Just something I've been wondering about lately since my twin sister is 6'1", my older sister is 5'11" and I'm 5'5":rolleyes:

*high-five* I, too, am only 5'5". Perhaps that is the magic hieght that all people with CP get to. :p I actually asked the ortho, and he told me that some people with CP are just delayed in their growth. However, when I asked my GP, he said I was done growing. :p My mom and my sister are about 5'4", my dad is 5'11", and my brother is 6'1", and I one of the docs said he estimated I'd make it to about 5'9". I'm almost 20, and I'm no where near that hieght. So I have my doubts. But I am now a well-adjusted short person, and thankful for all the tight spots I can easily fit into, and how much more comfortable it is for me to fly or take the train, compared to taller people. :p

Good question. I am 5 2" (as is my mother). My sisters are 5' 6" and 5' 8" and my bro is 6 ft. My dad is 5' 8". My daughter who is 15 is 5' 7" and my 11 yr old son is gaining on me fast!!! So maybe!!!!!!!!!! Do we have a tall person on this board???

I think maybe it's harder for spastic muscles to grow, ya know what I mean? Also, I'm 5'2", but I cannot stand completely straight...my knees are somewhat bent and I'm also bent at the hips, so without that I think I'd be at least 5'3" (my mom's height) or 5'4" (my sister's height). Guess I'll never know, though ;).

Although the CP might affect an inch or two, I think it's mostly genetics (Aww man, now you have me thinking about those stupid Punnet(?) Squares from science class, lol), and I think there are a lot of different possible combinations for height, it won't necessarily be the same as siblings.

Katherine, this topic has already been addressed here, if I remember well (the thread's name was Short???) I'm about 5,5'' if I converted centimeters to feet correctly :D )

I've read that spasticity may inhibit muscle and bone growth. Most people with CP I know are shorter than AB people, although most of them are within "normal" height.

Genetics plays its role as well, as I know tall spastic CPers too (very few, though, i.e. Musicmaker) I think sometimes just genetics wins over spasticity. I don't know.

Kat

I know in the 1800s CP was called Little's Diease. I don't remember if that was after a doctor, or because the observations were because the people with it were short, or both.

I also know people who have CP who come from tall families who are at or just under the height their family members are. And I know people who are very spastic quads who don't grow so much because their muscles are so tight.

My mom is 5'4" and my sister is 5'4", my dad is like 5'9" or 10" I woud guess. I'm 4'11"/5'0" (my inseam is like 25"/26" though) standing how I would normally stand... I bet I could add an inch or two if I tried REALLY hard. More probably if my back was straight (which I know it is not.) I'm not uncomfortable in my family though, because there aren't any tall people in my family, we're all comfortably, on the avereage side with a few short people in the mix. :)

I'm 5'2.5," (the half inch is crucial! :)) 20 years old, and I've wondered this, as well. My mom is 5'6", my sister is 5'8", my brother and father are both 5'11"- 6 ft., and my 11-year-old brother is shorter than me, but growing quickly. That makes sense about the spastic muscles having a more difficult time growing.

At least I'm taller than my grandmothers! :p (I they shrunk, though.)

My ortho said once that I may grow for a longer period of time because in people with cp they have seen that happen. I just had a bone realignment surgery and my doc couldn't use rods since my growth plates weren't closed which means I'm not done growing even though I'm almost 17. I was 5'1" before the surgery and I've always been the small one in my family so maybe people with cp just tend to be shorter.

hahaha thrill lover, that half inch is very important to me too! Everyone always laughs when I say I'm 5'5.5", but when you have a twin who is 6'1" you take whatever you can get!

For us hemis it can be a problem. I know my left arm and leg are shorter, which can make you limp depending on all the other variables. The only other thing thats kind of annoying is that one side tends to get overworked, since its favored. So your strong as a bull on one side and weak as a baby on the other.

For us hemis it can be a problem. I know my left arm and leg are shorter, which can make you limp depending on all the other variables. The only other thing thats kind of annoying is that one side tends to get overworked, since its favored. So your strong as a bull on one side and weak as a baby on the other.
gosh, yes. my left arm and leg are shorter, too. i'm 4'11.5''...my mom is 5'2'' and my dad is 5'10''-5'11''. my mom says i had a bone scan or full-body x-ray at the beginning of middle school and the doc told her i'd never be taller than 5'0''. i don't mind being short except when petite pants are too long.:)

i don't mind being short except when petite pants are too long.:)

Yep, that's my biggest freaking gripe ever! I swear, I bought jeans at Old Navy last fall and I remember puting them on and showing my mom, and my dad walked in and saw them dragging under my feet (and I mean, by at least 5"/6") and his commet was: "Don't they make short girl pants?" And when I told him they were he was just shocked... lol it sucks.

I learned from the "What Not to Wear" show that they make the inseams longer so they can be worn with heels so we're twice screwed on that front. :rolleyes:

I learned from the "What Not to Wear" show that they make the inseams longer so they can be worn with heels so we're twice screwed on that front. :rolleyes:

Haha, definitely. :dizzy:

Speaking of shoes, I've learned that even flat dress shoes that strap your foot in don't work for me, unless my heel or ankle is strapped in. The top of my foot was practically losing circulation from so many straps, but my [right] heel was sliding sideways off the shoe. 'Twas quite annoying, on outdoor ground, as I learned today.

I think I'm short because both my mom and dad are short. My mom is 5'3, my dad is 5'6, and my sister is 5'1. I am 5'0. I guess I'm a weird hemi though... My right leg and arm are smaller than my left, but my right leg is longer than my left leg by 3/8''.
When I taught middle school students, there was a student with cp who was really tall. I think he was at least 6' tall. There was also another student with cp who as a 6th grader was already taller and built bigger than me. There was a student last year in the fifth grade with cp who was a little taller than me and was also built bigger than me too.

I learned from the "What Not to Wear" show that they make the inseams longer so they can be worn with heels so we're twice screwed on that front. :rolleyes:

Yeah, they always say "just get them tailored" but that's so annoying...where the heck do you find a tailor??

They should do a show with someone with CP...then everyone would see our pants AND shoes issues.

I wear shorts unless I absolutely have to wear pants, so I most avoid having issues with pant-legs. Although it took forever to find a suit that didn't look too big, but now that I have one, it should be good for a long time. :P Shoe issues, on the other hand, are quite a common occurence. No wonder I don't like shopping for clothing!

They should do a show with someone with CP...then everyone would see our pants AND shoes issues.

If you ever see a 23-year-old girl on there with CP and she's holding on for dear life to her faded and worn t-shirts with obnoxious graphics/sayings (purchased from Hot Topic/Torrid), her too-long (or hastily cut) jeans and clunky tennis shoes. And probably decks Stacy when she tries to get her to put on some horrid shoe that doesn't have to be comfortable. That's me :D (My sister threatens me all of the time. I'm waiting for the day LOL)

I wear my ugly orthopedic shoes when I "dress" up. I usually dress up for work. I have a few pairs of tie shoes that don't look as orthopedic looking, but they certainly are clunky. The What Not to Wear show kills me when they say that short young women shouldn't wear long dresses because it makes them look like a granny. I think long dresses make me look less like a granny because I can hide my "granny" shoes. I'd look like a super dork wearing a cute short dress, my brace, and my clunky shoes!
I have a couple of pairs of sandals and occaissionally I get brave enough to wear them out to work with my dresses or capris. My sandals have to have the backs on them though and basically surround my foot to hold it in place. I recently bought two pair of flip-flops and I can wear them for a limited time. My mom says I drag my feet in them though.

I recently bought two pair of flip-flops and I can wear them for a limited time. My mom says I drag my feet in them though.

That's cool about the flip-flops, I bought a pair once. I can walk 5 or 10 feet in them but I drag my feet and they're too much effort to walk in (cause I have to think about every step, it's odd.) Plus, they just don't stay on if I don't walk slow as a snail.

And don't worry I think 40% of AB can't walk in flip flops and drag their feet. The only people who do it properly are those people like my sister who wear fip flops from the first snow melt to the first time it snows 3 inches, lol.

I wish I could wear flip flops!