Children slow to increase height? The reason why?

Growth retardation is a phenomenon that can occur in children due to many different reasons. Understanding the root cause of this condition of the child helps parents to have a thorough treatment to promote the speed of development again

What is normal height growth?

Height growth is the increase in height over time, which occurs in children and adolescents under 20 years of age. A child with normal height growth will have the correct development progress according to the growth chart for the specified age. Parents can monitor the standard height and weight table according to the age of the child to determine the current growth rate of the child.

What are the signs to recognize a child with slow growth in height?

Growth retardation  occurs when a child does not grow at a normal rate for their age, comparable to other children of the same age. Depending on the underlying cause of the growth delay, they can have different symptoms that can include:

• Children with certain medical conditions that make them appear short, such as the size of their arms or legs, may not be proportionate to their torso.

• Children with low levels of the hormone thyroxine lead to loss of energy, constipation, dry skin, dry hair and difficulty keeping warm.

• Low growth hormone levels.

• Because stomach or intestinal diseases cause digestive upset, they may have blood in their stools, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, or nausea.

Causes of slow growth in height in children

There are many reasons, both objective and subjective, that slow down your child’s height growth. Here are some common reasons why your child is shorter than his peers:

Family history of short stature

In some cases, children have suboptimal growth rates due in part to genetics. Parents with short stature along with not investing in adequate care also make children slow to grow in height. However, this case is not the main cause because genetics account for only 23% of the impact on the child’s ability to increase height .

Growth hormone deficiency

Growth hormone is one of the conditions that help children develop favorable height. The pituitary gland is the organ responsible for the production of this hormone. The pituitary gland is not working properly or for some reason, the level of growth hormone is not enough can also slow down the growth of children.

Hypothyroidism

An infant or child with hypothyroidism has an underactive thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is responsible for releasing hormones that promote normal growth, including height growth. So slow growth could be a sign that the thyroid gland is underactive.

Turner syndrome

Turner syndrome is a genetic condition that affects women who have a part or one missing of an X chromosome. The incidence of Turner syndrome in females is 1 in 2500. Children with Turner may still produce excess amounts. growth hormone normally, but their bodies don’t use it effectively.

Other causes

• Children with down syndrome – a genetic condition that causes children to have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46.

• Disorders of bone production.

• Certain anemias.

• Diseases of the kidneys, heart, digestive tract, lungs.

• The mother uses special medicine during pregnancy or the child is taking medicine to treat the disease.

• Poor nutrition, unbalanced.

• Children are under prolonged stress.

How can children with delayed growth in height be effective?

You can chart your baby’s growth for six months or more. In addition to diagnosing growth retardation, your baby may also have some tests and imaging studies. X-rays of the hand and wrist provide important information about a child’s age-related bone development. Blood tests will identify problems with hormone imbalances or help detect certain diseases of the stomach, intestines, kidneys, or bones.

Some of the following measures help to improve the child’s growth retardation:

Give your child a nutritious meal

Nutrition accounts for 32% of the ability to determine a child’s height. Mother’s note that your child’s daily meal must ensure enough groups of substances: Starch, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. In particular, children need a lot of calcium, collagen type 2, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, iron … to develop optimal height.

These groups of substances can be supplemented through a number of foods: Fish, seafood, green vegetables, eggs, chicken, butter, milk, yogurt, tofu, soybeans, nuts… Nutrition according to the recommended needs according to age, enough 3 main meals and 2 snacks per day. In addition, it is necessary to limit children from eating fast foods, processed foods, using stimulants (tobacco, alcohol, beer)…

Encourage children to be active every day

Movement habits affect 20% of the child’s ability to develop height. Children need to exercise or play sports for at least 45-60 minutes/day to exercise their body. Exercise also stimulates the production of growth hormone and maintains bone health. Children can choose a suitable form of exercise such as swinging barbell, jumping rope, jogging, yoga, playing badminton, volleyball, basketball, swimming…

Sleep care for children

More than 90% of bone growth occurs during sleep, in deep sleep the body also secretes the largest amount of growth hormone during the day. Therefore, always remind your child to go to bed on time (before 10 pm) and sleep for 8-10 hours a day. For quality sleep, mothers should pay attention not to let their children stress, eat too much or use mobile phones and computers before bedtime.

Let your child use more complementary foods

One method that has the potential to promote a child’s growth is the use of complementary foods. These products work to provide the necessary amount of nutrients to nourish the bones. Nutrients in food are often deficient due to processing and storage, so food supplements will promptly make up for this deficiency.

However, the diverse market makes it difficult for parents to find a suitable health protection product for their children. Some criteria to help you choose to buy the right supplements to support height growth are as follows:

• Choose the type made in the US – where there is advanced medicine, modern technology lines and strict regulations for testing dietary supplements before exporting.

• Check the safety and quality certifications of the product.

• Optimal ingredients, easy to absorb form, right height increase.

• Trusted by millions of people around the world.

• Have an official distributor in Vietnam to avoid buying fake goods.