# help for a small teenager **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918 "2001-09-05T19:57:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/21 "2001-09-06T14:26:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Orthopedists break the long bone midway along and install a brace with a calibrated screw on it on which the child turns an adjustment screw a quarter turn four times a day. That’s an extremely painful, long, expensive process. My friend had that done to lengthen one leg so that it would match her other (she’d had a bad break when she was a child-- as an adult one leg was 1.5" shorter than the other). I can’t imagine doing such a procedure for the purposes of vanity, but they say it takes all kinds. In terms of anecdotal evidence, I grew 1 inch my sophomore year in college. My husband grew 4 inches and bulked up from rail-thin to nicely muscley in college. Three of my male friends also grew from 1 to 3 inches taller in college. Growth spurts do happen after adolescence. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/22 "2001-09-07T23:38:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broomstick \* > Ask your bigot counsin if she feels so strongly about the height issue that she’s willing to risk cutting 30 or 40 years off her son’s life. Growth hormone is a powerful substance and it can have serious side effects if used improperly. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gabbyhayes \* > She’s not a bigot. She’s a very sweet person concerned to give her child every advantage in a world swarming with bigots. Um… then by that rationale we should bleach the skin of children with African and other dark ancestory, use plastic surgery on the eyes and faces of Asian-American children, and surgically convert women to men. You don’t fight biogtry by giving into it. I _suppose_ we can solve the problem of physical bigotry by making everyone look exactly alike… but is that what we really want? And shortness does not necessarily equal failure - Napolean being just one example of a short man of great historical stature. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gabbyhayes \* > I have heard of one, which hasn’t been mentioned. Orthopedists break the long bone midway along and install a brace with a calibrated screw on it on which the child turns an adjustment screw a quarter turn four times a day. Over the period of a couple of years, it can add a foot to your height. Probably more, but then you’d be risking stress fractures because of the root square law. The device is big and ugly but the procedure is painless, subtle, and effective. I saw a child who had dwarfism who eventually grew to five feet in height–all of it in his leg bones I don’t know where you’re getting your information from - but this procedure is _not_ painless. Cripes, man, you’re _breaking bones_ and _stretching tissue_. It’s at least as painful as getting braces on your teeth. Even when successful it’s a long, complicated process that requires a skilled medical team, constant attention to prevent devastating infection, and a long term program of physical rehabiliation to strengthen muscles and allow the child to deal with their altered body and balance. Possible side effects (not present in all cases but always a possibility) include muscle and tendon damage (from stretching too fast), muscle atrophy (from long periods of imobilization), infection of skin, muscle, and bone (the stretching appliance pierces the skin, allowing an avenue for bacteria), failure of the bone to heal which requires extensive reconstructive surgery that, if unsuccessful, will result in the loss of a limb. Amputation may also be required by rampant infection. Fortunately, these severe complications are rare. But _seriously_ - is it _really_ worth the risk of performing this on a healthy human being well within the height range considered “normal”? What are _you_ thinking? Even among the “little people” this is highly controversial surgery and many of them feel the possible risks outweigh the benefits and choose to remain extremely short. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/23 "2001-09-07T23:43:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by puk \* > Even though you’re probably right, I don’t think the oevrall tone of your post, let alone calling the mother a bigot is very constructive. Please keep this in mind next time someone asks for help. I’m truly sorry you didn’t like the way I expressed my opinion, but I call 'em like I see 'em. I think the notion of artificially increasing the height of a healthy, normal 5’4" human being is… incomprehensible on an emotional level. How tall does the boy have to be to be “acceptable”? Do we then adopt the practice of shortening women who are too tall? People do not come in just one size. Judging someone as being either “acceptable” or “defective” by the inches from foot to crown is, in my view, biogtry. Yes, that attitude does exist, but that doesn’t mean it’s OK. Help for a short teenager? How about an environment where folks aren’t obsessed about his height and are interested in helping him fulfil his potential without regard to what some narrow-minded people view as “defects”? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/24 "2001-09-08T03:38:19Z")
**Broomstick** , this is not the forum for accusing people of bigotry, even if they do not post on this message board (and hence can’t defend themselves). If you want to rant about a person, do so in the BBQ Pit. If you want to start a debate about their actions, do so in Great Debates. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/25 "2001-09-08T05:20:49Z")
My cousin Ike grew about 3 inches after he graduated highschool, from 17 to 23, and added some muscle. He’s about 5’10" now. I’m 5’8" and have dated lots of men shorter than me, from 5’3" on up. As a mom, I hope my son is a classic 6 footer, but if he’s not, he’s not. There’s nothing wrong with not being 6 feet tall. It might be an advantage, it might not. I also want him to be acne-free, popular, good at sports and valevictorian, but if he’s not, he’s not. He’s still my best boy. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/26 "2001-09-08T05:21:08Z")
ftr, I always liked short guys. ---
**Author:** ![Mole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/27 "2001-09-08T05:53:16Z")
FWIW, my best friend, who’s 5’4", was always the person to beat among my friends when I was growing up. And still even now. You wouldn’t know it to look at him, but he’s quite athletic: good speed, great agility, toughness for his size. But it’s his desire to win which shines above anything (although sometimes to a fault, IMO). ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/28 "2001-09-08T19:21:28Z")
gabbyhayes, You haven’t answered the most important question which bears on this kid’s medical condition, which is “How tall are the parents?”. If the mother is 6’ 2 + 1/2" tall and the father is 6’7", then there very likely is something hormonally wrong with the kid. On the other hand, if the mother is 4’ 10 + 1/2’ tall and the father is 5’4", the kid has grown up to be exactly as tall as would be expected. Ask the parents how tall they are (and be sure that they’re precise about it, since lying about height is common, particularly among men). If the present height of the kid is way more or less than his predicted height, then there is something to worry about. In such a case, a doctor should check the kid’s hormones. (Um, and I guess I should mention this possibility, you would need to do a DNA check to make sure that the supposed father is indeed the father.) If the kid is close to the predicted height, you and the mother and the father all need to get off the kid’s case. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/29 "2001-09-09T01:29:53Z")
It’s not unheard of for folks to grow a little with pregnancy, either. Maybe he should just get pregnant. But seriously, a few of my aunts have put on an inch or more after their first pregnancy. How does this fit with the growth plate explanation? Did it just take their growth plates an exceptionally long time to fuse, so they were still “growable” at the time of pregnancy? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/30 "2001-09-09T02:27:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*It’s not unheard of for folks to grow a little with pregnancy, either. Maybe he should just get pregnant. > > But seriously, a few of my aunts have put on an inch or more after their first pregnancy. How does this fit with the growth plate explanation? Did it just take their growth plates an exceptionally long time to fuse, so they were still “growable” at the time of pregnancy? \*\* Not that I would ever doubt you or the veracity of your relative’s empirical observations [sub]Yeah, you’re not so tough without that mod badge on are ya now[/sub] 😉 but this sounds impossible. Possibly the pregnancy forced a more upright posture and corrected (permanently or temporarily) some of their bad posture habits and gave them that “extra inch” but after the growth plates are sealed the bones cannot get any longer unless (as a WAG) some pituary disfunction or related anomaly is forcing the entire body (including the skeleton) into an some kind of overgrowth mode. ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/31 "2001-09-09T02:56:44Z")
Depends when the aunts had their first kid… if they were 15 then they could easily grow more yet. If they were 35, then it’s harder to imagine. Then again, I knew a guy who claimed he grew an extra inch and a half all of a sudden when he was almost 30. How does the growth of other bones go - like back/neck vertebrae? Do they stop getting bigger(and helping to add height) at the same time the arms/legs stop getting longer or can there be a lag? Maybe this guy I knew just had his head swell a bit when he was around 30 :D. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918/32 "2001-09-09T03:03:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mmmiiikkkeee \* > \*\*Depends when the aunts had their first kid… if they were 15 then they could easily grow more yet. If they were 35, then it’s harder to imagine. Then again, I knew a guy who claimed he grew an extra inch and a half all of a sudden when he was almost 30. How does the growth of other bones go - like back/neck vertebrae? Do they stop getting bigger(and helping to add height) at the same time the arms/legs stop getting longer or can there be a lag? Maybe this guy I knew just had his head swell a bit when he was around 30 :D. \*\* I guess it’s possible but have I have a hard time picturing Chronos’ extended family pouring out a trailer to meet him as he comes a visitin’. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-for-a-small-teenager/79918.md?page=1)