Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
How To Increase Height?
Question: My son is 15 years and 5 months. He is healthy but he is not getting any taller. He grew less than an inch from age 14 to 15. He is 5 feet 3 inches. He is also in puberty so too late for growth hormone. We have been to endocrinologist who says his growth hormone level is normal. He has been taking Letrozole for the past year hoping that will help slow the fusing of the bones. At age 14 his bone age was 16. He tells everyone he is 5'5 and all of his friends are significantly taller. mother is 5'4" and dad is 5'11". Is there anything else we can try? Or how do I help him feel confident ? He looks playing sports and basketball is his favorite ? Thanks, a concerned mom who wants her son to be a happy adult
Brief Answer:
Need more details please.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Good day.
Noted the case history.
I would like to ask few questions.
1) at what age did he start to get puberty, pubic hair, voice change, facial hair, genital growth etc?
2) Did he have any problems soon after birth like low sodium and high potassium or failuure to thrive etc?
3) Has he been diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia ??
4) Did he have a sudden height acceleration compared to his peers before 9 years of age?
We need to find out why there was bone age acceleration. There are few conditions associated with this . Example: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Precocious puberty etc.
More than bone age, we need to look at his growth plates in Xray and epiphysis. We may need xrays of knees and hands including wrist.
Do you have an xray which you can attach to this ?
As per his dad's and Mom's height, his genetic final height prediction is
175.55 cm +/- 10 cm ( range of 165 cm to 185 cm). Now he is only 157.62 cm.
Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor which prevents conversion of testosterone to estrogen. This may be helpful, atleast partially.
Did he have a 17-Hydroxy progesterone test any time ??
Regards XXXXXXX
Need more details please.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Good day.
Noted the case history.
I would like to ask few questions.
1) at what age did he start to get puberty, pubic hair, voice change, facial hair, genital growth etc?
2) Did he have any problems soon after birth like low sodium and high potassium or failuure to thrive etc?
3) Has he been diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia ??
4) Did he have a sudden height acceleration compared to his peers before 9 years of age?
We need to find out why there was bone age acceleration. There are few conditions associated with this . Example: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Precocious puberty etc.
More than bone age, we need to look at his growth plates in Xray and epiphysis. We may need xrays of knees and hands including wrist.
Do you have an xray which you can attach to this ?
As per his dad's and Mom's height, his genetic final height prediction is
175.55 cm +/- 10 cm ( range of 165 cm to 185 cm). Now he is only 157.62 cm.
Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor which prevents conversion of testosterone to estrogen. This may be helpful, atleast partially.
Did he have a 17-Hydroxy progesterone test any time ??
Regards XXXXXXX
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
They did n X-ray of his hand at age 14 (a year and half ago) but not a knee X-ray . I will need to asks the lab to send me the file. I will also check on the lab tests and get back to in a couple of days. He had his growth spurt between age 13 and 14 and his voice dropped a year earlier than his peers. His paternal grandfather was short at 5'5". Could that have an influence on his height as well?
Brief Answer:
hi
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
it is possible for him to have acquired his paternal grand father's genes and if that is the case, there is a chance of using Growth hormone ( we use that occasionally in familial short stature to promote height gain). Growth spurt in the age of 13-14 years is normal and voice breakage also is normal for that age. So he is going through his puberty and we expect a height gain of atleast 8-10 cm an year.
The important thing is to know why he had a bone age acceleration ? Those labs are important and i would be particularly interested if an IGF-1 or IGF-BP3 was done at anytime ?
Could you attach his growth charts as well?
Shall await the lab reports
regards
Binu
hi
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
it is possible for him to have acquired his paternal grand father's genes and if that is the case, there is a chance of using Growth hormone ( we use that occasionally in familial short stature to promote height gain). Growth spurt in the age of 13-14 years is normal and voice breakage also is normal for that age. So he is going through his puberty and we expect a height gain of atleast 8-10 cm an year.
The important thing is to know why he had a bone age acceleration ? Those labs are important and i would be particularly interested if an IGF-1 or IGF-BP3 was done at anytime ?
Could you attach his growth charts as well?
Shall await the lab reports
regards
Binu
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
