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What is short stature?

Short stature is defined as a child who is noticeably shorter than other children of the same age. It is important to see your pediatrician if you notice a difference in your child’s height, as this may be the result of a problem with growth and development or nutrient absorption.

Symptoms of short stature

The pediatric specialist refers to healthy growth charts and classifies a child as short if he or she is two deviations below the average height of children of the same age, or is growing so slowly that he or she is below 3% on the growth chart, which means that out of every 100 children, 97 are taller than the child in question.

Causes of short stature

There are a variety of reasons for short stature, although most of the time there is no health problem.

Usually the reason is constitutional growth retardation: the child will reach puberty or growth later than his peers, but he will also continue to grow when his peers have already stopped, and will probably be as tall as others.

However, short stature can also be due to bone problems, chronic diseases and genetic variables, such as:

  • Celiac disease
  • Diabetes
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Asthma
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  • Down syndrome
  • Turner syndrome
  • Growth hormone deficiency
  • Gestational problems
  • Malnutrition

Treatment of short stature

In case there is a health problem, it is necessary to treat and regulate the disease in question, for the better health of the child. In case of a deficiency in growth hormone levels, a growth hormone treatment may be necessary. In case it is not associated with any health problems, it is important for parents to support their child and not let this aspect undermine their self-esteem and confidence.