Following the stages of your child’s growth is one of the greatest pleasures of being a mother or father. You can see how your child is developing in every aspect, their cognitive functions evolving, their behavior, and of course, their physical appearance. And one of the most curious stages is when the growth spurt in children occurs, that phase where growth happens suddenly. But why does this happen? Is it the same for every child? Does it happen to both boys and girls? Could my child have a growth problem? All of these are very common questions about growth spurts, and we are going to clarify them as best as possible in today’s text.

Stages of Growth Spurts in Children

First of all, it’s important to understand how the stages of children’s growth occur. This way, it’s much easier to understand how and why growth spurts in children happen and how they differ from person to person. The three most well-known transformation stages are:

  • Infant Phase
  • Prepubertal Phase
  • Pubertal Phase

Let’s discuss each of these stages in more detail and explain their main characteristics.

Infant Phase

The infant phase lasts until roughly 3 years old, and the name indicates exactly the stage when children are still breastfeeding. The first year of life is when the most growth occurs, with about 25 cm of growth, depending on the baby’s genetic factors, of course. This growth tends to decrease, dropping to 15 cm in the second year of life and varying between 4 and 6 cm in the following years.

Prepubertal Phase

This growth stage occurs from the child’s third year of life until they enter puberty. The average growth rate usually stays the same, varying from 4 to 6 cm per year. During this phase, it’s also possible to notice some hormone effects beginning to appear.

Pubertal Phase

Puberty is the stage when the child’s growth speeds up again, and can even reach up to 14 cm per year. By the end of this phase, this growth tends to slow down, as happened in the infant phase, until the person reaches their maximum height. All this growth and development will also depend on the child’s genetics.

How Do Growth Spurts Happen in Boys?

There are some slight differences when it comes to growth spurts in boys and girls. First of all, the final growth spurt stage, during puberty, usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 17, which means other aspects of their maturity also appear around this age. Boys tend to grow, on average, 13 cm more than girls, but there are many factors that can make each individual have their own development, and this doesn’t mean one is better or worse than the other.

How Do Growth Spurts Happen in Girls?

For girls, this process tends to happen a bit earlier than for boys. The pubertal growth spurt usually takes place between 10 and 15 years of age, and development in other parts of the body, such as hormonal changes, tend to mature earlier as well. The actual growth spurt happens over 2 to 3 years, after which growth tends to slow down until the girl reaches her maximum height.

Are Growing Pains Normal?

The so-called growing pain affects almost half of all children, meaning it’s quite common. But what many don’t know is that bone growth itself does not cause any pain. What can cause pain in a child, then, is excessive physical activity or a type of activity performed when their body isn’t yet prepared for it. That’s why many doctors don’t like to use the term growing pain. If a child constantly complains of pain in their legs, joints, or arms at bedtime, it’s important to take them to a pediatrician to rule out any other health issues.

Factors That Influence Children’s Height

As we mentioned earlier, there are several factors that might cause a child to grow more or less than others. Some of them are:

  • Genetic factors
  • The environmental conditions where the child lives
  • The child’s diet
  • Physical activities practiced
  • Diseases
  • The child’s sleep

The final height of a child will be a combination of all these factors, which means it’s not possible to know if a child will be very tall or very short simply because of their genetics, even though this is one of the main influences. And as you can see, there are health conditions that can also affect this growth. But what are these illnesses?

Diseases That Can Affect Growth

Some of the main illnesses that can affect growth spurts in children are:

  • Growth Disorders
  • Anemia
  • Heart Problems

We’ll talk about each of them so you can better understand how they may affect a child’s development.

Growth Disorder

A growth disorder, as the name suggests, is a condition that directly affects a child’s height. It occurs due to a problem in a hormone called GH, which is one of the main hormones responsible for growth. The treatment involves hormone replacement.

Anemia

Anemia is usually caused by a lack of iron in a child’s body, which directly affects their growth, as the body needs this nutrient for development. Treatment needs to be a combination of diet and medication so that the issue is resolved and does not significantly harm the child’s growth.

Heart Problems

Problems like swelling of the heart, for example, may impede a child’s development. This is the most important muscle in the body, and for that reason, several diseases can cause this side effect, as well as various ways to treat them.

How to Stimulate a Child’s Growth?

If a mother or father wants to stimulate their child’s growth, it’s important to consider all the factors that influence a child’s growth spurt, such as their diet, their sleep, and the sports they play. The best way to ensure your child grows in a healthy way is to make sure they have a healthy lifestyle, with good nutrition and good habits. This not only helps with growth, but also helps prevent diseases that can harm your child’s development. As you can see, there are several factors that influence not only the size of a child, but also how they will grow and at what stage in life it happens. It is not unusual for parents to worry about the speed at which their children grow, but it’s always important to remember that each person has their own pace of physical, intellectual, and cognitive development. That’s why, most of the time, this is not a cause for concern. Of course, there can be certain problems, as we mentioned here, but in specific cases, you should seek a doctor’s advice for the right treatment. Childhood is a time of many changes, and the growth spurt in children is just one more. Your child will go through many more stages that may leave you with questions. Of that, you can be sure.See also: Child Malnutrition – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Photo: pxhere