Height growth is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Girls typically reach their adult height by around age 15, when puberty ends and the growth plates in the bones fuse. There are several factors that can limit height growth in girls during the preteen and teen years.
Genetics
Genetics plays a major role in determining adult height. Girls inherit genes for height from both parents. If parents are relatively short, a girl is likely to be on the shorter side. However, it is impossible to predict adult height with certainty based only on parental heights.
Genes affect the timing of puberty and when growth plates in the bones will fuse. Late bloomers who go through puberty at older ages will have more time to grow than early maturers. Genes influence how sensitive the body is to growth hormones and other biological factors influencing height.
Nutrition
Not getting adequate nutrition during childhood and the adolescent growth spurt can limit height potential. The body needs sufficient calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals to fuel growth. Key nutrients for growth include:
- Calcium – for bone development
- Vitamin D – helps the body absorb calcium
- Zinc – stimulates growth hormones
- Protein -provides amino acids for muscle and bone
Poor nutrition over many years can lead to delayed puberty and a shorter adult height. Conditions like anorexia and bulimia during the teen years can severely restrict growth.
Growth Disorders
There are some medical conditions that affect production of growth hormone or sensitivity to its effects. These can limit growth potential in both boys and girls:
- Growth hormone deficiency – the body does not produce enough growth hormone
- Hypothyroidism – low thyroid hormone levels
- Celiac disease – damages intestines making it hard to absorb nutrients
- Inflammatory bowel disease – affects nutrition absorption
Growth disorders are often treated with growth hormone injections to help maximize height particularly during the years when growth potential is highest.
Medications
Certain medications can influence height by affecting hormones or growth factors:
- Corticosteroids – used for asthma and autoimmune diseases, can limit growth at high doses
- Psychoactive drugs – like Ritalin for ADHD may reduce appetite and nutrition
- Sex hormones – estrogen taken early leads to early fusion of growth plates
Doctors monitor growth carefully in girls on these medications and may adjust dosages or medication regimens to minimize impacts on height.
Physical Health Conditions
Sever chronic illness during childhood and the teen years can impact growth. Common conditions include:
- Chronic infections – drain nutrients needed for growth
- Digestive disorders – affect nutrition absorption from gut
- Heart disease – can impair blood flow needed for growth
- Kidney disease – disrupts hormone balance
- Lung disease – impacts oxygen needed for development
Treating the underlying condition can help minimize its effects on growth. Doctors also monitor nutrition and supplementation needs closely.
Radiation and Chemotherapy
Cancer treatments including radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs can affect the hormonal systems that regulate growth. Effects depend on factors like:
- Age at time of treatment
- Doses of radiation or medications
- Locations in the body treated
Growth is monitored closely during and after treatment. Hormone therapy may help girls achieve their height potential if deficiency is detected.
Delayed Puberty
Delayed puberty prolongs the growth period, allowing for more time to reach full height potential. Causes include:
- Genetic factors
- Chronic illness
- Eating disorders
- High levels of exercise
- Stress
Doctors may treat delayed puberty with hormones like estrogen and testosterone to induce development of secondary sexual characteristics. This can help maximize the remaining growth potential.
Premature Fusion of Growth Plates
The ends of long bones have growth plates made of cartilage. When these plates fuse and turn to bone, growth stops. Premature fusion can occur due to:
- Genetic factors
- Inadequate nutrition
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Long term medication use
- Osteopenia
Doctors monitor growth plates with x-rays during treatment and illness to ensure optimal growth. Limited growth may be treated with growth hormone therapy.
Short Stature Homeobox (SHOX) Deficiency
This genetic condition affects bone growth and development leading to short stature. Symptoms can include:
- Short height compared to peers
- High arched palate
- Age gaps between bone age and chronological age
- Mild skeletal abnormalities
SHOX deficiency is treated with growth hormone injections to help gain height. Timing is important, so growth is monitored closely.
Turner Syndrome
This chromosomal disorder in girls can lead to short stature as well as infertility, heart defects, and other abnormalities. The most common features include:
- Short height – often under 5 feet as adult
- Delayed growth and puberty
- Gonadal dysfunction – affects estrogen levels
- Skeletal abnormalities – short stubby fingers
Hormone replacement therapy helps induce puberty and maximize growth potential. Growth hormone may also be used.
Psychosocial Dwarfism
This condition results from extreme emotional deprivation. Lack of stimulation causes decreased production of growth hormone leading to proportionate short stature. Features include:
- Delayed growth and puberty
- Short stature compared to genetic potential
- Cognitive and social delays
- Poor appetite and nutrition
Removing the child from the neglectful environment and providing loving care helps normalize growth hormone levels and improves height prognosis.
How is height loss assessed in girls?
Doctors use several strategies to assess growth issues in girls:
- Growth charts – Plot height over time to see growth curve
- Growth velocity – Calculate inches/centimeters gained per year
- Midparental height – Use parents’ heights to predict child’s height range
- Bone age – X-ray hand to see if bones are maturing at normal rate
- Physical exam – Check for other issues impacting growth
Early assessment allows for treatment with growth hormone or other therapies if a growth limiting condition is detected.
What are normal growth patterns in girls?
There is a wide range of normal growth patterns in girls influenced by genetics and environment. However, some general milestones include:
- 0-6 months – growth fastest, up to 10 inches
- 6-12 months – add about 6 more inches
- 1-3 years – grow 2-3 inches per year
- 4-6 years – add 2-2.5 inches per year
- 7-9 years – gain about 2 inches per year
- 10-11 years – growth spurt begins, up to 3.5 inches per year
- 12-15 years – peak growth velocity, up to 4 inches per year
Puberty marks peak growth period. Girls typically grow around 3-4 inches per year during the growth spurt and reach adult height by 15 on average.
When does growth typically stop in girls?
Girls generally reach their adult height by age 15, or a couple years after getting their first period. The major factors are:
- Puberty – Rising estrogen levels cause growth plates to fuse
- Menarche – First menstrual period marks nearing end of growth
- Growth plate fusion – Bones in legs/arms fuse and stop lengthening
However, late bloomers who start puberty after age 12 can continue growing into their late teens. Tracking growth velocity on a graph shows when growth is tailing off.
What is the average adult height for females?
According to the CDC growth charts which draw data from diverse ethnicities across the US, the average height for age 20 years is:
- White females: 63.7 inches (5 feet, 3.7 inches)
- Black females: 64.0 inches (5 feet, 4 inches)
- Hispanic females: 61.7 inches (5 feet, 1.7 inches)
- Asian females: 61.3 inches (5 feet, 1.3 inches)
However, adult height ranges widely based on genetic potential and environment. Many healthy women end up between 5 feet and 5 feet 8 inches tall.
Can a girl grow taller after getting her first period?
Girls typically continue growing for 2-3 years after getting their first menstrual period, though at a slower rate than during the peak growth spurt:
- Menarche age 10-12: Grow 0-2 inches taller after
- Menarche age 12-15: Grow 1-3 inches taller after
- Menarche age 15+: Little growth after menarche
Starting periods early means less time left to grow taller. Late bloomers who start menstruating after 15 have more growth potential after menarche.
What health conditions affect growth?
Several hormonal and medical conditions can impair growth in girls:
- Growth hormone deficiency
- Hypothyroidism
- Cushing’s disease
- Malnutrition
- Celiac disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Asthma requiring steroids
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Cancer treatments
Growth failure may be the only presenting sign of an underlying problem. Evaluation for other symptoms can help identify the cause.
How are growth problems treated?
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of poor growth:
- Growth hormone therapy – for deficiencies
- Thyroid hormone replacement – for hypothyroidism
- Gluten-free diet – for celiac disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease treatment – to promote absorption
- Nutritional supplementation – provides missing nutrients
Growth is monitored and treatment adjusted to help girls achieve optimal height potential. Psychological counseling may help with self-esteem issues.
What is the prognosis for growth issues in girls?
The prognosis depends on the underlying cause:
- Genetic short stature – Little chance to significantly increase height
- Growth hormone deficiency – Can regain 2-4 inches with hormone therapy
- Celiac disease – Height normalizes with gluten-free diet
- Delayed puberty – Good prognosis if puberty induced at appropriate time
- Premature growth plate fusion – Hard to regain lost growth
Early diagnosis and timely treatment offer the best prognosis. After puberty ends, there are very few options left to increase height.
When is short stature considered a medical concern?
Short stature or poor growth is evaluated if a girl’s height is:
- Below the 3rd percentile on standard growth charts
- More than 2 standard deviations below mean height for age
- Significantly below her predicted midparental height range
- Growing less than 2 inches per year during the growth spurt
A slow growing girl whose height is still within the normal population range usually does not have a growth disorder.
How can parents maximize their daughter’s height potential?
Parents can help their daughter reach her full height potential by:
- Providing healthy nutrition with adequate calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals
- Treating chronic illnesses and conditions early
- Being aware of medications that may affect growth
- Encouraging physical activity and sports
- Supporting healthy self-esteem and body image
- Following up on unusual growth patterns
Genetics plays a big role, but providing the right environment allows girls to maximize their height possibilities.
Conclusion
Many factors influence girls’ height potential during development. Genetics provides a growth range, but environmental influences determine if girls reach the high or low end of their possibilities. Medical conditions, nutrition, medications, and puberty timing all play roles. Understanding normal patterns makes it easier to identify problems early and take steps to optimize growth.