What is the most common cause of short stature in adolescents?

The most common cause of short stature in adolescents is constitutional growth delay. This condition reflects a natural variation in growth patterns, where some children experience a slower rate of growth during childhood but ultimately reach a normal final adult height. Typically, these adolescents show a family history of similar growth patterns, and they often enter puberty later than their peers, which can contribute to their shorter stature during the adolescent years.

Unlike other conditions such as growth hormone deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, or chronic illness, which can indicate underlying health problems and require medical evaluation and management, constitutional growth delay is often a benign condition that resolves with time. As these adolescents continue to grow, they may catch up to or exceed their peers in height as they go through their growth spurt during puberty. This is significant because it reassures both the family and healthcare providers that the short stature is part of a normal growth trajectory rather than an indication of a serious medical issue.