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DiscussionDid I stop growing? What can a teen do to grow taller?
About Kids & Teens | Last Active: Aug 5 12:59pm | Replies (166)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "Thank you for your reply.I am quite athletic.My mum is 155cm and my dad is 168cm.I..."
From everything I’m seeing in research, a young woman generally will grow in height 1-2 inches after she reaches puberty, when her periods begin. You’ve not reached that point yet and it’s not considered ‘late’ for getting the first period until about the age of 15. This may be why your doctor hasn’t suggested any change other than gaining body mass/fat, which can help regulate your hormones.
Do you see any other changes in your body that comes with puberty such as breasts developing? That usually happens a year or so before you get your period. If nothing is changing then that may suggest a need for further investigation as to why you’re delayed.
My young neighbor girl was going through a similar situation. Her parents were getting very concerned because there were very few signs of puberty and she was 14. She was referred to a pediatric endocrinologist who ran tests for hormone and thyroid levels, along with other tests. The doctor wanted to rule out any potential underlying illness.
She also had an xray of her wrist. The reason for that was to check the “bone age” of her bones. The X-ray showed the growth plates at the end of the bones in the wrist. Amelia was 14 at the time but her bones plates looked much younger, and not closed at the end. That let her doctor know that she still had the potential for growth. She was given a human growth medication that got her back on a normal tract. I’m not saying this is what your doctor will suggest. I just wanted to let you know that there may be options for getting your body to regulate itself if nature doesn’t take care of it on its own.
As an older woman who has been on the petite side all my life, I can really understand what you’re going through. When I was younger all I wanted was to be tall. Everywhere I looked, the popular girls seemed taller, models and ‘super stars’ were all tall, many of my friends were tall and I hated being called Shorty!! What was interesting, once I got past a certain point in high school, I realized my height had no bearing on the person that I was! I wasn’t ‘less than’ anyone else just because my body wasn’t as tall. Your self-worth is determined by you. ☺️
Give this a little more time and try not to focus too much on your thoughts of growing. If you’re healthy, enjoying athletics, and having a good life with friends and family, then embrace your height. The urgency of this will fall to the back of your mind. You’ll find that accepting yourself will have you living a happier existence.
If you don’t get your period by your next birthday, then it might be a good idea to talk to your mom about seeing a pediatric endocrinologist.
I was a gymnast, loved tennis, volleyball, and badminton. What type of sports do you enjoy?