Bone age

[crohns_disease]

What can a bone age tell you?
Does it tell you what height you will eventually reach and when you will start growing?

 

[Jenn]

It shows how developed the wrist bones are compared to average. It's a more accurate age to use for the growth chart percentiles and expected final height.

No, it won't tell you when growth will restart. Only effective treatment with weight gain would restart the growth process.

My son's bone age is 2 years behind his birth age. Before his dx, he'd stopped growing. But because there is a difference between bone and birth ages, he is delayed, not skipped. He still has 2 years' growth to go. While controlling his IBD, he is growing again, but is staying 2 years delayed, no catch up growth yet, anyway. He will likely continue growing past the age an average person finishes.

However, if there is a growth concern and the bone age matches the birth age, then an endocrinologist would likely treat with growth hormones.

 

[xmdmom]

Bone age in association with a current height can give a predicted adult height. However that height prediction depends on normal growth. If Crohn's continues to be active during the period of statural growth, a child may not achieve the height prediction. It also depends to some degree upon when puberty begins. Later puberty is to be expected with a delayed bone age but if it comes at a normal or early time, there will be less time to grow.

It's important to know that a bone age value is only as good as the reader. Radiologists in the U.S. are often not very good at this. Endocrinologists are often better trained at reading them.

 

[crohns_disease]

15 years old and 5'2 / 105lbs
Have only grown about 5 cm over the past 2 years (diagnosed Jan 2013)
Has anyone got any ideas at to what will occur regarding growth now? Appreciate the answers

 

[xmdmom]

girl or boy?
what's going on with puberty? are there some signs, and if so, which?

 

[crohns_disease]

Male
pubic and facial hair but voice hasn't cracked

 

[xmdmom]

Do you have a bone age?

 

[crohns_disease]

Thank you. Refreshing to hear that, hopefully everything goes well

 

[xmdmom]

I deleted the post above because I thought you, Crohn's_disease said that the Bone Age was 13 but then I reread and saw that was Jenn. So do you have a BA?

 

[crohns_disease]

Haven't but going to make an appointment for one. By the way, how do you work out how tall a person will grow using their bone age and real age?

 

[xmdmom]

There is a book (greulich and pyle) with a table that endocrinologists and radiologists use. I use the book. If the BA is equal to the chronologic age there would be much less growth potential.

 

[crohns_disease]

Thank you for all your help