Short stature

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Short stature

Short stature is refers to any person who is significantly below the average height for a person of the same age and sex -- specifically, the shortest 5% of the population. The term may refer to children or adolescents who are significantly below the average height of their peers.

Short stature is not necessarily a symptom or sign. Two relatively short but healthy parents may have an entirely healthy child who is in the shortest 5%.

On the other hand, short stature may be a symptom caused by a medical condition and, as many of these conditions are treatable, should be evaluated by a health care provider.

• Inherited and genetic factors
• Hypothyroidism that develops before birth
• Delayed puberty (causes temporary short stature, but normal height is eventually achieved)
• Precocious puberty
• Malnourishment
• Chronic diseases, such as congenital heart disease, kidney diseases, asthma, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes
• Malabsorption disorders such as celiac disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• AIDS
• Achondroplasia
• Russell-Silver syndrome
• Hypopituitarism
• Pituitary dwarfism
• Craniopharyngioma
• Rickets
• Turner syndrome

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