Since your last birthday, a lot of things have changed. For one,
you're much smarter than you were last year. That's
obvious.
But there might have been some other changes - ones that you
weren't ready for. Perhaps you've sprouted several inches
above everyone else in class. Or maybe they all did the sprouting
and you feel too short. Maybe you haven't gained a pound and
you feel like a feather on the seesaw, or maybe you can't fit
into your favorite pair of jeans. And now you're looking in the
mirror, thinking only one thing: Am I normal?
Everybody's Different
First of all, what's normal? There's no one normal.
Otherwise, the world would be full of a lot of abnormal people! The
next time you go to the mall, take a look around. You'll see
tall people, short people, and people with broad shoulders, little
feet, big stomachs, long fingers, stubby legs, and skinny arms …
you get the idea.
You can change your hairstyle or put on a new hat, but the way
you look isn't entirely under your control. Your looks were
largely determined by your parents. When your parents created you,
they passed on their
genes
- a kind of special code - and those genes helped to decide your
size and shape, your eye color and hair texture, even whether you
have freckles.
Small or Tall
Height is just one of the thousands of features your genes
decide. In fact, because you have two parents, your genes act like
a referee, giving you a height that usually lands somewhere between
the height of each parent. If both your parents are tall, then most
likely you will be tall, too, but if you have questions about how
tall you're going to be, ask your doctor if he or she can help
you figure it out.
But genes don't decide everything. For example, eating an
unhealthy
diet
can keep you from growing to your full potential. Getting plenty of
sleep
, enough
exercise
, and nutrients will help you grow just like you should.
No doubt you're wondering how fast you should grow. It
depends. There's no perfect or right amount. On average, kids
grow about 2 inches (6 centimeters) a year between age 3 and when
they start
puberty
(when your body starts changing and becoming more grown up).
Your doctor will know how your growth has been going over the
years. Two centimeters here and 2 inches there are not nearly as
important as the height you're at now, how you've been
growing up to this point, and what other changes your body may be
going through.
Growth Spurts
Don't be scared if you seem to have grown a lot in a very
short time. Everyone has a growth spurt during puberty. The average
age for starting puberty is about 10 for girls and about 11 for
boys. But it can be earlier or later - between 7 and 13 for girls
and 9 and 15 for boys.
You'll usually begin to notice that you're growing
faster about a year or so after your body starts to show the first
changes of puberty - girls will develop breasts and a boy's
penis and testicles will get bigger.
Weighing In
Weight can vary a lot, too, from kid to kid. It's tempting
to compare yourself with your friends. But kids often weigh more or
less than their friends and are still considered normal. TV and
magazines might make us think our bodies
should
weigh and look a certain way, but in real life, there are a lot of
differences.
Some kids worry so much about their weight that they try
unhealthy and dangerous things to change it. The best way to have a
healthy weight is to eat right and get a lot of playtime
(exercise).
What to Do if You're Worried
If you have concerns about your weight - or how your body is
changing - talk it over with a parent or your doctor. The doctor
can tell you if anything is wrong. But most likely, your
one-of-a-kind body is growing just like it's supposed to.
Reviewed by:
Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: May 2008
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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