Does Hashimoto’s Disease hinder pubertal progress?

Last updated on September 19, 2022

Question:

Hi,

I used the website’s calculator and it says I’m in stage 4.2. But I didn’t have any “rapid” growth in stage 3. I’m right now about 5’2″. Also, my projected height from using bone age when I was 10 was 5’7″ (I was about 4’5″ back then). Will I grow to be that height? I doubt so since I already have facial hair (sideburns and 2-3 strands of cheek hair).

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced any rapid growth at all in my life. I just grew at a constant rate, and then I’ve halted at 5’2″ over the last year and a half.

I do have Hashimoto’s Disease, which I think might be hindering my pubertal progress. It is well in control though so I don’t know about that.

I hope you might clear my doubts. Thanks.

Answer:

The calculator’s base information comes from averaging normally developing boys. As soon as you throw in less common circumstances, the calculator’s results become less accurate.

Hashimoto’s disease is when your body’s immune system attacks your thyroid. The result is that you have too little of the hormones produced by the thyroid. But those same hormones are involved in regulating your growth and development. I’m glad to hear that the doctors are keeping the problem under control. However, it is common for people with Hashimoto’s disease to have slow pubertal development. For example, “Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis” lists “slow sexual development” as one of the symptoms of the disease.

“Delayed puberty, severe skeletal and growth retardation and delayed eruption of permanent teeth are characteristic findings in patients with severe hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormone is essential for growth, sexual development and reproductive function. Thyroid hormone plays a permissive role in puberty; its absence may delay the onset or retard the progress of pubertal maturation by interfering with gonadotropin secretion” [Rahim Vakili, MD, “Precocious puberty: an unusual presentation of juvenile hypothyroidism” National Library of Medicine, March-April 2004].

I don’t know what your current age is, so I can’t calculate your average yearly growth. But given your circumstances, I am not surprised that you have had steady growth over a longer period instead of a sudden growth spurt. I have nothing to gauge whether you will grow five more inches or not. For the typical boy, the answer would be “no.” This would be something to ask your doctor.

Question:

Now that you mentioned it, I too think that my sexual development is delayed. The last time my testicular volume was checked, it was 8 ml. And also, I’m 15. 

Answer:

Based on your age, you grew approximately 9 inches since you were 10, but you also mentioned that you haven’t grown in the last 1.5 years, so that is 9 inches in 3.5 years, which comes to about 2.6 inches per year on average. While it isn’t a huge growth spurt, it does exceed 2 inches per year, which is the usual lower limit for stage 3.

8 ml would mean that you were at the beginning of stage 3 the last time you were measured.

It sounds like you’ve gone through stage 3, but at a slower rate than most boys.