Constitutional growth delay

Constitutional growth delay is a term used to describe children who are small for their age but who have a normal growth rate.

Constitutional growth delay, physiologic delay of puberty
The change in the physical appearance of the child is delayed, as he or she becomes a teenager and then an adult.

Teens who have constitutional growth delay grow at a normal rate when they're younger kids, but they lag behind and don't start their pubertal development and their growth spurt until after most of their peers.

Constitutional growth delay, also known as delayed puberty. A child with this condition enters puberty later than average, but is growing at a normal rate. Most of these children tend to eventually grow to about the same height as their parents.

constitutional growth delay with delayed adolescence or delayed maturation
A child who tends to be shorter than average and who enters puberty later than average, but is growing at a normal rate.

The children who fall into this group include those with familial short stature or constitutional growth delay. Those with familial short stature are born with genes that determine their short height, and they usually have parents who are short.

Constitutional growth delay
Craniopharyngioma
Cushing's disease
Delayed puberty (causes temporary short stature, but normal height is eventually achieved)
Down syndrome
Hypothyroidism that develops before birth
Inflammatory bowel disease ...

See also: Growth delay, Symptom, Short stature, Growth hormone, Growth hormone deficiency