuations are worrisome, as it does not look like he is consistent enough to say it is just that he will be a short adult. It looks like there is more than just that going on. I would definitely start checking into getting at least a second opinion and trying to find specialists that could help. Good luck to you, as I know how difficult this is for you not knowing any answers.

My son is 14 months and was just sent to the specialist. He was never above 10% for his size except the diameter of his head. However, the pediatrician was not concerned because he was on his own growth curve until 12 months. He dropped below his curve so we went to the specialist. Within that month it took to see the specialist, he grew enough to be back on his own curve. We are one a wait and see (they did not want to do tests since he appead to be growing again). It could be a slew of reasons like your child has been tested for. If you are concerned, seek a second opinion. As an FYI, the growth hormone will only assist them in getting to their genetic height not make them grow taller. So if genetically they are wired to be 5'5" the hormone will help them get there not to 5'10". We are possible faced with a similar issue and a nurse friend had the same with her son. May not be a reason other than genetics or hormones.

I normally don't get on the allergy wagon wttirbuting everything to one allergy or another- though I will conceed there are cases where it could be. But, I remember reading many years ago about a little girl that just was not growing. They did tons of tests, etc. and everything came back normal. But they finally saw a specialist that diagnosed her with a gluten allergy. This was before it became well known etc. After they changed her diet, her growth caught up with how she was "supposed" to be. Just something to consider though it may not be the case at all.

One thing to make sure of - and not that this explains the inconsistencies - but make sure they are measuring him standing up and the same way every time you go. (I know you said the doctor checked, but I don't see how he could go back and check previous measurements, only the current one.) Only reason I say this is because I know some friends who have a son that is over 2 years and they always measure him lying down instead of doing stature (a standing measurement). They are always off by at least an inch. When kids are 12 months, they measure length (a lying down measurement), which is easy to be off by an inch or more. It would not explain the difference between 5% and 50%, but could explain the difference between 5% and 10-20% as that translates to an inch or less. Assuming they are super careful and have him standing when they measure, I hope you can figure out what else is causing the drop-offs.

My 19-mo old is a little guy too, but has been consistent in where he places on the growth chart (bottom 10 percent). He only gained a pound from 15-mo to 18-mo, and wears 9 mo-12 month clothing. We are curently going through tests and have ruled out CF and celiac. We see the pediatrician on Thurs at which time I am going to ask about an endocrinologist or GI doctor. I work in health care at a large hospital and have surveyed what seems like all of my 5,000 co-workers (LOL) and from piecing together the stories and advice, this seems like the way to go.

Even if you are against growth hormones, it is worth seeing the endocrinologist and hearing what the options are. Several co-wokers chose not to take their kids at all to such a specialist because they were turned off by the hormones, and all of them now regret not going because they feel they may not have heard all the information to make an informed decision. Even if that decison meant not to proceed w/ the hormones. One co-workers daughter did not take hormones and obly grew to 4'10" on a good day. My co-worker really regrets not seeing the doctor. She just thought her daughter would "be short". But what is "short?" My co-worker thought 5 foot, not 4'10.

My husband is 6'1" and I am 5'5" so we were not expecting a short son. Especially when his 3 yo sister has skies for feet and looks like she could join a women's basketball team right now!

My advise is to see all the specialist recommended to you by your ped and then make an informed decision either way based on what they have to say.

Good luck, and I hope we both find answers to children's height issues!

I have a niece and nephew who both have a thyroid disorder which causes their weight gain and height to not be as great. Have they checked his thyroid? My little brother was also diagnosed as failure to thrive when he wa a baby. For him it turned out he had a hole in his heart. I hope you find out what's going on for your little guy.

Sounds like ED (eosnophilic disorder) it is pretty much just food allergeis causing the malasorbtion of nutrients. Do you see a GI dr that is having you weigh in and scope them with biopsies to see that is it What do his insides look like are they normal or damaged? Does he have blood in his poop have they checked that? How did they check for celiac? Blood test or actual biopsy of the large intestine/dudodenum? this is easy to fix he can also be given ducal to add calories or make him protein shakes with neocate formula or they even have splash juice boxes with allergy free formula in them. I do not think i would b edoign the pedasure most likely he is allergic to milk and wheat and the only way to find out is to take those foods away one at a time and see if he grows or do the EGD scope and see what his insides look like on the milk and wheat, regualr allergy testing does not work for this diseas you can try patch testing that has been proven helpful to many people however there are only few drs that do that correctly. let me know if I can give you some great allergist and Gis we have seen 7 different dr so I now who to stay away from and who know their stuff! :)
good luck, you just need the dright dr to diagnose your sweet son!
J.

I have to slighty piggy back off of Diane's comment. I have heard of Gluten Allergy and it is very real.
My son, now 15 months, measures on his own 5-10% growth curve (more like a 9-12 month old). His measurements do concern me because it isn't hereditary in our families. I would seek a second opinion. As I am conisdering the same thing.