Share your concerns about your child's growth with his or her primary care doctor.
There are tests and tools that can help you learn if there is a medical problem.
If your child's next regular check-up is far off, don't wait. Make an appointment
to discuss your child's growth sooner rather than later.
During the appointment to check up on your child's growth, your child's primary
care doctor may:
- Compare your child's growth with the growth of others his or her age.
- Take note of the height of both parents.
- Ask if anyone else in the family is very short.
- Review your child's medical history for clues about medical conditions that might
affect height.
Your child's primary care doctor may refer you to a pediatric endocrinologist, who
may:
- Order x-rays to see how your child's bones are growing.
- Schedule blood and urine tests to help rule out other disorders that could affect
growth.
Make the most of your child's visit to his or her primary care doctor by preparing
for it. Be sure to bring along any records about your child's growth that may help
the doctor track your child's development now, instead of waiting. If this is your
first visit to your child's doctor, be sure to bring along your child's birth length
and birth weight records, as well as any other medical records for your child.
Download a list of questions to ask your child's primary
care doctor.
You can use the interactive growth chart offered on
this site to see how your child measures up to others the same age and gender. It's
a good idea to print a copy of this chart and bring it to your doctor's visit.