Experts teach the key to growing taller

Most parents hope their children will grow up healthy and tall. However, a child's growth and development is not as simple and straightforward as it seems; it's not merely a matter of...heightThis aspect is influenced by a variety of factors and involves different important developmental stages. Understanding these key periods can not only prevent children from being too short, but also help them fully realize their height potential.

Generally, the rapid growth period for normal adults is divided into three stages: infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Infancy (birth to six months) is the fastest period, typically involving a growth of about 20 to 25 centimeters. Nutrition is the primary influencing factor during this stage. In childhood (six months to three years), in addition to nutrition, hormones such as growth hormone and thyroid hormones play important roles. During adolescence, growth is mainly influenced by sex hormones.grow taller quicklyFurthermore, girls typically begin puberty about two years earlier than boys and also finish their growth phase earlier.

Pediatrician Zhang Jie stated that although height is largely influenced and limited by genetic factors, establishing good lifestyle habits from a young age can indeed help children realize their genetically endowed potential for growth, which is known as "using their full potential for height." Conversely, if children suffer from long-term malnutrition, insufficient sleep, or lack of exercise, even with good genetic conditions, they may not be able to fully realize their potential and ultimately fail to reach their expected height.

Dr. Zhang points out that one of the key factors affecting height is the activity of the bone growth plates, which can be assessed through "bone age." Generally speaking, the younger the bone age, the greater the growth space and the higher the potential for growth; conversely, if bone age matures early, the growth plates will gradually close, and the potential for growth will decrease accordingly. In normal healthy children and adolescents, girls can usually grow to a bone age of sixteen, and boys can grow to a bone age of eighteen, after which the bone growth plates will completely close, and height will stop increasing. However, it should be noted that bone age does not necessarily match chronological age, because hormonal influences can cause bone age to mature prematurely, and everyone's hormone secretion is different. Therefore, some children may develop early, and their bone age may be older than their actual age.

Dr. Zhang suggests that if a child is found to be...Height increaseIf a child's growth is significantly behind that of their peers, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible to find the underlying cause. He suggests that children around eight or nine years old should have their bone age assessed annually to understand the condition of their growth plates. The doctor can then determine whether adjustments need to be made to their lifestyle, diet, or even other suitable treatments to improve their growth.

Some parents worry about their children's poor development and seek various Chinese and Western medicine remedies. However, most of these drugs are of unknown origin, may not be effective, and may not be suitable for every child's constitution. More seriously, some drugs may contain serious side effects and cause irreversible damage to health.

Dr. Zhang reminds parents that they should consult qualified Chinese or Western medicine practitioners before considering giving their children any medication. Furthermore, many parents worry about their children's nutrition and buy large amounts of supplements hoping to help them grow taller. However, a balanced daily diet is sufficient to support normal development. Consuming animal organs or Chinese/Western medicine supplements containing growth hormones or other hormones may disrupt a child's normal endocrine system, leading to precocious puberty and thus affecting their normal growth rate. As for some height-increasing devices or shoes on the market, most lack clinical evidence and their actual effects are not significant; parents should be cautious.