Can girls still grow taller after menarche? You will know after reading this article!

Many mothers are anxious when they find their babies have their first menstruation, “Will they not grow taller if they just have their menstruation?”

A said: I haven’t grown any taller since my period started.

B said: I grew 4-5cm taller after my period started.

C said: I grew 10 cm taller after my period.

Menarche is a girl's first menstruation , a sign that puberty has entered the later stages of development, and the last window of opportunity to save a short stature. Today, let You County People's Hospital take you to talk about menarche and height !

1. What signals will the body show before menarche?

Female puberty begins with breast development , followed by pubic hair growth, changes in external genitalia , armpit hair growth , and then menstruation , which usually takes about 2 years .

Studies have found that the age of menarche has been declining for a long time, and the average age of menarche is now 12.4 years old. It should be noted that overweight or obese girls have their first menarche earlier, so obese children will start puberty earlier.

2. How tall can you grow after menarche?

Generally speaking, girls grow an average of 25cm taller when they enter puberty. The growth rate is fastest in the year before menarche. After menarche, the growth rate of height decreases and generally stops growing in about 2 years. The potential for height growth after menarche is 1-11cm , with an average of about 5-8cm .

Why does the growth potential vary so much after menarche? This is related to the bone age at menarche. The older the bone age, the smaller the growth potential, and the younger the bone age, the greater the growth potential.

3. What to do after menarche?

It is recommended to take your child for a health check-up to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the child's health, height, nutrition, and psychology. If the child has insufficient growth potential, obesity, malnutrition, or psychological and behavioral abnormalities, it is recommended to actively intervene and treat to better promote the healthy growth of the child. In daily life, pay attention to the following points:

1. Ensure adequate sleep : Primary school students should get 10 hours of sleep a day, junior high school students should get 9 hours of sleep a day, and high school students should get 8 hours of quality sleep a day;

2. Appropriately increase exercise : It is recommended to do 45-60 minutes of medium to high intensity exercise every day;

3. Balanced nutrition : It is recommended to consume 500ml of milk per day, actively supplement vitamin D, and do not be picky or biased in food.

4. Regular monitoring : It is recommended to monitor height and weight at the pediatric department every 3 months and check bone age every 6 months .

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Ou Meiyan, Children's Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Youxian People's Hospital

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(Edited by ZS)