First Period and Growth Afterward??

Why worry? She will be as tall as she is supposed to be. Regular Dr. visits will tell you if there is a problem.
On that note, my granddaughter shot up several inches after she started.
Don't make a problem where there is none. Relax mom.

She will likely be about the same height as you.
I don't understand why you are worried.
Your height works for you.
Queen Victoria was 5ft tall and had 9 kids

I was 11 when my period started and I had my adult height - 5ft 5in - by the time I was 16.
You do keep growing after your period starts for several years.

Some girls start their period at 9 and others at 14.
I imagine the 14 yr olds might be closer to being finished growing but the 9 yr olds still have a lot of growth to come.

Your post assumes several things:
1) That girls rarely grow after they start menstruating
2) That there's something wrong with being below average in height ("average" means many are taller and many are shorter)
3) That there's something you can do about it.

I'm surprised that her growth progression hasn't been noted during prior doctor's appointments or her regular physical. Have you discussed this with her doctor? If not, make a note to do so at her next physical, or put in a non-emergency consult call at the doctor's convenience. I hope you don't discuss it in front of her - she should not be made to feel that there is something substandard about being petite. You're petite, and you're doing okay, right? Our girls go through enough body shaming for things beyond their control - breast size, weight, facial features, hair texture, etc. - most of which they have no control over. As her mother, you are the most important influence on her ability to accept herself - so if you don't think she's "normal" or if you think she is somehow deficient or handicapped, she's going to have a very hard time growing into a strong and confident young woman.

If there is something medically wrong with her (massive hormone imbalance, for example), I would hope her doctor would raise this possibility or that you would switch to a doctor with whom you are comfortable enough to express your concerns. As always, if you are unsure, a least get a second opinion - again, without alarming your daughter.

I heard something different than you about girls' growth spurts - they grow on average 3 inches a year during their growth spurt (puberty years), and they usually stop growing 2 years after they get their periods.

That doesn't mean they grow only 2 inches during those years though.

I would not take her to the doctor and I would not worry. The doctor can't change how much she grows and you can't do a thing about it. She will be the height she grows to :) Most likely - it will be a perfectly acceptable height. Why worry about something that hasn't even happened? (You'll just cause her to worry. Kids pick up on this stuff).

It will be ok mom :)

I believe she will keep growing for the next few years..she is only 11. She will probably be close to her adult height at age 14 or 15. Don't worry! My sisters are 5 feet and 5'2" and they are both tiny but fierce women with large happy families. It's all going to be good even if she is a short adult.

So what's the doctor going to do? Put her on a stretching rack? People are so obsessed with height. I'm 5'1" and I've never considered myself short at all. I can throw on heels and be taller.

My advice? There's a ton of things that require parents to actually worry. How tall a child is isn't one of them that requires your attention. Just stop and leave he be. She'll be as tall as she was meant to be.

where did you get your data about girls' growth stopping after puberty? i've never heard of that one.

why are you 'very concerned' about her adult height? she is tiny, but she's not even a teenager yet. you're not a tall woman, she likely won't be either, but i'm not sure why being 5' is some sort of goal.

my SIL is 4'10". she's a grandmother and still gets asked if her mom is home when she answers the door. but she's not a helpless cute doll figure, she's a gorgeous little power-packed dynamo. her littleness doesn't hamper her in any way, except getting things off high shelves.

and there are ladders for that.

i'm more worried about you than i am your daughter.

khairete
S.

I believe that height is determined by our
genetic make up. I've never heard of a child stopping growth after puberty. In fact growth can continue into late teens and early adulthood.

One of my brothers kept growing into his early 20's.

I suggest you read about growth and puberty. Or talk to your doctor.

My daughter started her period at 9 and her ped told us her growth would slow down. She was always at the higher percentage for height but now we are seeing a slow down. She is 12 and is 5'4". She may get to 5'6" but I don't think she will get much taller than that.

Our pediatrician told us that girls stop growing about 2 years after they start their period. I don't know how true that is. For me and my oldest daughter, we didn't grow much after; I'm 5' and she's 5'2". My younger daughter [who started even earlier than we did (about 11)], had a growth spurt about a year after. At 14, she seems to have stopped at 5'4". In other words, you can never tell. And it really doesn't matter. All three of us are happy and healthy.

Our pediatrician told us at my 12 year old annual check up that typically there is a large growth spurt prior to menses beginning and then growth slows drastically. My daughter grew 3 inches between 11-12 years old to 5ft 1/2”. Pediatrician says to expect her to grow another 3 inches over the next 3 years to her adult height.