My 12 year old DD had an appointment last week, with her doctor. This appointment has been an ongoing thing for about a year now. She hasn't grown in over 3 years and her doctor wanted her to see a specialist but it was denied. Finally her insurance realized that she needs more medical help. We finally got her into a specialist but my question to all you moms is have you ever heard of a child's bones growing 3 years behind the child's actual age. My DD's bones are those of a 9 year old. Her appointment is coming up next month but I honestly have never heard of a child's bones being 3 years younger of the child. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I have 7 other kids and I have never heard of this. Thanks!
WOW? I have never heard of that either?! And we have the wonderful internet I say look it up and try another doc for a 2nd opinion. I don't understand being denied for the specialist? Keep good thoughts! And don't stop till you get answers!
Sounds like a growth hormone issue? My 14 year old daughter has a friend-also 14- who looks like an eight year old. She grows every year though--just very little. Her boobs haven't developed yet and she hasn't got her period. She was a preemie. I don't know if her parents have taken her to the doctor for this or not. With your daughter, it sounds more like a gland has just stopped working. Hopefully it will be as simple as some hormone replacement. Best of luck!
I haven't heard of this, although it would explain why some kids don't grow at the same pace as other kids. I have heard of the opposite, although my friend was in her 20's at the time. The doctors told her she had the bones of an old woman. I remember how she used to get hurt so easily, like one time, she was running her fingers along the spindles when she was coming down the stairs, got a finger caught in one of them and broke it.
I have never heard of that. I will Pray for your family that they find a reason and can fix it. Poor dd... can't even imagine the stress your whole family is going through worrying about her.
I never heard of that, but I'm not surprised. AT 11 my son had an xray of his wrist to determine his bone age (so the orthodentist could start when his teen growth was happennig) - and his was 9 years - and he is not small at all for his age!??! I can't imagine what age the bones of his much smaller friends were!
Also, my DD matured early - at 12, she looked 15 but she has friends that look like they are 9 years old. If you DD hasn't gotten her period and all, I wouldn't worry to much... my guess is that when puberty starts, she will grow very rapidly. My daughter did grow regularly (but slowly) before puberty, so I can't really say if you DD's problem is serious, but I would say there is an enormous variation in the size of kids during the tween/teen years.
Good luck!
Yes, I have heard of this. When I was a teenager, we were friends with these two sisters, one of which was 14 but looked like she was about 10. She was way behind on growth, they said she had some sort of Kidney condition that contributed to this. I don't recall what it was. But she eventually grew, it just took alot longer. Keep us updated.
It would be much easier to answer after you finally have a specialist tell you just what it is that has caused this to happen to her. I do have a friend who's daughter had to have hormone injections to help her grow, start her period and develop breasts. Without the shots she never would have done any of that on her own. It wasn't painful for her, but she was always a tiny girl and she didn't seem to mature emotionally (that was a separate problem they later found out as she was an only child and overly protected and treated like a baby for way too long). Let us know what they discover is the issue. Maybe there will be other mothers (Aunts or Grandmothers) who have the same issue in their family and you will get a support group from CM going! I hope all goes well for all in your family!!
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- ittikay37
on Oct. 1, 2009 at 11:17 PM