Growth Disorders & Short Stature in Children
If your child seems much shorter (or taller) than their peers, or their growth has slowed, a pediatric endocrinologist can find out why — and whether anything needs to be done. Dr. Samuel Freedman has evaluated children for growth concerns in Pembroke Pines for over 30 years.
When growth is worth a closer look
Most short children are simply healthy short children, and most tall children are healthy too. What matters is the pattern of growth over time, not a single measurement. We pay closest attention when:
- A child's growth has slowed or crossed downward across percentile lines.
- Height is well below the range expected from the parents' heights.
- A child is growing unusually fast or is much taller than expected (tall stature).
- Growth concerns come with other symptoms, such as fatigue or delayed puberty.
Conditions we evaluate and treat
Dr. Freedman evaluates the full range of pediatric growth concerns, including short stature, slow growth velocity, growth hormone deficiency, tall stature, and growth differences related to thyroid, nutritional, genetic, or hormonal causes. Many children turn out to have a normal-variant pattern — such as familial short stature or constitutional delay (a "late bloomer") — which is reassuring to confirm.
How an evaluation works
A growth evaluation is straightforward and unhurried. Dr. Freedman reviews your child's current concerns, past medical history, and family history, and performs a thorough exam. He plots growth over time, and may check a simple bone-age X-ray (which shows how much growing room is left) and targeted labs. From there you'll get clear, expedient answers and, if needed, a plan.
Treatment & growth hormone therapy
When treatment is appropriate — for example, growth hormone therapy for certain growth disorders — it is well-studied, FDA-approved for those uses, and closely monitored. Dr. Freedman has guided thousands of families through growth hormone therapy. Treatment is never rushed: many children need no intervention at all, and any decision is made together, with the facts and options laid out plainly.
How do I know if my child will be short?+
Genetics is the biggest factor — mid-parental height is estimated as the father's height minus five inches averaged with the mother's for girls, and the mother's height plus five inches averaged with the father's for boys. But the pattern over time matters more than today's number, so we track how steadily your child climbs along their own curve.
What is a bone-age X-ray?+
It's a single X-ray of the hand and wrist that shows how mature the bones are — and therefore how much growing room remains. It helps separate a "late bloomer" with plenty of runway from a child whose growth has genuinely stalled.
Is growth hormone therapy safe?+
For approved uses it is well-studied with decades of safety data. It's prescribed only when there's a clear reason and real benefit, and your child is monitored closely throughout. We review the facts, risks, and alternatives with you before starting anything.