When you realize that your child is not growing at the normal growth rate it can be a scary thing. The first thoughts are always the worst possible thoughts that something is seriously wrong. Take a deep breath. Just because your son or daughter doesnt seem to be having normal growth development doesnt mean that it is a growth disorder.
There are many causes of the delay in growth, and generally the most common cause is familial or genetic short stature. All that this means is that his or her genes determine the rate of growth. Think about it for a minute, and do a little research how did you grow when you were younger. Were you always the smallest in your class, what about your spouse. This plays a major role in the way that your child will grow, if both parents are short than you will have short children.
The best way to ease your mind is by discussing your concerns with your childs doctor. Often they will review his or her growth chart and see just where your child is on the chart. They are more concerned with the growth development or the rate of growth then where they are on the height or weight chart. Generally they will not worry unless your child is below the 3rd or 5th percentile on their growth chart. As you can see often this short stature is directly related to the height of the childs parents.
There are times when this delay in growth development is related to a growth hormone deficiency. This lack of enough growth hormone will prevent your child from growing normally. You may want to consider testing your child if you believe they have symptoms of this. Some symptoms will include, short stature and being below the 3rd and 5th percentile for weight and height. Treatment for growth disorders is human growth hormone therapy. This is simple an injection that contains the needed growth hormone to counter act the deficiency, and allow your child to begin growing normally.
Its always the first thought as a parent to think of the worst, this is our fears. Often there is nothing wrong, but as a parent sometimes we can feel in our bones that there is a problem. Its always best to discuss any concerns that you are having with your childs pediatrician. They will help to ease your concerns by testing your child or discussing the issue at hand stating that what you are feeling is not true based on the facts.