Girls tend to grow fast throughout their childhood and infancy. Once they attain puberty, growth continues at an accelerated pace. A girl will stop growing and attain adult height when she reached age 15, or a few years after menstruation kicks off. Here is more on growth in girls, what a parent should expect as it occurs, and when you should consult a paediatrician.
Effect of puberty on growth
Girls tend to have accelerated growth a year or two before they begin menstruating. Most girls experience puberty between ages 8 and 13. On the other hand, growth spurts tend to occur between the ages of 10 and 14. Girls usually grow 2 extra inches a year or two after they start their periods. This is the time when a girl reaches her adult height.
Some girls reach an adult height between ages 14 and 15. Of course, the age could be lower based on when she first started her periods. If your child does not begin her menstruation at age 15, consult your doctor.
The median height for girls
Based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, mean height corrected for age for an adult woman aged 20 years or above is about 64 inches. This slightly less than 5 feet, 4 inches.
Role of genetics in height
A girl’s height is influenced by that of the parents. Growth curves tend to run in the family. When the doctor is assessing your child growth to find out is she is showing normal growth, one of the thing he or she will want to know is parental height, history, and growth pattern.
There are several ways of predicting how tall your child will grow. The most common method is the mid parental height method. In this method, you add the father and mother’s height, then find the average. Then, subtract 2.5 inches from the average. To find a boy’s predicted adult height, simply add 2.5 inches to the average.
The values obtained through this method are estimates. You should expect a difference of plus or minus 4 inches in your child’s actual adult height. Generally, if the parents are tall, the child will also become tall.
Causes of delayed growth in girls
Several factors can impair your child’s growth. They range from medication all the way to malnutrition. Some girls experience delayed growth because of underlying health conditions like a deficiency in growth hormones, cancer arthritis.
A child who is not growing properly may be experiencing a deficiency in growth hormone caused by a faulty thyroid gland or inability of the body to utilize hormones properly. Fortunately, such problems treatable and the doctor can help your child growth properly with the help of growth hormones.
Growth hormone for height can help kids with stunted growth resume normal growth. A few weeks of treatment with Growth hormone for height will cause the body to resume a normal growth curve. However, you should only provide your child with Growth hormone for height once the doctor has assessed her condition.
Other possible causes of delayed growth include genetic diseases. For instance, a girl suffering from Down syndrome, Turner Syndrome or Noonan syndrome will appear shorter than members of her immediate family. Those with a condition like Marfan’s syndrome tend to become taller than members of their family.
The link between breast growth and puberty
The appearance of breasts in girls is a sign that they are approaching puberty. Usually, girls begin to develop breasts 2 years before they begin their periods. There are girls who develop breast buds a years after the first menstrual period. The buds don’t always show up together, but they usually show up within six months of each other.
Breast growth will stop once a girl reached puberty, that is, one to two years after the first period. But, it would not be unusual for the breasts to continue developing past puberty. She might experience a change in breast contour or shape up until age 18. In some cases, one breast might be a different size from the other. We would NOT recommend any breast cosmetic surgery for girls that are still in puberty. It’s best to wait after puberty when breasts are fully developed.
Do girls grow faster than boys?
Boys reach puberty later than girls. Generally, boys will begin puberty between ages 10 and 13. In addition, they experience a growth spurt between ages 12 and 15. That means that a boy will experience his biggest growth a year or two after a girl has had hers. In addition, some boys no longer gain height once they reach age 16, although they continue to experience muscular growth.
Final Word
Girls tend to achieve at least a foot more between childhood and puberty. For healthy growth, your child needs adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and proper exercise. Taking supplements like Truheight’s Vitamins can help support healthy bone growth and development in individuals aged 5-24 years old. If your child’s growth pattern is cause for concern, you should consult your health practitioner. The doctor will carry out tests to establish the underlying cause.