Most short children do not have a serious growth problem.

 

Many grow at a normal rate and reach an adult height that is about the same as their parents.

 

A child’s rate of growth is an important clue to the presence or absence of a growth problem: A child who is growing at a slower than normal rate may have a serious problem, regardless of his or her height.

 

There are many conditions and diseases that can cause poor growth and this page give facts about several of them.