Spring Growth Contest, how to help children achieve a "comeback" in height growth?

Research by the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms that children's growth and development is seasonal, with faster growth rates in the spring and summer months. The golden period for children's height growth is in the first half of the year.

In this spring when flowers are blooming,

The new year's height growth mission is about to begin!

Are you guys ready?

(Photo source: SOOGIF)

Today, the pediatrician will take you

Discover the secret of growing taller

Achieve height reversal!

(Photo source: SOOGIF)

Step 1: Find out where your child is?

Height and weight comparison table for boys and girls aged 0-18 (Chinese Journal of Pediatrics)

Illustration: The horizontal axis represents the child’s height and weight, and the vertical axis represents the child’s age.

①If the child’s height is between “25th-75th”, it is within the “normal range”.

②If the child is between (3th-25th) or (75th-97th) which means the child is too short or too tall, parents need to pay attention to the child’s height growth rate.

③If it is "(＜3th) or (＞97th)", it indicates that the child is short or too tall.

Step 2: Understand the normal growth pattern of children's height

The average normal height/stature growth rate for children over 2 years old is as follows:

★0-6 months 2.5cm/month

★7-12 months 1.25cm/month

★12-24 months about 10cm/year

★24-36 months 8cm/year

★36-48 months 7cm/year

★4-10 years old 5-6cm/year

It should be noted that children's growth rate is not uniform. Children's height growth rate should be closely monitored. It is recommended to measure their height every 3-6 months. An increase of 5-7 cm per year is normal. If the growth rate is less than 5 cm/year, parents should pay attention and seek medical attention in time if necessary.

Step 3: Remember the two “peaks”

The first peak of height growth: childhood

During this period, growth hormone plays a key role. Children can grow 5-7cm taller every year. During this "steady" growth period, it is particularly important to judge the growth rate of children. On the one hand, if the child's height has been slow or even stagnant for a long time, parents can find it in time and consult the hospital as soon as possible to avoid missing the best time for diagnosis and treatment; on the other hand, if parents find that: girls have breast development before 7.5 years old or menarche before 10 years old, boys have enlarged testicles before 9 years old, or children have early bone age (more than 1 year older than the actual age), they need to be alert to whether it is precocious puberty, and consult the hospital in time if necessary. (Precocious puberty means that the growth period ends early, and the growth timeline will be greatly shortened, resulting in damage to the child's final height).

The second peak of height growth: puberty

9-14 years old: boys grow 7-10 cm per year; girls grow 6-8 cm per year

★Starting signs: breast development in girls (9-11 years old); enlarged testicles in boys (11-13 years old)

★The height growth peaks after 1-2 years; height growth: 25-28cm for boys and about 20-25cm for girls.

☞Doctor’s reminder:

Sex hormones are very important for height because the growth spurt during puberty is the result of the combined effects of sex hormones and growth hormones.

Parents should note that they should not wait until girls reach menarche or boys change their voices before starting to pay attention to their children's height problems, because this often indicates that the growth potential is almost exhausted, the remaining growth space is very limited, and the methods of intervention are very limited. (Child endocrinologists have seen too many young, short children in the outpatient clinic who have matured and their epiphyses are close to closure. In this case, the doctor is helpless! Please forgive the doctor for not being proficient in the art of "breaking bones to grow taller"!)

Step 4: You need to know these secrets to grow taller

1. Exercise

Exercise can promote the secretion of growth hormone, the absorption of nutrients, and the development of bones. The following exercise methods are recommended:

Jumping sports (rope skipping, basketball, badminton, high jump)

Stretching exercises (swimming, splits, forward bends)

Avoid weight-bearing and compression activities: weightlifting, dumbbells, wrestling, etc.

☞Doctor’s reminder:

Exercising more can improve blood circulation, improve the body's absorption of nutrients, and enhance the growth capacity of osteoblasts. Mechanical force can promote the deposition of calcium in bones, making bones stronger. Before children's skeletal cartilage stops regenerating, regular exercise can help stimulate the growth of skeletal cartilage. Stretching the spine and pushing the legs can promote the growth of the spine and limbs. In addition, outdoor exercise in the sun is more helpful for growing taller, because the ultraviolet rays in the sun can convert 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin into vitamin D, and vitamin D can promote calcium absorption and is beneficial to bone growth. (That's right~ Vitamin D is absorbed through sun exposure!)

Some parents must have asked: Is it okay to sunbathe on the balcony at home?

No! Because glass blocks the UVB rays in the sun!

2. Sleep

The old saying "If you sleep well, you will grow well" is not without scientific basis. When the human body is in a sleeping state, especially in deep sleep, the secretion of growth hormone will increase significantly. There are two peak periods of growth hormone secretion:

The first peak: secretion during sleep at 10-11 pm

Second peak: 5-6 am

Therefore, if conditions permit, let your children go to bed before 10 pm and get up after 7 pm!

☞Doctor’s reminder:

Growth hormone increases bone mass by stimulating the synthesis of skeletal insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and causing cartilage precursor cell proliferation, osteoblast hypertrophy, bone remodeling and net mineralization. In addition, growth hormone can promote children's height growth by stimulating the growth of cartilage (especially epiphyseal plates).

3. Diet

Rich and balanced nutrition is very necessary and is the material basis for children's growth and development. We recommend that children actively consume calcium-rich foods (milk, dried shrimps, soy products), whole grains (corn, sweet potatoes), high-quality protein (chicken, fish, shrimp, beef, eggs), and fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. Be careful not to be picky or partial to food, eat less snacks, and avoid sweets.

☞ Parents must be reminded: Do not over-supplement! (Refuse cordyceps, ginseng, bird's nest, donkey-hide gelatin, royal jelly, etc., which are not suitable for children to eat. On the contrary, there is a risk of causing obesity and precocious puberty in children!)

4. Mental Health

Family is a hotbed for children's growth, and a good family environment is conducive to the physical and mental health of children. In addition, maintaining a good mood helps the secretion of growth hormone, which is also an effective catalyst for height growth.

5. Monitor your height regularly

☞Correct measurement method:

Three points in one line: Keep the occipital area, buttocks and heels in a straight line, with the heels close together and the toes at 45 degrees;

Four same principles: ensure the same measuring ruler, the same person measuring, the same measuring posture, and the same measuring time (the height measured in the morning and evening can differ by 1-2cm).