Many parents want to help their children grow taller, especially if the child is shorter than average. While height is largely determined by genetics, there are some natural ways parents can help support their child’s growth.
What determines a child’s height?
A child’s height is mostly determined by genetics. If both parents are shorter, it’s likely the child will be on the shorter side as well. Other factors that influence height include:
- Nutrition – A diet with the proper vitamins, minerals and calories supports growth.
- Hormones – Growth hormone and thyroid hormone play a role in growth.
- Health conditions – Chronic illness, digestive issues and other conditions may affect height.
- Environment – Factors like pollution and toxins may impact development.
Can I increase my child’s height with growth hormone treatment?
Synthetic growth hormone injections are sometimes used to treat children with abnormal growth. However, the FDA has not approved growth hormone solely for increasing height in an otherwise healthy child. While it may help add a few inches, the long-term safety is unclear. There are also side effects like joint pain, swelling and an increased risk of diabetes. Instead of synthetic hormones, focus on natural ways to support your child’s growth.
What foods help children grow taller?
A nutritious diet with adequate calories and protein is vital for allowing children to reach their full growth potential. Foods that are particularly important include:
- Dairy products – Milk, cheese and yogurt provide calcium, vitamin D and protein.
- Eggs – High in protein, biotin and vitamin D.
- Beef – An excellent source of zinc, iron and protein.
- Chicken – Lean chicken provides protein for muscle growth.
- Fish – Fatty fish like salmon have vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Beans – An inexpensive protein packed with nutrients.
- Tofu and soy products – Contain complete vegetable proteins.
- Nuts and nut butters – Full of protein, healthy fats and vitamin E.
- Leafy greens – Dark veggies provide vitamin K, calcium and iron.
- Fruits – Contain vitamins, minerals and fiber for growth.
Emphasize a balanced diet
Instead of focusing on specific “growth foods,” aim for providing your child with a balanced diet full of diverse whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. This will provide the calories and nutrients needed to fuel growth while preventing nutritional deficiencies.
How can I help my child get adequate nutrition for growth?
Getting proper nutrition is crucial, but it can be challenging with picky eaters. Here are some tips for promoting healthy eating habits:
- Offer a variety of foods and encourage trying new foods repeatedly. Kids often need repeated exposure to accept new foods.
- Involve your child in meal planning and preparation to motivate them to eat.
- Cook with nutrient-dense ingredients like milk instead of water, and add veggies to foods like pasta sauce and baked goods.
- Let your child choose between two healthy options to give them some control.
- Cut food into fun shapes with cookie cutters.
- Create personalized plates with their initial or favorite animal shaped out of fruits and veggies.
- Make eating together as a family a priority to model healthy habits.
- Avoid pressuring or bribing your child to eat, which can contribute to unhealthy habits.
- Be patient – it can take time for tastes to change.
Consider supplements carefully
While a multivitamin containing vitamin D or an iron supplement may be helpful for picky eaters after discussing with your pediatrician, research does not support supplements for increasing height once nutritional needs are met through diet. Focus on food sources of nutrients first whenever possible.
How does sleep affect growth in children?
Sleep is essential for supporting growth hormone secretion and allowing the body to fully restore itself. Children who regularly get too little sleep may end up shorter as adults. The National Sleep Foundation recommends:
- Infants (4-12 months): 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
- School-age (6-13 years): 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours
- Teens (14-17 years): 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours
Help your child get sufficient high-quality sleep by having a consistent bedtime routine and limiting screen time before bed.
Naps are beneficial too
Naps continue to provide growth benefits as children need them. Allow your child to nap as long as they appear tired enough to fall asleep and sleep soundly. This allows their body to recharge for more growth.
What physical activities can increase height?
Regular physical activity supports growth by:
- Increasing appetite and ensuring your child eats enough calories.
- Improving sleep.
- Stimulating growth hormone secretion.
- Strengthening bones, muscles and ligaments.
- Reducing stress hormone levels that may inhibit growth.
Aim for at least 60 minutes per day of play and physical activity. Activities that stretch and strengthen the muscles and bones are particularly beneficial, such as:
- Jumping (trampolines are great for this)
- Hanging from bars
- Climbing ropes or rock walls
- Sports – basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming etc.
- Dancing
- Gymnastics
- Yoga
Emphasize play and fun
Instead of structured exercise, focus on active play and activities your child enjoys. This encourages lifelong fitness habits and avoids stressing their growing bones and joints through repetitive motion.
How does posture affect height?
Poor posture can reduce height by compressing the spine and limiting space between vertebrae. Teaching good posture habits helps children stand tall.
- Remind your child to stand up straight with ears aligned over shoulders.
- Carrying heavy backpacks may pull shoulders forward. Consider using a backpack with chest and waist straps for support.
- Chairs and desks should be at the proper height to avoid slouching.
- Sleeping on the stomach can curve the neck backwards. Sleep on the back or side instead.
- Consider pillows or wedges to maintain the normal spine curve if sleeping on the side.
- Stretching the spine after sitting or sleeping helps decompress the vertebrae.
Make posture awareness fun
Practice posture together as a family. Turn it into a game by seeing who can balance a book on their head the longest while walking. Offer rewards like stickers on a chart for catching your child standing up straight.
Can hormonal imbalances or health conditions affect growth?
Some underlying medical issues can stunt growth, including:
- Growth hormone deficiency – The pituitary gland does not produce enough growth hormone.
- Hypothyroidism – Low thyroid hormone delays bone development.
- Celiac disease – Inability to digest gluten damages the intestines and impairs nutrient absorption.
- Inflammatory bowel diseases – Issues like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis hinder growth.
- Asthma – Poorly controlled asthma may reduce height by a couple of inches.
If your child falls far behind on the standard growth charts or their height percentile drops sharply, see your pediatrician to check for any underlying issues. Proper treatment can often help get growth back on track.
Monitor growth regularly
Tracking height and weight percentiles at regular checkups allows early detection of abnormalities. Express any concerns about your child’s growth to their doctor.
When is my child’s height fully determined?
The greatest burst of growth happens in the first 3 years of life. Growth continues at a slower pace throughout childhood, with puberty bringing another period of accelerated growth. However, the exact timing of growth plate fusion varies:
- Hands – Around age 12-14 for girls, 15 for boys
- Arms – Around age 14-15 for girls, 16-17 for boys
- Legs – Around age 15-16 for girls, 17-18 for boys
- Spine – Around age 16-18 for girls, 18-20 for boys
- Pelvis – Around age 16-18
Adult height potential is largely set by age 18 for girls and age 20 for boys as the long bone growth plates fuse. Promoting healthy development throughout childhood gives your child the best chance of reaching their maximum height.
Puberty can bring growth spurts
It’s common to grow 3-5 inches per year during puberty. Girls typically have an earlier growth spurt at ages 10-14, while boys lag behind and grow rapidly between ages 12-15 on average.
What are age-appropriate height ranges?
The average height for children and teens by age is:
Age | Average Height for Girls | Average Height for Boys |
5 years | 41.7 in (106 cm) | 42.3 in (108 cm) |
6 years | 43.5 in (110 cm) | 44.1 in (112 cm) |
7 years | 45.1 in (115 cm) | 45.7 in (116 cm) |
8 years | 46.5 in (118 cm) | 47.2 in (119 cm) |
9 years | 49.5 in (126 cm) | 49.9 in (127 cm) |
10 years | 52.4 in (133 cm) | 52.8 in (134 cm) |
11 years | 55.3 in (140 cm) | 55.7 in (142 cm) |
12 years | 57.7 in (146 cm) | 58.6 in (149 cm) |
13 years | 60.1 in (152 cm) | 62.3 in (158 cm) |
14 years | 62.3 in (158 cm) | 65.1 in (165 cm) |
15 years | 63.6 in (161 cm) | 67.1 in (170 cm) |
16 years | 64.3 in (163 cm) | 68.2 in (173 cm) |
17 years | 64.7 in (164 cm) | 68.9 in (175 cm) |
However, these numbers are just averages – the normal range is quite wide. Focus more on your child’s individual growth pattern over time based on growth charts rather than comparing them to averages or classmates.
Consult your pediatrician
Discuss your child’s growth stats including height, weight and BMI percentile at each visit. Your pediatrician can let you know if your child is right on track or may need additional support.
How can I predict my child’s adult height?
While there is no 100% accurate way to predict adult height, doctors can make an educated guess based on:
- The child’s current height, weight and BMI percentiles.
- Mid-parental height – the average of both parents’ heights.
- Rate of growth so far and whether puberty has started.
- Bone age from x-ray of the wrist.
- Stage of puberty.
Your pediatrician considers these factors to estimate adult height potential. Prediction is most accurate after the start of puberty. But remember that estimates are still subject to +/- 4 inches as many individual variables affect growth.
Use growth charts properly
Don’t assume your child will stay at the same percentile. Children often gradually shift up or down, which needs to be considered when estimating height. Try not to fixate too much on the numbers, which are just rough guides.
What can I do if my child is distressed about their height?
If your child feels self-conscious about being shorter than peers, keep the focus on health rather than height. Avoid constantly monitoring their growth as this can contribute to anxiety. Also:
- Offer reassurance about their strengths and self-worth beyond height.
- Encourage them to identify positive role models of all heights.
- Teach them comebacks to handle insensitive comments from others.
- Suggest joining groups or sports where height is less of an advantage.
- Remind them that many traits like humor and compassion matter more than appearance.
- Focus conversations on what makes them uniquely awesome!
Provide professional support if needed
If height becomes an obsession impacting your child’s health or self-esteem, seek counseling support. A therapist can help your child build resilience and self-acceptance.
What is a reasonable height goal for my child?
Rather than pressuring your child to reach a certain height, aim for the healthy height range their genetics support. Predicted height based on mid-parental height offers reasonable guidance. Adding extra inches beyond what’s natural for your child is unrealistic and unnecessary.
Remember, additional height will not directly translate to greater happiness or success. Help your child appreciate themselves as they are, and focus on supporting overall wellbeing.
Conclusion
While genetics largely determines height potential, good nutrition, adequate sleep, proper posture and an active lifestyle support healthy development. Monitor growth patterns at regular checkups. Address any excessive lag through medical assessment rather than synthetic growth hormones. Most importantly, provide an emotionally supportive environment where your child feels valued and confident at any height.