Men... when you were a child, if you were a thin child, were your shoulders rounded?

Mom's... did any of your boys have rounded shoulders?

I am so worried about my son. He eats like a horse, but is a very thin boy. He is at the correct weight for his height, but his shoulders are terribly rounded. He stands up straight, but his shoulders are pushed forward and his shoulder blades stick out the back. It's awful looking.


Is this normal? Do I have cause for concern? He eats more than my daughter and my daughter has "meat" on her bones... so, it's not because I'm not feeding him... lol.

Here is a picture that I took of this. Any comments, especially those that have seen this and the child grew out of it, would help ease my mind. I'm worried sick. I didn't notice how bad it was until I was watching him earlier today without his shirt on. Running around to and from the shower I never really got a chance to see how bad it looks.

He's always had a bit of this and I've asked the doctor in the past and he said he's just a thin boy and not to worry... but it looks horrible and I don't want anything to be wrong with him and telling me not to worry doesn't help... these pictures don't even show how bad it really looks. I don't like it.







[This message was edited Thu May 20 18:15:36 2004 by AzureStarr]

If you've been to the doctors and they assure you everything is ok, then I say relax. I didn't have rounded shoulders as a kid, nor do I now. But I've seen plenty of men and women that have them. Some have really broad shoulders. We're all different. He's healthy, and sounds like he's got a good appetite. Just let him develope naturally. I don't see a need for concern.

Chico319 said:

I agree. All sounds healthy. Maybe just to help ease the worry get a second opinion from another pediatrician?

I know, telling a mother not to worry is like telling a squirrel to lay off the nuts.

Have you discussed his posture with the doctors? (I'm sure you have. silly me. ) I mean, can he physically put his shoulder back when he stands straight?

Dont even worry about it.When I was his age kids used to call me lurch cause I was so lanky.What it was for me is I had a really fast metabolism and along with the fact I was growing like crazy.My nephew is the same way your son is.He just needs to thickin up.He will dont worry girl.He's gonna be a big kid it looks like to me.I was alot thinner than that and I'm 6'4 240+ Be good weva eata.....

Chico319 said:

Yeah, the doctor said that he's healthy and not to worry, but that was like a year ago for his check-up. Since then he's grown about about two inches this past year and I don't know if that's the reason it looks so much worse... because he's gotten taller or if there is some sort of "defect". I don't know if it's because he's a very thin boy and it's just showing on him like this because of his being thin and if he actually was able to keep meat on his bones it would look different. I don't know.

I worry like this and I'll continue to worry until I can get him into the doctors just to make sure everything is okay or if there is something wrong that I can do whatever it is to correct the problem if there is one...

Thank you for your comment, chico... And, maybe it's just that, like you said, that he's just one of those people who are going to have rounded shoulders and not broad ones. I hope that's all it is.

Chico319 said:

No, I didn't discuss that with the doctor because he had said he was fine. And, he cannot physically put his shoulders back when he stands straight. I tried pushing them back and they won't go.

I looked up malnutrition on google a few minutes ago and he looks like the pictures of those kids. But, he eats great... veggies, fruit juices (can't get him to eat fruit unless it's juice), protein, calcium... the whole bit. But, that's what he looks like... he looks malnutritioned.

CarrieMpls said:

I am, Carrie... making the call first thing in the morning to get him in next week. I'll be like any mom and worrying until then.

crazyhorse said:

Seriously? You were lanky like this? He is very tall for his age and he apparently has a very fast metabolism, too... because he is constantly eating, he eats more than my daughter or myself does... maybe that's it. I mean, he's seven and half and still wears size 6 slim pants and size 5 regular shorts (not that you'd probably know what that means)... lol

*sigh*

Oh, the stresses of being a mother.

I think, perhaps the problem isn't with him. j/k

Many times we look at thin people, and 'assume' there's something wrong. Bad habit, but we've all done it. Some people are just thin. And that's all there is to it. And as a parent, you always want your child to fit in. If he hasn't shown a reason to be concerned about it, don't give one to worry about then. But with all children, and adults, regular check ups are good for health reasons, and also peace of mind.

Chico319 said:

I'm okay with him being a thin boy... but he's like anorexic looking in the shoulder/chest/rib area. The lower half is fine... thin, but not... I don't know.

You're right... lol... I'm the one with the problem here! He has no problem with it at all... lol... when I was asking him to push his shoulders back he was al like, "I AM!" and when I tried pushing them back myself he says... "Get over it mom, stop worrying, it's not like I'm gonna die from it." I just never noticed it being so bad before and I freaked... am still freaking. I just don't want there to be a problem and I feel like a horrible mother for not noticing how bad it was before and will feel even worse if the doctor says there is something wrong and I had a whole year to figure it out.

I am not trying to freak out too much, but I am one that worries too much about things anway, to the point of making myself sick... and this is my baby... The comments here are helping me from reaching that point... I am going to try and not worry about this.

I wouldn't worry too much. If his health is good.....then he's just in that awkawrd growing stage that boys go through. I ate like a horse.....still do.....and he'll start to fill out his frame when he gets older.

althom said:

So boys do go through this? That's the problem with being a single parent and raising a child of a different sex. I know NOTHING about their stages and have nothing to compare it to.

If he looks like this forever, and he's healthy, I'm soooo cool with that. If it's a growing stage and he fills out, I'm cool with that, too. It's the not knowing that frightens me.

AzureStarr said:

I was the exact same.If I had a scanner you'd be bustin up.
I was also born with minor scoliosis.Its just a slight curve of the spine that can give the shoulders and stomach the appearance of being extended.The kids teased me more about my afro then being skinny.With my skinny ass and Angela Davis lookin afro I looked like a carmel apple on a stick.Wonder where those punks are today?I'd jack...Sure its all good.Take Chico's advice on the regular check ups and be good weva eata.....

crazyhorse said:

This helps. Knowing that someone else was like this and were healthy helps a lot.


My mind is easing from the comments... Colin is going to be proud of mom...

(carmel apple on a stick...lol)

Have you tried ironing him?

you said he saw a doctor "in the past", how long ago? because that could've looked normal then, but not now. I know alot of the docs i work with will say things are normal if they're not cause for concern in a small child... but in an older child could be..... i would have him seen again by a D.O. as opposed to an M.D. they cost the same if you're paying cash and if you have insurance it's the same. good luck