As parents, it’s perfectly normal to worry about our children’s health. That worry extends to how fast they’re growing and how tall they will be as adults.
As parents, it’s perfectly normal to worry about our children’s health. That worry extends to how fast they’re growing and how tall they will be as adults.
Height gives us an advantage in many areas of life, including social interactions, careers, and romantic relationships. Naturally, parents want this advantage for their children. So when you see that your child seems to be shorter than his or her peers, you want to do everything you can to ensure that he or she catches up.
Fortunately, there are many ways to boost your child’s growth naturally. Read on for our tips on how to make kids grow taller.
Can you help increase your child’s height?
Your child’s final adult height is determined by numerous factors, including ones that are beyond your control. Genetics, for instance, dictates that your child’s height will be somewhere between those of his or her parents.
Your child’s growth pattern may also follow yours. So if you lagged behind your peers but had a growth spurt in your teens, your child may do the same. In puberty, a typical child will grow about 3 to 4 inches every year.
Despite what advertisements for vitamin supplements say, there’s no surefire way to increase your child’s height quickly. But you can make sure that your child gets proper nutrition and sufficient exercise, both of which are essential to good health and normal growth.
What should children eat to grow taller?
If the body does not get the right amounts of the essential vitamins and minerals, growth and development can be stunted. For a child to reach his or her full height potential, there must be a conscious effort to eat a balanced diet.
Make sure that your child gets sufficient levels of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Each meal must contain food items from each of the main food groups — vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy.
Calcium is important for developing bodies. Without it, bones cannot grow stronger and longer. Your child can get calcium from dairy products like yogurt, which helps increase bone density and improve muscle growth.
Aside from dairy, fruits are also great sources of calcium. Apricots, oranges, kiwis, blackberries, and papaya are all rich in calcium.
Eggs are a good source of protein. They also contain other important nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin B6, zinc, copper, and iron. Chicken meat is a healthy protein source because it’s loaded with protein but is low in fat.
Simple carbs like white bread and pasta cause spikes in blood sugar and can lead to problems like obesity and diabetes. Feed your child whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and bread made from whole wheat flour instead. Whole grains contain B vitamins, protein, and zinc, all of which encourage growth.
Nutrient-rich vegetables like carrots and spinach should also be regular items in your child’s diet. Carrots contain vitamin A, which plays a crucial role in protein metabolism. Spinach is rich in calcium and iron, which are both essential to bone and muscle growth.
What can you do to help your child grow taller?
Aside from providing and making sure your child eats a variety of healthy foods, there are some things you can do to help your child grow taller faster.
• Encourage your child to get moving
Physical activity keeps bones strong and muscles toned and ready to elongate. Doctors say that children should have at least an hour of exercise daily.
To satisfy this requirement, provide opportunities for exercise every day. Let your children walk to the store. Park a block away from school and let them walk.
Encourage your children to get into sports instead of lounging on the couch all day long. Give them chores like mowing the lawn, walking the dog, and helping with the grocery shopping.
There are those who say that hanging and stretching exercises can help promote growth because these movements stretch the muscles and decompress the spine.
• Let your child sleep
During sleep, the body releases human growth hormone into the bloodstream. Without enough sleep, the body cannot grow and develop normally.
Children, with their developing bodies, need more sleep than adults. Adolescents and preteens need about 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night.
Conclusion
Eating well, getting enough exercise, and getting sufficient sleep are the best ways to ensure that the body reaches its maximum growth potential. But if you feel like your child was growing normally and his or her growth has suddenly stalled, consult your pediatrician. Your child may have a growth issue that can be treated using human growth hormone therapy.
HGH therapy can also hope children who are short in stature for no discernible reason reach their full adult size. Visit Taller Kids if you want to learn more about how to make kids grow taller and about human growth hormone therapy for short kids.