At what age do girls stop growing in height?

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Girls tend to mature more quickly than boys, and the age at which girls stop growing will depend on the age at which they first menstruated. However, every girl's physical condition is different, so some girls may have early or late puberty. This significantly affects the growth of girls.

1. When will a girl stop growing in height?

The timing of puberty plays a key role in determining when a girl will stop growing in height. The age at which a girl reaches her adult height will depend on when she starts menstruating.
Some of the first signs of puberty in girls usually include breast growth, hair growth in the pubic area or under the arms, and discharge. These are all signs that girls may soon start growing taller faster than before. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, girls going through puberty will experience a growth spurt after their breasts begin to develop or two to three years after their first menstrual cycle.
Girls will stop growing and reach their final adult height only 2 – 2.5 years after their first menstrual cycle. Most girls will grow in height at a rapid rate during childhood. When reaching puberty, the growth rate of female height increases suddenly. In general, girls usually stop growing by the age of 14 or 15.
MORE: Child height development milestones

2. How does puberty affect height growth in girls?

Most girls will have a great height growth in 1-2 years before the start of menstruation. Puberty in girls usually occurs between the ages of 8 and 13, and the growth of height in girls usually occurs between the ages of 10 and 14. Height in girls only increases by 1-2 inches for a year or two after the first menstrual period. And this is also the time when children reach their adult height.
Most girls will reach their adult height by the age of 14 or 15. However, this age may be less depending on when a girl first gets her period. If the child is 15 years old but has not started menstruating, parents should take the child to see a pediatrician for specific advice on delayed puberty.

3. Is the growth rate of height in girls different from boys?

Usually, puberty comes a little later in boys than in girls. In general, boys will begin puberty between the ages of 10 and 13 and experience a growth spurt between the ages of 12 and 15. This means that the strongest rate of height growth in boys occurs about 2 years later than in girls.
Also, most boys will stop increasing in height by the age of 16, however their muscles can continue to grow.

4. What is the average height of a girl?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average age-adjusted height for adult women 20 years and older is 63.7 inches, which equates to under 5 feet. 4 inches.
According to research, about half of girls in the US will be less than 50.2 inches (127.5 cm) by the time they are 8 years old. This proves that a lot of growth happens in a short period of time.
Below is an estimate of the average height for women by age in inches and centimeters.

5. What role does genetics play in the growth of height in girls?

Each person's height is significantly affected by the height of the father and mother. Therefore, height growth patterns often tend to run in families. When assessing a child's growth, pediatricians often ask parents to provide basic information about their own height, family height history, and growth patterns.
In addition, some other methods can also be applied to predict the height of a girl. One of the most popular methods is to predict the child's height through the height of the parents. For this calculation, you will proceed to add the heights of both mom and dad (in inches), then divide by two. Next, subtract 2.5 inches from the divisor. Conversely, for boys, an additional 2.5 inches will be added to give the final height prediction.
For example, if a girl has a father who is 72 inches tall and her mother is 66 inches tall, then her predicted height will be calculated in the following way:
B1: 72 + 66 = 138 B2: 138/2 = 69 B3: 69 – 2.5 = 66.5 So the girl's predicted height is 66.5 inches, equivalent to 5 feet 6.5 inches. However, this number is only a rough estimate, in fact the error range can be up to 4 inches. But in general, the taller the parents, the taller the children will be and vice versa.
SEE ALSO: Height development for children in puberty

6. What causes growth retardation in girls?

Reality shows that there are many important factors that greatly influence a person's growth, which can range from malnutrition to medication use.
Some girls may experience delayed growth due to certain health conditions, such as severe arthritis, growth hormone problems or cancer. In addition, certain genetic conditions are strongly linked to developmental delays in girls. For example, in girls with Noonan syndrome, Down syndrome, or Turner syndrome, they may be shorter than other family members. However, girls with Marfan syndrome may be taller than other members of the same bloodline.
If you are concerned about your child's development, you should contact your pediatrician for a thorough consultation. When girls reach puberty, growth stops a few years after their first menstrual period. In general, if a child has growth retardation during puberty, he or she will have less time to grow in height before the end of the growth spurt.

7. When should the child see the doctor?

In cases where the physical development of girls seems to be far ahead or behind that of their peers, then parents should take the child to see a pediatrician as soon as possible. For girls who do not show signs of breast development by the age of 13 or do not have their first period by the age of 15 or 16, puberty is considered delayed. On the other hand, if a girl shows signs of puberty at 6 or 7 years old, it will be considered precocious puberty.
Health care experts say that, if a girl has one of these two conditions, it is best for parents to take her to see a pediatrician to check to see if she is having medical problems. or hormones cause early/delayed puberty or not. In addition, the doctor may also perform a bone age X-ray to determine if a child is on track to attain average adult height.
SEE ALSO: Nutritional menu for height development

8. How to grow optimal height for girls?

Girls can grow in height from infancy until puberty. In general, in order to achieve optimal and healthy height, girls need to establish good habits from early childhood, including getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods and exercising. everyday.
In addition, if there is any abnormality in the growth of the child's height, it is best for parents to contact the pediatrician as soon as possible to help the child grow optimally.
With many years of experience in examining and treating diseases in children, the Pediatrics Department at Vinmec International General Hospital has become one of the major health care centers, capable of examining and screening. filtering and treating many diseases in depth. Therefore, if the child shows signs of early puberty, delayed growth in height, parents can take the child to Vinmec International General Hospital to examine and screen for early puberty and receive support and advice. from doctors and nutritionists to help children develop comprehensively and be healthy.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

References: healthline.com, .parents.com