[kahoxworth]

Our son came home at 25 months and wore 18mo clothes for the better part of a year. He actually LOST a few pounds the first few months he was home, despite eating everything in sight and in MASS quantities!

He turned three in October and had finally gotten tall enough to warrant 2T pants for length, although we still had to use the tightest fit on the adjustable waist (and they were still a little loose). We've had to loosen the waists since then, but now at 3-1/2 he's still comfortably in 2T, after a year and a half home.

We were fortunate enough to have his height and weight during the year he was in the orphanage, so we were at least able to see that he was consistently growing, just consistently small. I'd say just over the last few months has he really started to take off.

[sallypz]

My daughter came home to the US from Russia at age 6 she wore a size 3, her hair was thin, sparse. The diet in the orphanage was less than nutritional. So I added protein powder to many of her foods. In the 3 1/2 years she's been hers she's grown a whole head taller, her hair has changed to much thicker and better quality. She is happy and healthy. She'd already lost both of her front teeth when I got her, one has come in brownish discolored. She tells me they never drank milk over there just tea, so i attribute much of the nutritional depletion (and the color of her tooth) to the lack of milk in the diet. The teeth that have come in since are beautiful. I think she will always be small in stature, I attribute this to the early lack of appropriate nutrition in her diet.

My concern is that she seems to be sexually developing/maturing too early. I wonder if this is from the hormones or preservatives that are used to grow American foods. I don't know who to discuss my concerns with. The pediatrician, yes. But I would prefer some kind of specialist, is there some kind of growth specialist i could take her to? What would be the title of such a kind of doctor?

[cindyc]

I recently took my son, adopted at 12 months, to a pediatric endocrinologist. This was only after my son had been home for over 3 years. My son was very small when he came home, and his growth was slow but steady.

The endocrinologist said my son was "absolutely and perfectly healthy and normal." He is just going to be a little on the small side. His weight and height were about what the OP listed for her child at that age.

A key factor in this diagnosis was the height of the birthparents. If you can get that when you get your referral, by all means do!

So...another mom chiming in with "don't worry!"

[Sally26]

sallypz-studies of girls (I think adopted from China) have shown that due to the rapid growth spurts after coming home they are sexually maturing early. That may be what is happening with your dd.

[Bcelli]

Our younger son, 7, was a little chunky at 2.5 years when we adopted him. He now is pretty normal in height and weight, though he's slim - like his older brother. He wears a 7 slim pants and a 6 shirt.

His brother, who will be 11 in May, wears an 8 slim pants and a 7 shirt. He's 49.5 inches tall and weighs 54 pounds. Our younger son in first grade is wearing pants his brother outgrew at the first part of fifth grade. Our older son weighed 12 pounds at 5.5 months when we adopted him and has never even been on the growth chart except for once - shortly after coming home - when he hit the 5 percentile for weight. However, his growth has followed the growth chart curve almost to a T. He's perfectly healthy, he's just short. Which works out well cuz Dad and Mom are too.

I think because adoptive parents don't always know much, if anything, about the genetic history of our children, we question - rightfully so, I say - things others in different situations might not. Better to question and find the answer than to not care enough to be concerned. A healthy happy child is every parent's goal. Congrats on yours!

[mdaisyq]

Popping over from other boards (lost a Russian referral, so I always check here - I still think of him.)

Our ped looks more to the BMI rather than the weight or height, individually. This tells him if there is a concern and/or if the child is growing proportionately.

We have one daughter who has never been on the American growth charts, BMI is fine, and she charts along on the hand drawn arc on her medical files that is below the pre-printed graph paper.

Just to give you a comparison, our youngest came home at 34 months old and weighed less than 19 pounds and his BMI set him at emaciated. He was in 9 month shorts and 12 month shirts. Our ped has measured his BMI all along and after a year it was normal - wahoo. This kid is still tiny, but healthy.

[jeannecr]

sallypz, you can take her to a pediatric endocrinologist. They specialize in hormone issues. If you live in a city with a children's hospital, you can call them for names. You may need a primary care referral.

BTW, although age 9 is early, it's not abnormal for onset of puberty.

[lakimnafite]

Allie came home from Russia at 15 months wearing 9 month clothes. She remained much smaller than her 'age' for a couple of years. Then, in October, at a little over 3 years old, she was finally starting to outgrow her size 2. So.. for Christmas we (and family) got her a bunch of 3's. Well, between October and January, she basically skipped the size 3 and had this growth spurt (mostly leg!) that makes ALL of her new clothes too short. At 3 and a half, she was now in size 4. Very very slim still, and must have leggings or elastic because regular pants (even slim's) do not fit her waist.

So, enjoy your little bundle a while longer - he's bound to sprout and be a big kid sooner than you think!