I am currently 16 years old and diagnosed with Crohn's disease. I am the smallest person in my grade, and people that do not know me usually assume that I am 12 years old. After being diagnosed with crohn's disease a few years ago I grew a few inches in hight, but my body is still very unproportional (my legs and arms are much longer than my torso), leading me to believe that I still have a bit of growing to do. I wouldn't mind being short, but i'm just so unproportional that it looks odd. At the age of 16 (soon to be 17) is it too late to see substantial growth? Or am I pretty much stuck where I am? How tall are you, and how do you think Crohn's affected your growth?
Was your growth stunted because of Crohn's?
- Thread starter zingtx
- Start date
Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:
Crohn's 35
Inactive Account
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2009
- Messages
- 7
Welcome to the forum :bigwave: it is said that some who have Crohn's at a younger age may not be absorbing the nutrients needed for proper growth. I personally only knew of one person who was greatly affected but had it very young. My daughter is 23 and only 5.1 and she is healthy. So you may still have time, dont worry. :hang:
I'm 6' so my growth probably wasn't stunted, but then again several other family members are a few inches taller than me. So the idea has crossed my mind that the gut condition cut an inch or two off my height.
I like the paleo diet, and have been following it the last couple years to help the gut issue. From time to time I see a reference to the diet helping with height. Don't know if it will be of help, but something that I saw the other day about agriculture verses hunter gathering eating.
"Wheat Belly"
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/wheat-belly/
excerpt:
I like the paleo diet, and have been following it the last couple years to help the gut issue. From time to time I see a reference to the diet helping with height. Don't know if it will be of help, but something that I saw the other day about agriculture verses hunter gathering eating.
"Wheat Belly"
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/wheat-belly/
excerpt:
May I suggest that you ask your parents to make an appointment for you to see an endocrinologist to evaluate you for growth hormone treatment. It has to be started before your growth plates have fused which they can determine from a simple x-ray of your hand.
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2011
- Messages
- 107
I am 5' tall, petite and 50 years old. I was always the smallest in my immediate family and amongst my friends, so I've wondered if the Crohn's played a part in that. I do know that one of my grandmothers was 4' 11" and one was 5', so I may have simply inherited their "short gene." Give it time... you still have time and a lot of growing to do!
Agreed. If your bone age is behind your chronological age, that would indicate you still have time to grow. They can also test to see if your body is producing growth hormone (and how much) on its own. That will also give you an idea if lack of growth could be just due to not getting enough calories. Seeing a pediatric endocrinologist would be very worthwhile. I wish I had sooner. I was 5'2" at 17 and grew to 5'6.5" in about 2 years on growth hormone. If my Crohn's had been under better control, I suspect I would have grown more.
rygon
Moderator
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 2,550
I stopped eating when I was on my growth spurt (not sure why as i was diagnosed with crohns then) might have something to do with the illness or just me I cant remember, but I would have been taller if I did have the proper nutrients I reckon.
Just make sure you get the vits + minerals you need someway which doesnt affect your crohns, and dont weight lift (if your into that ) as that can stunt your growth and you should be fine, best thing is not to worry or expect anything better and just try and be happy with how you are.
Just make sure you get the vits + minerals you need someway which doesnt affect your crohns, and dont weight lift (if your into that ) as that can stunt your growth and you should be fine, best thing is not to worry or expect anything better and just try and be happy with how you are.
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2010
- Messages
- 371
This sounds exactly what I went through.
I don't think it was the Crohns that stunted my growth, I think it was the prednisone, or the surgery. But I was 5'2 on my drivers license at 16 years old. Didn't break triple digits in weight till my junior year of high school. Got picked on all the time, it sucks because that's such a crucial time in development for everyone.
But eventually I grew, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GROW. I'm 23 now and 5'11 150 lbs. Average height of American male is 5'8. Hit the gym and you will get stronger too. Don't let it effect you man, if people talk **** just ignore them and stay happy. Don't let it effect you with girls either. They don't care what you look like, they really don't. It's all about personality. Only the mentally challenged superficial ones do and those are so not even worth it trust me. Again, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GROW
kiny
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 3,463
No. I personally think that unless you don't eat at all and are underweight for years you can't possibly stunt growth because of crohn's.
For people who don't eat enough, it usually doesn't stunt growth either, they just have a delayed growth period.
The only reason I can think of that might stunt growth is that you never get enough food before your growth plates close.
If you want to check if you can still grow you can just get a scan of your growth plates and see if your bones have closed or not, I had it although I'm 5.10 and it was because of other reasons, but it takes only 2 minutes.
It mostly depends on your parents, if your parents are short you will likely be too.
For people who don't eat enough, it usually doesn't stunt growth either, they just have a delayed growth period.
The only reason I can think of that might stunt growth is that you never get enough food before your growth plates close.
If you want to check if you can still grow you can just get a scan of your growth plates and see if your bones have closed or not, I had it although I'm 5.10 and it was because of other reasons, but it takes only 2 minutes.
It mostly depends on your parents, if your parents are short you will likely be too.
kiny
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 3,463
It can or can't be, growth plates close around 18, but they take a while to fully close. It really depends on the person too, some have growth plates open at 20 still.
They can give growth hormones if your growth plates are still open, but unless you are below 5.4 or something they will never give it to you, especially if you already have a disease like crohn's.
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2011
- Messages
- 28
I have had crohn's since I was around 5 years of age and I'm over 6 feet tall.... So unless I was suppose to be like 7 feet tall I'm sure you'll be fine 
It will however effect muscle mass and bone growth..
It will however effect muscle mass and bone growth..
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Messages
- 180
When I was 8 years old and diagnosed with Crohn's I was very short and only weighed 38lbs. My step-daughter is over 60lbs and just turned 8. It really hit home just how tiny I was back then.
I was in very bad shape and stated that a big part of the reason they operated when I was 8 was to give me some growing time, but I've read my medical records and know how badly I was bleeding internally and what was removed, so it was a bit of bull.
On the other hand, my mother struggled with Crohn's when she was a teen. She was diagnosed when she was 12 and they tried to control it with diet and meds, but nothing worked (as it usually is with me) so they operated when she was 16. When she graduated high school at 17 she weighed 79lbs and that was a struggle to get her weight up. I've seen her prom picture - not pretty.
It's very obvious that my mother's growth was stunted. She was on a high protein diet during that time before surgery, but it didn't help. She's 5'2" now with very long legs and long arms. Her torso is obviously the wrong size for her limbs. I have 7 inches on her and her inseam is the same as mine. Also, he limbs are very thin and lanky.
Absolutely have it checked before it's too late. Stunted growth does happen from long term troubles with Crohn's. I was lucky, my mum not so much.
I was in very bad shape and stated that a big part of the reason they operated when I was 8 was to give me some growing time, but I've read my medical records and know how badly I was bleeding internally and what was removed, so it was a bit of bull.
On the other hand, my mother struggled with Crohn's when she was a teen. She was diagnosed when she was 12 and they tried to control it with diet and meds, but nothing worked (as it usually is with me) so they operated when she was 16. When she graduated high school at 17 she weighed 79lbs and that was a struggle to get her weight up. I've seen her prom picture - not pretty.
It's very obvious that my mother's growth was stunted. She was on a high protein diet during that time before surgery, but it didn't help. She's 5'2" now with very long legs and long arms. Her torso is obviously the wrong size for her limbs. I have 7 inches on her and her inseam is the same as mine. Also, he limbs are very thin and lanky.
Absolutely have it checked before it's too late. Stunted growth does happen from long term troubles with Crohn's. I was lucky, my mum not so much.
