My son is 13 and is only 4'9". He is not showing ANY signs of puberty. I know this is not abnormal, but it's

Question

really distressing to him and a lot of kids at school pick on him, especially about his height. What can I do for him both physically and mentally that will help him get through this time? I took him to an endocrinologist who basically said that time will take care of it. Are there any magic bullets?

P.S. While comments about the Vienna Boys Chior are amusing, Vienna is just a little too far to commute.

Answer 1

Take him to an adolesent therapist--your school district can recomend someone. The therapist can help your son deal with everything.

Answer 2

As long as he is healthy, don't mess with what God gave him. As far as his mental well being-do things to build his confidence and self-esteem. Get him involved in sports, maybe a martial art. I was a late bloomer myself and had the same problem with my size. I was 5'2" tall and weighed 99 pounds when I started high school. I was the smallest male student in a high school with over 1000 students. I didn't have the support from my family that I needed and the end result was me cutting school all the time and hanging out with the wrong crowd. There was another student about my size in the same grade but he didn't have the confidence or self-esteem problems I did and had no problems getting acceptance by the other kids.
His size doesn't have to be an issue for him if he is a well adjusted kid but what ever you decide to do, do it now so he doesn't have to go through what I did.

p.s. He'll grow...I'm 5'9 and well over 200 pounds. I also have the confidence to not take crap off of people bigger than me.

Answer 3

Alright. I know this kid. He's not actually a kid because he's 16 now, but he had always been really short. Not really short, but shorter than me up until about 14-ish. Then all the sudden he just grew. Now he's got at least 5 inches on me. I saw a comment about getting him into sports and they mentioned karate. My friend did karate. He's actually a black belt now. That did amazing things for his confidence. He definitely shouldn't worry about it. In 8th grade, all of the boys were about my height give an inch or three. Then, I came back for summer vacation and entered high school with a bunch of Giants. It was strange, but a good thing. His time will come, he's just got to be patient.
Good Luck!

Answer 4

There are so many growth hormones in the food that your child eats already that thinking of growth substances is not a very good option. He's only 13, people don't stop devloping until they're 21. He's got a long way to go. Unfortunately junor high/high school is a cruel an unforgiving place. You just need to explain to him that when things are said about him, it's not really about him, it's about other people making themselves feel better by picking on someone different than them. There's always going to be those groups of people, and you'd be doing him a disservice by sheltering him from it. Follow the advice of your doctor, he'll grow. In the mean time, try focusing his energies on things maybe not related to his physical statue but mental capabilites, redirect his energies so he doesn't feel the need to over compensate for his height. Good Luck.

Answer 5

I don't know about boys, my son is only three but I worry sometimes about him too and what kind of problems he will have. We are a pretty short family and my 4 year old looks 2 he will get older and probably not be as tall as all the other kids and he isn't circumsized ( I couldn't bring myself to hurt his pee pee).
I know he will probably be picked on when he gets older but I figure, as long as he can come home to a good home and relieve the pressures of the kids at school.
If they don't pick on him for his pre pubesence they will find something else. Everything else. Clothes, shoes, money, cars, verginity, athletisism. it doesn't matter what it is they will pick at him.
kids are crule and can be vicious, just let him know that no matter how tough it gets it will be over soon. He has all the rest of his life to put high school behind him.
He can start fresh when he gets out.

Answer 6

Everybody develops differently. Mabybe encourage your son to partake in things that deter from the fact that hes small... or maybe something that he could excell at because he's small... like Tae Kwon Do. Then when people pick on his small stature he'll be confident to shrug it off. All the best martial artists are smaller build. It'll help keep him occupied until his day to bloom finally arrives.

Answer 7

Just takes time unfortunately. Don't restrict him because of his size, he will only make it a big deal if you do. He is still young enough for sports programs outside of the junior high. He will grow but probably real late, just happens. I wasn't 100lbs or 5'-0" until 15 years old. I grew 6" and 50 lbs my freshman year of college. It will eventually balance out. If he isolates himself they will make fun of him, he just need to grow a thick skin and shrug it off.

Answer 8

Leave your son alone. He will develop on his own, it dont help him by you worring, if anything it would make him feel worse like their is something wrong with him since his mom is concerned. Everybody is different. How sure are you that he isnt already starting puberty? You dont look at him "down there" do you? If he has pubic hair then he is already starting to develop. Just dont worry about it cause there is nothin you can do to develop him faster.

Answer 9

dont worry puberty will eventually hit hime hes just a late bloomer. i used to be picked on in school kids are just mean theres nothing you can do about that. I would tell him to just get the kids back say **** that will piss em off. they say something mean to him tell him to come up with a better come back. theyll start leaving him a lone if hes not fun to pick on.

Answer 10

His time will come. In my experience...or recollection the kids who went through puberty later....ended up taller. Some kids didn't hit puberty until 15. It's perfectly normal you shouldn't worry about it. In the mean time...teach him to fight.