Height Gain Seems To Have Slowed Down

[Nannu]

Hi all,

Well, not making my post very long, a bit of background about my 6 yr old DD. She was diagnosed a year back. Her symptoms were short stature, aneamia, vitamin deficiencies, low weight gain, unexplained D. As soon as we started her on gluten-free diet, her height and weight gain were very fast. From 101.5 cms to 112 cms in 1st 9 months. From 10th percentile, she had reached almost 60th percentile. Then on, the weight is still growing (almost >80 percentile), but height gain seems to have slowed down. Last 3-4 months, it has been just 1 cm gain and she hasn't gained at all in last 2 months or so. She is eating normally. We have been only getting stricter with gluten-free diet through this one year, so i am sure its not the compliance issue.

I am wondering why is this happening? She is losing on percentiles again (currently she is on 35th percentile for height). Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this? Can i look forward to growth spurt in the coming months?

Your inputs will help me plan my meals and if i should discuss this with doctor. My next visit is due only after 6 months.

Thanks in advance

Nannu

[maximoo]

Children grow in spurts. My DD @ age 13 was newly dx'd. She started gluten-free diet in jun 11 & grew 2.5 " by Oct & gained like 5/6 lbs. She hasn't grown very much if at all since Oct. However I just had her bone age scan done & it puts her @ age 12.3 so she still has room to grow. She just turned 14 last wk. Do make sure she takes a multivitamin, Absorption is better if she takes 2x a day. My DD likes the gummy type & she takes 1 in the am & 1 in the pm. The same with her calcium chews. (hard to get calcium in her) Oh & make sure she is sleeping enough. Kids grow when they are sleeping. Good Luck!

[Nannu]

Children grow in spurts. My DD @ age 13 was newly dx'd. She started gluten-free diet in jun 11 & grew 2.5 " by Oct & gained like 5/6 lbs. She hasn't grown very much if at all since Oct. However I just had her bone age scan done & it puts her @ age 12.3 so she still has room to grow. She just turned 14 last wk. Do make sure she takes a multivitamin, Absorption is better if she takes 2x a day. My DD likes the gummy type & she takes 1 in the am & 1 in the pm. The same with her calcium chews. (hard to get calcium in her) Oh & make sure she is sleeping enough. Kids grow when they are sleeping. Good Luck!

Thanks maximoo, you are so right. Now i am able to connect, she was on multivitamin 1st six months of gluten-free diet and then, we told doc that she is eating well, lots of fruits and vegs etc, and then we stopped supplement. i guess i'll start it again right away.

Thanks once again. Hope you see your DD gaining more height soon.

[Skylark]

Sounds like she's putting on weight to get ready for another growth spurt. My nephews do that all the time. They grow upward, put on weight for a spell, then grow upward again.

[xjrosie]

Watch her feet growth. If you see her shoe size jump fast, she's getting ready for a growth spurt. Feet grow first.

Keep in mind that even though your daughter has Celiac, not everything is going to have a direct connection to it. I see a lot of posts on here where parents are worried about a possible glutening or getting sick and blaming the disease, but kids are going to go through these things naturally too.

My kids still get dehydrated when playing too hard. They get diarrhea sometimes based on what they eat. Stomach aches, fatigue and all the usual symptoms will happen when their bodies are fighting off a natural sickness too.

[maximoo]

So true about the feet and jumping shoe sizes.

[Nannu]

Thank you all for replying. My DD's feet size is definitely growing, just changed her school shoes. Started her on a multivitamin also. Hope all that helps. Completely agree with xjrosie also, not everything is related to celiacs, i have exerienced this myself and our kids will also go through same kind of sicknesses as all other normal kids.

Look forward to updating this thread once i see a growth spurt. once again, thank you all for replying.

[Nannu]

Hi All,

I am back with a good news. My DD has shown significant growth (115 cms now). Thank you everyone who had posted, for their support and guidance.

For the benefit of others, let me just add the additions that we have done in her diet, supplements etc.:

1. Probiotics
   
2. multivitamin syrup
   
3. Brown rice intake increased
   
4. Half boiled eggs intake increased
   

Thanks once again

Nannu

[Skylark]

That's wonderful news! I'm so glad she is growing.

[maximoo]

That is wonderful! My DD just grow 1/2 inch too. She just turned 14 & is 4'10. I don't know how to convert metrics so how much is 115 cm in inches & feet?

If your DD likes milkshakes add them to her diet several times a week.

[frieze]

That is wonderful! My DD just grow 1/2 inch too. She just turned 14 & is 4'10. I don't know how to convert metrics so how much is 115 cm in inches & feet?

If your DD likes milkshakes add them to her diet several times a week.

Almost 3'8"

[Nannu]

That is wonderful! My DD just grow 1/2 inch too. She just turned 14 & is 4'10. I don't know how to convert metrics so how much is 115 cm in inches & feet?

If your DD likes milkshakes add them to her diet several times a week.

Hi Maximoo,

That's really nice, i am so happy for you. My DD is 6 yrs and she is 3 ft and 8". She is not into milkshakes but she enjoys milk with pediasure.

Nannu

[Nannu]

That's wonderful news! I'm so glad she is growing.

Thankyou Skylark.

[dilettantesteph]

My son was diagnosed at age 10 and is now 14. We have gone through periods in which he seemed to get more sensitive and got sick again and we had to make modifications to his diet for him to be symptom free again. These periods are evident on his growth chart. He goes off the line and then back on it again. His doctor was amazed by it enough to point it out to me. She wanted to assure me that we are doing the right thing with his diet.

In his case it has been height and weight. He has also had times when he put on weight before a growth spurt, or was thin after one as the weight and height accommodate each other, just as someone else mentioned. It could be just that.

[xjrosie]

Good to hear.

[maximoo]

Nannu, DD grew another 1/2 inch! So since her physical in Jan she has grown 1 in & put on 3-4 lbs. Your girl is very young so she still has plenty of time to grow--chk her height 2-3x a yr.

[1974girl]

Good to hear.

My daughter didn't grow somewhere between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2. That is what triggered her pediatrician to look at her thyroid. They found it was way low. I do believe that everyone here is correct, it is probably just a normal thing. But...since hypothyroidism can stunt growth, too and it goes often with celiac....have them do a blood test when they draw her blood the next time. That will rule out anything else weird going on.

I did not know that about the feet. That is good to know. I have been commenting on my daughters feet growing!