Short stature is a height significantly below the average for a child’s age and sex — usually below the 3rd percentile. While some children are constitutionally short, many cases result from treatable conditions like growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, or Turner syndrome.
Dr. Manoj Choudhary evaluates children using bone age X-rays, growth hormone stimulation tests, thyroid function tests, and chromosomal analysis to find the exact cause. Treatment with recombinant growth hormone therapy, when started early, can significantly improve final adult height.
Parents should not wait if their child is consistently the shortest in class or grows less than 5 cm per year — early evaluation is key.
Common Causes
Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD)
Hypothyroidism
Turner Syndrome (girls)
Nutritional deficiencies
Chronic illness
Constitutional short stature (family trait)
