HEIGHT DEVELOPMENT

DEFINITION
Human height or stature is the distance from the bottom of the feet
to the top of the head in a human body, standing erect. It is measured using
a stadiometer, usually in centimetres when using the metric system, or feet
and inches when using the imperial system.

HEIGHT DEVELOPMENT OF A BABY

Birth

The average newborn is 19.5 inches long and weighs 7.25 pounds. Boys have a
head circumference of about 13.5 inches and girls measure in at 13.3 inches,
according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Birth to 4 Days Old

A baby drops 5 to 10 percent of his

total body weight in his first few days
of life because of the fluid he loses
through urine and stool,
says Parents advisor Ari Brown, M.D.,
author of Baby 411.

5 Days to 3 Months

Babies gain about an ounce a day on

average during this period, or half a
pound per week, and they should be
back to their birthweight by their
second-week visit. Expect a growth
surge around 3 weeks and then
another one at 6 weeks.
3 Months to 6 Months

A baby should gain about half a pound every two weeks. By 6 months, she should
have doubled her birthweight.

7 Months to 12 Months

A child is still gaining about a pound a month. If you're nursing, your baby may not
gain quite this much, or he may dip slightly from one percentile to another on the
growth chart. "At this point, babies may also burn more calories because they're
starting to crawl or cruise," says Tanya Altmann, M.D., a Los Angeles pediatrician
and author of Mommy Calls. Even so, by the time he reaches his first birthday,
expect him to have grown 10 inches in length and tripled his birthweight and his
head to have grown by about 4 inches.

Growth for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Big Kids

Age 1

Toddlers will grow at a slower pace this year but will gain about a half a pound a
month and will grow a total of about 4 or 5 inches in height.

Age 2

A kid will sprout about 3 more inches by the end of her third year and will have
quadrupled her birthweight by gaining about 4 more pounds. By now, your
pediatrician will be able to make a fairly accurate prediction about her adult height.

Ages 3 and 4

A preschooler will grow about 3 inches and gain 4 pounds each year. You may also
find that your child starts to shed the baby fat from his face and looks lankier, since
kids' limbs grow more by the time they are preschoolers, says Daniel Rauch, M.D.,
associate professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City.

Ages 5+

Kids will grow about 2 inches and gain 4 pounds each year until puberty (usually
between 8 and 13 for girls and 10 and 14 for boys). Girls often reach their full height
about two years after their first period. Boys usually hit their adult height around
age 17.

Factors that Affect Height

There are several factors that can affect your height either in a positive or
negative way. Generally, these factors can be categorized into the following:
 1. Genetic Factors
For the most part, your height is
determined by genetic factors.
However, if your parents are both short
or of average height, it doesnt mean
that youll suffer the same fate. Height
is a polygenic trait, meaning that its
influenced by a range of genes. If there
are tall people in your family tree,
chances are that the tall gene could be
passed down to you.

Theres no way to accurately calculate how tall you can grow until you reach
full physical adulthood. But you can use this simple formula to estimate your
height potential:

Predicted height in inches = (the sum of both your parents height, +5 if you
are a boy or -5 if you are a girl) / 2
The answer youll get is your predicted height plus or minus 4 inches. Keep in
mind that while this is just a rough estimation, it should still be very close to
the eventual height youll attain.

2. Non-Genetic Factors
Other non-genetic factors can have an impact on your growth potential
too. Most of these factors are determined by the environment an
individual finds him/herself in while growing up. Being tall is
associated with growth. So, factors which hinder growth will also
have the same effect on your height.

Some of the non-genetic factors that will affect

your height include:

Exposure to tobacco smoke during fetal

development
Illness during childhood or puberty
Quality of parental or postnatal care
Low birth weight
While many factors that determine height are beyond your control,
there are several things you can do to reach your full height. With that in
mind, here are top ways to increase height and grow taller naturally.
 TIPS TO GROW TALLER NATURALLY AND INCREASE
HEIGHT
1. Get Adequate Sleep
When it comes to restful sleep, it gos without saying that this is one of the
more important factors for healthy growth. Research suggests that growing
teens need at least 8 hours of rest every
night, with 11 hours being far more
effective at promoting healthy growth.

Adequate sleep is essential because the

body grows and regenerates tissue during rest. Our
brains release Human Growth Hormone specifically when
we are in the slow wave and deep sleep cycles. So, if youre not getting
adequate sleep, this will result in low amounts of HGH being produced thus
keeping you from growing to your maximum height.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to get adequate sleep. For
starters, make sure to manage your time so that you have enough hours to
sleep even after a long day. Secondly, create a conducive sleeping
environment to ensure that you get your beauty sleep. Eliminate factors that
can interfere with sleep like strong lights and noises. Also, avoid drinking
caffeinated drinks before going to bed because they will steal precious
sleeping time.

Instead of coffee, opt for chamomile tea before retiring to bed since it has
the ability to induce sleep. In addition, taking a warm bath just before
bedtime can greatly improve your quality of sleep.

2. Eat Healthy
Eating healthy is absolutely essential when it comes to supporting proper
growth since its important to ensure that youre getting all the nutrients
your body needs to grow and develop fully. The key to eating healthy is to
stick to a balanced diet and avoid junk food. In order to grow to your full
height, practice the following healthy eating habits:

Get Enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for healthy bone development, especially in
children. You can get vitamin D from foods such as fish, mushrooms dairy
products, eggs, pork, alfalfa, and tofu or by getting adequate sunlight
exposure.
 Get Enough Calcium
Intake of calcium is also very important since bones require this nutrient to
grow and develop. Rich sources of calcium mostly include cheese, soybeans,
sardines, green vegetables, dairy products and fortified cereals.

Eat Zinc
Increase your zinc intake with foods such as peas, asparagus, eggs,
chocolate and oysters to further promote healthy development. Zinc is
especially important in children since lack of it causes stunted growth.