[JD6]

I appreciate this is very off topic!

A couple we know are pretty normal height - she is about 5'5, and he is about 6'. Their nearly 12 year old child has been tall since he was very young, hasn't hit puberty yet, but is set to be 6' tall when he is 12 and a half. Looking at a height chart, and he has been on the same path for years, he will end up between about 6'9 and 7'.

The parents are unconcerned, and perhaps they are right, but it strikes me as so far outside his expected height range, based on parental height, that this should at least be investigated to see if there is a problem.

Anyone have any experience of this?

[Katin]

Milk mans
fault.

[NISFAN]

My friends brother had a disease, gigantism I think it was called. He was 7 foot by the age of about 20........died age 24.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Went to school with a couple like this, blasted up during early years but then at 20 or so stopped growing.

An even more bizarre one, this chef I knew in RAF, he looked mixed race, however both his parents were white, obviously his dad was a bit suspicious, however yes it was their natural son. Roll on a number of years and this lad looks in to it deeper, it appears there is a recessive gene in his mothers side.

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by Katin

Milk mans
fault.

damn, exactly my thinking! how tall was the milkman

[davyk31]

Originally Posted by philiper1

damn, exactly my thinking! how tall was the milkman

Window cleaner may also be worthy of investigation

[McBride]

I was 5'11 by the time I left primary school. Through high school I only grew an inch. I wouldn't be worried.

[Bibbles]

I don't think it's anything to worry about unless a doctor says it's giantism. We had a few kids at school that seemed like giants by the age of 12 towering above us at about 6ft tall. Then they didn't grow much more than that.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

My friends brother had a disease, gigantism I think it was called. He was 7 foot by the age of about 20........died age 24.

I did wonder about this sort of thing. I find it odd that the parents don't at least ask for a medical opinion, as I'm sure they would if he was on course to be a foot shorter than expected.

Originally Posted by McBride

I was 5'11 by the time I left primary school. Through high school I only grew an inch. I wouldn't be worried.

Good to know it can happen.

Originally Posted by Brigand

An even more bizarre one, this chef I knew in RAF, he looked mixed race, however both his parents were white, obviously his dad was a bit suspicious, however yes it was their natural son. Roll on a number of years and this lad looks in to it deeper, it appears there is a recessive gene in his mothers side.

I guess a recessive gene is possible too.

Originally Posted by Bibbles

I don't think it's anything to worry about unless a doctor says it's giantism. We had a few kids at school that seemed like giants by the age of 12 towering above us at about 6ft tall. Then they didn't grow much more than that.

It certainly could be nothing to worry about, but I just wish the parents would get him checked.


+ cheers for all of the milkman / window cleaner comments!

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by JD6

I did wonder about this sort of thing. I find it odd that the parents don't at least ask for a medical opinion, as I'm sure they would if he was on course to be a foot shorter than expected.



Good to know it can happen.



I guess a recessive gene is possible too.



It certainly could be nothing to worry about, but I just wish the parents would get him checked.


+ cheers for all of the milkman / window cleaner comments!

Let's face it, it could be worse, their son might be Ginger!

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by JD6

I did wonder about this sort of thing. I find it odd that the parents don't at least ask for a medical opinion, as I'm sure they would if he was on course to be a foot shorter than expected.

Good to know it can happen.

I guess a recessive gene is possible too.

It certainly could be nothing to worry about, but I just wish the parents would get him checked.


+ cheers for all of the milkman / window cleaner comments!

I'd be amazed if your friends son had it without it being diagnosed already. You don't only grow tall and lanky (typical teenage growth), but develop fully and look older than your years.

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by davyk31

Window cleaner may also be worthy of investigation

he might have had an advantage using the step ladder though

[AndyTo]

I was just under 6 foot at 12, slowly crept over by 13, had another little growth spirt at 15 and then stopped at 6'4 before I left school, wouldn't want to be any taller as it's a pain finding clothes.

I don't think you can really predict how tall someone will be, but it's the child is healthy I wouldn't be too concerned.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

I'd be amazed if your friends son had it without it being diagnosed already. You don't only grow tall and lanky (typical teenage growth), but develop fully and look older than your years.

He still looks like a kid in other respects.

Originally Posted by AndyTo

I was just under 6 foot at 12, slowly crept over by 13, had another little growth spirt at 15 and then stopped at 6'4 before I left school, wouldn't want to be any taller as it's a pain finding clothes.

I don't think you can really predict how tall someone will be, but it's the child is healthy I wouldn't be too concerned.

Good to hear. It sounds like this probably isn't a serious problem.

Cheers for all of the replies. I know the parents in this case would be likely to resent me questioning this (they seem strangely proud of his height!) so I only wanted to raise the issue if it sounded like something that needs investigating.

[F30Andy]

Originally Posted by Bibbles

I don't think it's anything to worry about unless a doctor says it's giantism. We had a few kids at school that seemed like giants by the age of 12 towering above us at about 6ft tall. Then they didn't grow much more than that.

Even if it is gigantism (acromegaly), it is treatable.

There are a handful of professional wrestlers that suffered from this.
One in particular had surgery to remove his pituitary gland which halted the growth.

[teaston]

smee knows about this, he's must be about 8 foot tall!!

[Kal101]

For what it's worth Fat Kid 1 was the same. Burn st about 5 pounds then accelerated through the centipede hitting the 98th centipede very rapidly - then got meningitis at 6 months old and fell back down.

Once he'd recovered fully shot back again both in terms of height and weight. Did worry us a bit but seems to have slowed down in growth over the last few years although he's no dwarf or lightweight. Wouldn't worry unduly.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by Brigand

Went to school with a couple like this, blasted up during early years but then at 20 or so stopped growing.

An even more bizarre one, this chef I knew in RAF, he looked mixed race, however both his parents were white, obviously his dad was a bit suspicious, however yes it was their natural son. Roll on a number of years and this lad looks in to it deeper, it appears there is a recessive gene in his mothers side.

Exactly. It's not just the parents genes he's carrying. There's the grandparents genes and sometimes a gene which has been regressive for generations can suddenly pop up again as dominant.

[Blacktemplar]

Don't fret. No1 son was 5' 11' at 12, we thought the same thing: "yippee, international back rower". Tragically he's still the same height at 25 and regrettably not an international, so go figure. I blame genetics: my wife was 5' 5" at 12 and even though we've given her until 53 to improve, she's stubbornly refused to become a 6' supermodel. ...