In familial short stature, which statement is characteristic?

• A. Delayed puberty with delayed bone age
• B. Bone age equals real age
• C. Bone age delayed relative to real age
• D. Short stature with normal bone age and rapid puberty

Answer: (B)

In familial short stature, skeletal maturation proceeds at a normal rate, so bone age matches chronological age. This means the child’s growth velocity is appropriate for age, puberty tends to occur at a typical time, and the final adult height is usually near what would be predicted from parental heights. The other patterns don’t fit: delayed puberty with delayed bone age describes constitutional growth delay, where bone age lags behind real age; bone age delayed relative to real age likewise points to delayed maturation; and a short child with normal bone age plus rapid puberty would actually tend to show an advanced bone age, not a normal one.