IM 16 WITH CROHNS.....HELP

[bobby281]

i was wondering if chrons affects my height as a teen? i am currently about 5'6...will i grow anymore? i only grew about a half an inch ever since i was diagnosed?HELP!!!! ALSO I AM CURRENTLY ONLY ABOUT 120 POUNDS??

[shpeckmiss]

Hey Bobby,

I have read recently in a book that people with Crohn's Disease that get it when in Adolecents ( teenage years ) end up with slowed growth, late maturity especially in sexual deveoplment. I am 26 now and i got dianosed when I was 15 and looking back I think that I this was me for sure but It has not worried me at all. There are many reasons why we mature late, for example my mother does not have crohn's but was always short - so it could have been the Gene too. Honestly I am only 5'3 and I am 26 so you are taller than me. Also, I only weigh 83.6 pounds right now.

Good luck to you. I notice that you posted this question a year ago. I hope that things are good for you. There is definitley no need for worry.  

[xenafpm]

Interesting. I have a daughter who is 29 and is 5.ft.2. Her colitis was not discovered until she was 19, although we went everywhere for her severe pains in her stomach. She had multiple tests.  She saw a growth specialist and he could not find anything wrong .She looks fantastic though and being short does not bother her. However, I wonder no one found her colitis , when she had all the symptons . We went to Toronto General Hospital, Mt. Sinai , etc etc. to help her. Perhaps she may have been taller. as well. She has bousts of flare ups now and is being looked after very well. However, I dont understand why anyone could not foresee the symptons and look for her disease ,

[chicoluver]

Hey. I have ulcerative colitis myself, and I know that as far as growing goes, they are pretty much the same. I was very small and did not reach my growth spurt until after I got better from my flair-ups. Then I shot up like a bullet lol and now I'm one of the tallest people. With these disease's it is so common that your growth spurt is put off until later than most people. I would say it is most likely you will still get a lot bigger, and that is most likely to happen at a time between any  flare-ups.

[yooeriiin]

i was 17 when i was first diagnosed and was put on steroids immediately. i never had any concerns about my growth.

[lizziecee]

Hi bobby - I do believe that steroids can stunt growth in young people, which is why gastros now try and get patients off steroids asap and onto other drugs. I was 24 yrs when dx with Crohn's and guess by then had reached my optimum height, which is 5'1".
I am not an expert, and think you really need to discuss this with your gastro.
Take care,
Liz.