Children grow taller because their bones grow longer. This bone elongation occurs at the growth plate, a cartilaginous structure that is located near the ends of many bones in children, including long bones, the short tubular bones of the hands and feet, and the vertebrae.
Growth in height is driven by elongation of long bones due to chondrogenesis at the epiphyseal plates, also known as the growth plate.
It's important to note that if you're under 18 and your growth plates haven't closed yet, there is still a chance to grow taller naturally through exercise, good sleep habits, and a nutritious diet. However, if you haven't been growing naturally for a long time, it's advisable to seek medical advice.
As puberty progresses, the growth plates mature, and at the end of puberty they fuse and stop growing. The whole of the skeleton does not stop growing at the same time; hands and feet stop first, then arms and legs, with the last area of growth being the spine.
At that point growth plates are considered closed. Typically, girls' growth plates close when they're about 14-15 years old on average. Boys' growth plates close by around the time they turn 16-17 on average. This occurs earlier in some individuals and later in others.
Growth plates are areas of cartilage at the ends of bones that are key to a child's ability to grow. Once a growth plate hardens into solid bone it closes forever – meaning the child's growth is complete. Typically, that happens around age 14 for girls and age 16 for boys, although it can vary widely.
As mentioned in one of the articles one good way to see if you still have growth potential is to X-ray a wrist- the test is called a Pediatric Bone Age. It will show if your growth plates are still open. A doctor can also request lab tests- checking for hormones- such as thyroid, growth hormone and sex hormones.
Teens might have slower growth if they: don't get enough protein, calories, and other nutrients in their diet. have a long-lasting (chronic) medical condition, such as problems with the kidneys, heart, lungs, and intestines. have sickle cell anemia.
In males, there are typically two major growth spurts that occur during childhood and adolescence: Childhood Growth Spurt: This growth spurt occurs between the ages of two to three years and ten to twelve years. During this time, boys typically grow at a steady rate of about two to three inches per year.
Symptoms of Growth Plate Injuries
Deformity, warmth, or swelling at the end of a bone. Changes in how your child bends their limb. Inability to move, put pressure on, or bear weight on a limb because of pain.
Menstruation has started within the last one to two years for girls. Other signs that you may have stopped growing include slowed development over the last one to two years, completion of pubic and underarm hair growth, stable shoe size, and for girls, the onset of menstruation within the last one to two years ( 12 ).
Hormones and the physis
Oestrogen causes maturation of the growth plate, accelerating skeletal maturation and the accumulation of minerals into the cartilage. Oestrogen also promotes the closure of the physis, stopping the axial growth of the bone.
How to predict how tall a child will be. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people may wish to try the following formula for predicting how tall a child will be: Measure the height of both biological parents. For male children, add 5 inches (in) to the father's height, add the mother's height, then divide by 2.
Hormones from the brain trigger the start of puberty. Hormones are chemical messengers that tell the body what to do. In males: The hormones tell the testicles to make the hormone testosterone and sperm. In females: The hormones tell the ovaries to make the hormone estrogen and triggers the growth and release of eggs.
Key takeaways: The term “late bloomer” refers to a child who goes through puberty later than their peers. Constitutional growth delay, the medical term for this condition, runs in families. Late bloomers will catch up on their growth and have standard adult height, although it may take a little extra time and patience.
Once the growth spurt has occurred and height growth begins to slow, the end of this heightened period of growing is coming to a close. If a teen is a late bloomer, it's possible to grow beyond age 18.
6 Signs Your Kid is Having a Growth Spurt | Abbott Nutrition
And while it's difficult to say just how much your child will grow during this time, you can count on most of it happening, for girls, between 10 and 14 years, and, for boys, between 12 and 16 years.
Age is obviously a primary criterion in determining if it is possible to grow 10 cm or more. Growth is generally considered to be completed around the age of twenty, at which time the growth plates close. Then it is no longer possible to grow naturally.
Most people attain their final adult height at 18. Increasing your height after 18 is not possible, even through nutrition and exercise, because the growth plates stop growing. The growth plates (epiphyseal plates) are present at the end of long bones.
There are many other changes associated with puberty, which we will discuss in detail below. An adolescent may expect to grow several inches in several months followed by a period of very slow growth, then will typically have another growth spurt.
Add the mother's height to the father's height in either inches or centimeters. Add 5 inches (13 centimeters) for boys or subtract 5 inches (13 centimeters) for girls. Divide by 2.
When children or teens break bones, they may damage their growth plates at the same time. (Other injuries, such as sprains, can also damage growth plates.) If the growth plate is damaged by a fracture or another injury, the bone may stop growing. This serious problem is called a growth arrest.