As kids grow from grade-schoolers to preteens, there continues
to be a wide range of "normal" regarding height, weight,
and shape.
Kids tend to get taller at a pretty steady pace, growing about
2.5 inches (6.35 centimeters) each year. When it comes to weight,
though, kids often start gaining weight faster at around 8 to 9
years of age.
This is also a time when kids start to have feelings about how
they look and how they're growing. It's common for girls in
particular to worry about being overweight or "too big,"
while boys tend to be sensitive about being too short.
Try to help your child understand that the important thing is
not to "look" a certain way, but rather to be healthy.
Your son can't change the genes that will determine how tall he
will be, but he can make the most of whatever height that is by
developing healthy eating habits and being physically active.
Your doctor will take measurements at regular checkups, then
plot the results on a standard
growth chart
to follow over time and compare with other kids the same age and
gender.
Helping Your Child Grow
Normal growth - supported by good nutrition, adequate sleep, and
regular exercise - is one of the best overall indicators of a
child's good health. Your child's growth pattern is largely
determined by genetics. Pushing a child with "short
genes" to eat extra food or greater than recommended amounts
of vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients will not increase his or
her height. By accepting who your child is, you are also helping
your child build self-acceptance.
Puberty
Puberty - or sexual maturation - is a time of dramatic change
for both boys and girls. The age at which the physical changes of
puberty normally begin varies widely. For both sexes, these
hormone-driven changes are accompanied by growth spurts that
transform children into physically mature teens as their bodies
develop.
Breast development, usually the first noticeable sign of puberty
in girls, may begin anytime between ages 8 and 13. These
characteristics describe the sequence of events in girls as they
move through puberty:
- Breasts begin to develop and hips become rounded.
- The increase in the rate of growth in height begins.
- Pubic hair begins to appear, usually 6 to 12 months after the
start of breast development. About 15% of girls will develop
pubic hair before breast development starts.
- The uterus and vagina, as well as labia and clitoris,
increase in size.
- Pubic hair is well established and breasts grow further.
- The rate of growth in height reaches its peak by about 2
years after puberty began (average age is 12 years).
- Menstruation begins, almost always after the peak growth rate
in height has been reached (average age is 12.5 years).
Once girls start to menstruate, they usually grow about 1 or 2
more inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters), reaching their final adult
height by about age 14 or 15 years (younger or older depending on
when puberty began).
Most boys show the first physical changes of puberty between
ages 10 and 16, and tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and
15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later
than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but
their muscles will continue to develop.
Other features of puberty in boys include:
- The penis and testicles increase in size.
- Pubic hair appears, followed by underarm and facial
hair.
- The voice deepens and may sometimes crack or break.
- The Adam's apple, or larynx cartilage, gets bigger.
- Testicles begin to produce sperm.
At the Doctor's Office
Despite data collected for growth charts, "normal"
heights and weights are difficult to define. Shorter parents, for
instance, tend to have shorter kids, whereas taller parents tend to
have taller kids.
Although you may worry if your child isn't as tall as other
kids that age, the more important question is whether your child is
continuing to grow at a normal rate. If your doctor detects a
problem - such as a growth rate that had been normal but has
recently slowed - he or she may track your child's measurements
carefully over several months to determine whether the growth
pattern suggests a possible health problem or is just a variation
of normal.
If it's found that your child is growing or developing too
slowly, the doctor may order tests to check for medical conditions
such as hypothyroidism, growth hormone deficiency, or other genetic
conditions that can affect growth.
If you have any concerns about your child's growth or
development, talk with your doctor.
Reviewed by:
Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: August 2008
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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