# Worried about my nephew's height **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206 "2016-08-08T23:55:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/41 "2016-08-09T13:49:13Z")
I was 6-1 at his age and then grew two more inches to my final size. I don’t think this is anything to be worried about. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/42 "2016-08-09T14:13:07Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > [ol] > [li]He already can’t sit upright in the family car. [/li][li]If he gets too tall he will have trouble finding clothes that fit.[/li][li]He will have trouble fitting in an airline seat.[/li][/ol] > > Maybe read the life story of Robert Wadlow to see how hard life can be for those with excessive height. > > [Robert Wadlow - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wadlow) > > I’m not suggesting that my nephew will get that tall but I think at heights of 6’ 6" and above there will be problems. as I said above, Wadlow was already 6 feet tall _when he was 8 years old._ the fact that he had a growth disorder was clear and obvious well before he was in his teens. Again, your assumption that he “still has growing to do” is flawed. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/43 "2016-08-09T14:19:50Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > At 15 years of age he stands 186 cm which is 6’ 1". I’m 6’4" and was that height at around that age. As others have said, his height is entirely normal. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/44 "2016-08-09T14:38:49Z")
Another thing to think about is[Marfan Syndrome.](https://www.marfan.org/about/signs) OP, has he ever had any genetic testing done? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/45 "2016-08-09T14:45:16Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > [ol] > [li]He already can’t sit upright in the family car. [/li][li]If he gets too tall he will have trouble finding clothes that fit.[/li][li]He will have trouble fitting in an airline seat.[/li][/ol] > > . I am 6’4" and don’t have problems in nearly any car…at least the front seats. What is their family car? Something clowns typically drive? Yes, finding 36" inseam pants is a bit of a pain, but once you find the brand you like you can order them if need be. Much easier now with the whole internet shopping deal. Airline seats are problems for anyone tall or wide. If he gets tall AND wide, you definitely should intervene. I am the opposite your nephew: At 17 I was still 5’2" and 85lbs. Hopefully he doesn’t grow another 1’2" in two years like I did or he really will have a hard time not hitting his head on every door he goes through. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/46 "2016-08-09T14:53:19Z")
I was nearly that height at 15 (6 foot, 3/4 inch) and never grew any more. Now I am under 6’. I knew a woman who was about 6’3". There was obviously a glandular problem. Her father (who taught in my HS) was about 5’6" and her mother (whom my mother knew) was reportedly just under 5’ and her daughter (whom I dated a few times) was 5’7" despite having a mother 6’3" and a father about 6’6". But the real reason I call it glandular was her voice which was a rich male baritone. I still recall her telling of her experience ordering bras over the phone. Incidentally, I have never gotten into a car I couldn’t sit up straight in. There were 2 door cars, I could get into the back seat of only with difficulty, but once in, I could sit straight. I once saw Wilt Chamberlain and 3 other members of his HS basketball team (I assume; they were all very tall) emerge from a VW bug. This would have been in 1953 give or take. It was quite a sight, even though Wilt was only about 6’10" at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/47 "2016-08-09T14:53:47Z")
My grandfather was two inches shorter than my grandmother when they married at age eighteen. Four years later, he was two inches taller than she was. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/48 "2016-08-09T15:17:20Z")
My son was also that height at that age and is now 6’4" at 17. He was a long baby and he’s a long kid. His pediatrician predicted his height based on growth charts shortly after he was born. As others have said, it’s an unusual height but not a worrisome one. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/49 "2016-08-09T15:58:21Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > [ol] > [li]He already can’t sit upright in the family car. [/li][li]If he gets too tall he will have trouble finding clothes that fit.[/li][li]He will have trouble fitting in an airline seat.[/li][/ol] > > Maybe read the life story of Robert Wadlow to see how hard life can be for those with excessive height. > > [Robert Wadlow - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wadlow) > [@](#): > > I’m not suggesting that my nephew will get that tall but I think at heights of 6’ 6" and above there will be problems. Doesn’t seem to have caused a problem for [Zdeno Chara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zdeno_Ch%C3%A1ra). ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/50 "2016-08-09T16:14:11Z")
You could always suggest a Deshinectomy. It’s where they cut out the shins and connect the foot directly to the knee. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/51 "2016-08-09T16:36:22Z")
I was 178cm (5’10) at 15. Never got taller than 185 (6’1). I am in the “that height is not ‘too tall’ by any means; you shouldn’t do anything, especially as whatever you try may end up doing more harm to him” camp. ---
**Author:** ![tallcoldone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@tallcoldone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tallcoldone)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/52 "2016-08-09T17:22:03Z")
IANA doctor, but – Growth can happen at various times and rates without indicating a problem in most cases. At 14, I was 5’10"; nine months later I was 6’4". I grew another inch at 17 and stopped there. No particular height-related health issues up to now – 55 yrs old. My oldest brother was 5’6" at 18, and 6’ six months later. My parents were 6’ (dad) and 5’5" (mom). I did have a great-grandmother who was 6’ (born in rural Ohio in the 1870’s). My view – As long as your nephew has a normal checkup with a health care practitioner, I don’t think anything extraordinary needs to be done. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/53 "2016-08-09T17:51:44Z")
I’ll also add I knew a guy in high school who was Indian, like from India, and his parents were really tiny people and I guess he had enormous genetic potential because he ended up being 6’10’’ by far the tallest Indian person I’ve ever personally met and he also weighed over 330 pounds, he didn’t have gigantism or anything that they could identify and he had no bizarre features he just turned out that big, you don’t always have to assume there is some problem some people just turn out large and people seem to be getting taller. I see women all the time now that are over 6’ tall, women that tall used to stick out but its not that rare nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/54 "2016-08-09T18:41:54Z")
6’1" is not VERY TALL even for a 15-year-old. My husband was 6’1" at age 11, and grew to be 6’3" but once said that, whenever he encounters a taller woman (which happens, although rarely) he like reverts to an 11-year-old, because that is the age when he got used to being taller than most of the female people he encountered. Our sons all got taller than me about age 13 but taller than me is not a particularly high bar. My granddaughter got taller than her father at age 13 (and taller than me at 11). But we’re all normal! At least in terms of height. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/55 "2016-08-09T18:52:00Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > You could always suggest a Deshinectomy. It’s where they cut out the shins and connect the foot directly to the knee. To qualify for this procedure, you first must kill fiddy men. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/56 "2016-08-09T19:03:31Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > To qualify for this procedure, you first must kill fiddy men. I thought that’s what you were required to do with the leftover shinbones? ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/57 "2016-08-09T19:15:28Z")
My son is 15 and over 6 feet. His father was 6’10". The only problems he had were finding pants long enough (36 in) and watching out for ceiling fans. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/58 "2016-08-09T19:23:46Z")
Where’s **sicksate** , he should be chiming in. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/59 "2016-08-09T20:41:24Z")
My daughter is 13 and is nearly at my 5’9" height. No one is shocked, height runs in my family, my 15 year old nephew is about 6’4". ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206/60 "2016-08-09T20:48:40Z")
If your doctor finds nothing out of kilter, please don’t worry about his ability to adjust to a world made for average-size people. Sometimes, shoes will be harder to find, but they are available. Not every store will have tall sizes, but many do. You can get tall toilets everywhere you can by a toilet. I’m 6’4", and some cars are snug against the top of my head, but many others have enough headroom. I was very disappointed to find cars such as the MG Midget, Chevy SSR, Cobra 427, some Corvettes, and Pontiac’s gorgeous Solstice don’t come in my size. Lots of cars do. My wife’s little Scion Xb has enough headroom for me to wear a fedora in the car. [roadrunnersports.com](http://roadrunnersports.com) has my 13 EE shoes and much bigger than mine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-my-nephews-height/762206.md?page=4)