During the first few years of life, the child experiences a huge growth spurt. As a school child, the child grows less rapidly, but at a fixed growth rate, which decreases before the child enters puberty. During puberty the child goes through another growth spurt, after which the final height is reached. At the age of 17 or 18, growth is over and at most a few more centimeters are added. Boys continue to grow a little longer. They reach their final length around the age of twenty.

Growth in children

At the child health clinic, growth is monitored from birth to the age of four. As soon as a child reaches primary school age, the school doctor measures the child’s height. The measurement results are recorded in a growth curve. They show a certain growth line, which is compared with the average growth of children of the same age. Some children are above average, others below average. The child’s final height cannot be determined by extending the line on the growth curve to adulthood.

The growth curve

The middle line on the growth curve represents the average height of children at a certain age. The lines above and below the center line represent the height of most children. If a child’s height falls within this range, growth is normal. Of course, every child’s growth is different and not everyone grows at the same speed. Sometimes growth stops for a while and then follows a period in which the child grows faster. If the growth line threatens to extend beyond the outer lines, an additional check is recommended. There may be a growth disorder.

What factors influence growth?

There are several factors that influence growth. These are:

• Hereditary factors – Children of short parents often remain smaller than children of tall parents.
• Social factors – People are also growing taller due to circumstances such as: better nutrition, better housing and fewer diseases.
• Chronic diseases
• Congenital defects
• A deficiency of growth hormones
• Too much exercise
• Stress
• An unhealthy diet

The growth rate from o months to 18 years

A baby in the womb grows at an enormous speed. From 0 to 9 months, a baby grows about 50 cm. Between birth and the first birthday, the growth rate is halved to about 25 cm. The second year another 12 cm is added and then the growth rate drops even further. A child of primary school age grows approximately 5 to 7 cm per year. Before puberty begins, growth slows down. As an adolescent, the child has another growth spurt and grows approximately 12 cm per year. At the age of 17/18, the child is fully grown and will only gain a few centimeters at most. Girls grow up around the age of sixteen, boys around the age of twenty.

Growing under the influence of hormones

Children grow under the influence of hormones and growth factors. Growth hormones, sex hormones and thyroid hormones are responsible for this. A deficiency of growth hormones results in an abnormal growth line. This must then be further investigated. A deficiency can be supplemented with an artificial growth hormone.

When children lag behind in growth

Growth may also be delayed in children with congenital abnormalities. These children often remain small. That is why a special growth curve is used. Children who are born too small and too light for their gestational age often catch up before the fourth year.

How do boys grow during puberty?

Boys reach puberty around the age of eleven. This starts with physical changes, followed by a growth spurt. The growth spurt stops between the ages of 16 and 18. A boy then grows a few more centimeters and reaches his final height around the age of twenty. Boys are then about thirteen centimeters longer than girls.

How do girls grow during puberty?

Physical changes in girls begin around the age of ten. They reach puberty. A few years later menstruation begins. Girls are then about thirteen years old. After the onset of menstruation, the growth spurt stops and girls continue to grow about five centimeters. Growth stops around the age of sixteen.

Calculating the final length

There is a formula that allows you to calculate your child’s final height. This is based on the height of the parents and takes into account the gender of the child. For a boy, the calculation is as follows: Add the height of the father and mother together. Add thirteen, divide the result by two and add three. When calculating for a girl, you take the height of the father and mother and subtract thirteen. Divide the result by two and add three. Boys grow on average thirteen centimeters taller than girls. Therefore, this number is added to the height of a boy and subtracted from it for a girl. Each generation grows about three centimeters longer than the previous one, so three centimeters are added.