Growth problems (delayed growth) in children

What is delayed growth?

Growth problems, or delayed growth, occur when your child does not reach the average height milestones for their age and sex.  

Our children’s general medicine services offer thorough investigations, support from specialists and personalised treatment plans. We also have dedicated child endocrinology care to help support numerous conditions, including growth problems.

At Evelina London Children’s Hospital, our children’s general medicine specialists are committed to helping your child reach their potential. We offer comprehensive diagnosis and personalised treatment plans to support your child’s growth.

Delayed growth symptoms in children

If your child is visibly smaller than other children of the same age, they might have a growth problem. Our specialists may also diagnose delayed growth if your child’s height is average, but their growth rate has slowed.

Symptoms of delayed growth can vary based on the underlying cause, but they can include:

• tiring faster than other children
• looking younger than children of the same age
• slow development of physical skills like standing and walking
• arms or legs that are out of proportion to their torso (this may indicate a form of dwarfism)
• digestive problems, such as diarrhoea or constipation
• not wanting to eat or avoiding certain food

Understanding what’s causing your child’s growth problems is essential as this will inform their treatment plan moving forward.

If your child is experiencing any symptoms of delayed growth, complete our online enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch to connect you with a specialist.

What causes delayed growth in children?

There are many possible causes of delayed growth in children. Some can be reversed, while others are medical conditions that require management through tailored treatment plans.

Some of the main causes of delayed growth include:

Genetic and developmental factors

• genetics – a family history of short stature could mean your child grows slower than their peers
• constitutional growth delay – where your child grows at a standard rate but is shorter than average due to their bones maturing at a slower rate than their peers
• Turner syndrome – this condition only affects girls who are missing part or all of an X chromosome, preventing their bodies from effectively using the growth hormone it produces

Nutrition and eating challenges

• poor nutrition – if your child doesn’t want to eat certain foods, they may not be receiving enough nutrition to properly support their growth
• an eating disorder (ARFID) – avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is where your child avoids or restricts specific food types, which can result in a limited food intake, causing weight loss and stunted growth
• stomach conditions (Crohn’s, coeliac disease) – a condition that affects your child’s stomach, like Crohn’s disease or coeliac disease, means they may not receive the nutrients they need despite eating. These conditions can also cause them to avoid eating to minimise their symptoms

Medical and hormonal disease

• growth hormone deficiency – some children can have low levels of the growth hormone needed for healthy development
• endocrine disease – thyroid or pituitary gland problems can cause problems with growth
• severe stress – if your child is severely stressed, it can impact their growth and emotional wellbeing

Sometimes, the cause of your child’s delayed growth is unclear. If you’re concerned about your child’s growth, our team of specialists are on hand to help – get in contact with our team by filling in our online form to book an appointment.

Complications of growth problems

Complications may occur, depending on the cause of your child’s growth problems. Sometimes, it can affect their height permanently and they’ll remain of short stature. At other times, complications such as malnutrition can arise if stomach conditions or ARFID cause their delayed growth.

However, we can intercept many cases of delayed growth, increasing your child’s chances of continuing to grow well throughout their childhood and teenage years. Contact our customer care team to book an appointment with our specialist consultants.

Diagnosing growth problems in children

Diagnosing delayed growth in children can involve many tests to find the underlying cause.

During your child’s first appointment, one of our specialists will ask you:

• the birth mother’s pregnancy
• your child’s weight and length at birth
• the heights of other people in your family
• whether other family members have delayed growth

We may also chart your child’s height and weight for a few months to monitor their growth.

Your specialist may decide whether other tests are needed to determine the underlying cause. This could include tests like:

• blood tests
• X-rays
• imaging tests

Delayed growth treatment

Treating delayed growth depends on the underlying cause. While we can treat some causes with medication, such as thyroid problems or growth hormone deficiency, other cases may require long-term treatment plans.

People can usually manage stomach conditions like coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease with the right diet plan. However, treatment cannot change the genetic causes for delayed growth, such as dwarfism or inherited short stature.

Get in touch and our team will help you book an appointment for your child, where our specialists will create a tailored growth management plan with you.

Delayed growth in babies

As part of our children’s care services, we offer a Well Baby Clinic run by multidisciplinary children’s specialists – offering new born development checks, feeding support, lactation and nutrition advice. If you’re worried about your child’s weight or growth, this clinic offers an excellent way to monitor them and discuss your concerns with a paediatric specialist. Find out more about The Well Baby Clinic here.