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What is short stature?

Short stature is defined in a person whose height is two standard deviations below the average height for his or her age, sex and family background. About one in every 43 people of all people (2.3%) fit into this category.

FAQ Frequently asked questions

What causes short stature?

Short stature can be the result of many factors. The most common cause is simply coming from a family background of short height, and/or drawing the 'short stick' in the genetic 'luck of the draw'. However, in some cases short stature can also be the result of an …

How is short stature diagnosed during childhood?

Your doctor will assess your child's height by: measuring your child's height against standard growth and development curves; evaluating your child's height based on their age, health status, and family and developmental history; examining …

How is short stature treated in children?

For some types of short stature, growth hormone treatments can help add to the child's final height. For other types, growth hormone will not help at all.

Will short stature in children improve on its own?

Some children are naturally 'late bloomers' and may start growing later than their peers.

Can short stature be prevented in children?

There is nothing that can outright prevent short stature. Some forms of short stature are affected by conditions during pregnancy and by the child's own environmental factors, especially nutrition and health. Therefore, the best thing you can do …

What is 'mid-parental height'?

As a general rule of thumb, a child's expected final height is estimated as the 'mid-parental height', which is an average of the child's parents height, adjusted for gender.

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About this article

Author: Dr Idan Ben-Barak PhD, MSc, BSc (Med)
First answered: 13 Oct 2014
Last reviewed: 19 May 2018
Rating: 4.1 out of 5
Votes: 85 (Click smiley face below to rate)
Category: Childhood immunizations

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