All children want to grow up quickly. Staying small is something out of scary fairy tales, such as “Little Mook” or “Dwarf Nose,” for example. True, in fairy tales a good wizard appears, and everything ends well. But it happens that a kind wizard appears in life - an endocrinologist, and then the dwarf begins to grow and turns into a beautiful young man.
What affects a child's growth? Firstly, of course, heredity. If mom and dad are short, it is difficult to expect that their daughter will have the height of a fashion model. In addition to heredity, growth is determined by many other things: nutrition, daily routine, and even the psychological atmosphere in the family.
A child should eat a lot of dairy products, as they contain calcium - a building material for a growing body. Every day you need to give your baby vegetables and fruits, because he needs vitamins. Carrots containing beta-carotene are especially useful. In order for this microelement to be better absorbed, raw carrots must be grated and seasoned with sour cream or butter. Protein products – meat, fish – are also necessary for normal growth. If the child is thin and eats sluggishly, it is useful to give him caviar (of course, in the absence of food allergies).
Those children who spend a lot of time outdoors, play outdoor games, and play sports grow better. By the way, if you want your child to be taller, when you choose a sports section, give preference not to strength sports, but to basketball, volleyball, and tennis.
Sleep plays a special role; it is not for nothing that they say that children grow in their sleep: 70% of growth hormone - somatotropin - is produced at night. If you put your baby to bed late, he sleeps restlessly, often wakes up, and the production of growth hormone is disrupted.
How to get your baby to fall asleep early and sleep soundly? We will have to temporarily subordinate the way of life of the entire family to the interests of the child. Turn off the TV early and send guests away. In the evening, play only calm games with your baby; before bed, tell a story, read or sing a lullaby. You can listen to calm music together.
The general atmosphere in the family is also very important for the child’s growth. There is such a concept - psycho-emotional short stature. It occurs in children not only in dysfunctional families. You can feed a child well, dress him well, buy him excellent toys, and at the same time not truly love him, but buy him off with expensive gifts to make up for his feelings of guilt.
When a child lacks true love and warmth, his growth slows down. Recently, psychologists calculated that in order for a family to have a favorable psycho-emotional atmosphere, it is necessary to hug and kiss loved ones at least eight times a day.
When to sound the alarm
The child grows fastest in the first year: his height increases by about 25 cm. Then the pace decreases: in the second year the baby grows by 8–12 cm, then by 4–6 cm annually.
If during the third year of life the child has grown less than 4 cm, he should be shown to an endocrinologist. Sometimes parents do not pay attention to the fact that their baby is lagging behind his peers in growth, and only realize it in adolescence, when it is already difficult to correct anything. If they had contacted specialists in time, they would have helped the child grow up.
Fortunately, most short children have what is called constitutional growth retardation. It turns out that their parents grew up in much the same way: for a long time they were at the bottom of physical education classes, and then suddenly they grew up and found themselves in the top five. These are boys and girls with late puberty. They do not require any treatment; they will catch up, or even surpass their peers by the age of 16–18.
But in some cases, a special examination - carried out only in a hospital - reveals a deficiency of growth hormone (GH) in the body. GH is produced by the pituitary gland under the control of hypothalamic structures. Its deficiency may be genetically determined or associated with disorders in the endocrine system. Previously, the fate of such children was predetermined; they were doomed to dwarf growth: a boy did not grow above 140 cm, and a girl - 130 cm. Today they can be helped.
Magic drops
Such children need treatment with growth hormone. GH, which is synthesized using a genetic engineering method, is identical to natural one and has virtually no side effects. Only a specialist can prescribe growth hormone after examination. Treatment lasts several years until the growth zones close (this is determined using an x-ray of the hands) and the growth effect ceases. GH is administered daily using a special syringe pen, the design of which allows not to lose a single drop of the precious drug.
GH deficiency is often combined with other endocrine pathology: dysfunction of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, gonads, so treatment should be carried out under the constant supervision of an endocrinologist.
GH drugs are very expensive, a course of treatment for a month costs a thousand dollars, but Russian children are treated with GH drugs for free. What are the results? In the first year of treatment, it is possible to achieve an increase in height by 8–12 cm, in the second – by 6–8, and in the third – by 4–6. In the first two years, the body is saturated with the hormone, then growth rates become the same as in healthy children. The earlier treatment is started, the more effective it is.
Moscow endocrinologists have a patient whose height is now ninety-five meters, although without treatment he would not have grown above one and a half meters.
With familial short stature, the effect of using GH drugs is lower than with growth hormone deficiency; they need to be administered in larger quantities. In this case, you can increase your height by only 6–8 cm. If the parents’ height does not exceed 150–160 cm, the children’s height will be approximately the same.
Parents often ask doctors whether the second child will also grow poorly if the first child has a growth hormone deficiency? No, the second one can be born absolutely healthy, but before planning a pregnancy, you need to seek medical genetic consultation.
By the way
To determine approximately what the child's height will be when he becomes an adult, you need to add up the height of the mother and the height of the father, divide the resulting amount by two, and then add 6.5 centimeters for a boy or subtract the same amount if we are talking about a girl.
Our information
Muscovites can be examined for stunted growth at the Endocrinological Dispensary, tel. (499) 246–27–66, residents of other cities - in the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology of the Endocrinological Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, tel. (495) 124–02–66.
What determines child's height and is it possible to influence it using available methods? In most cases, a child's height is determined by genes - if you want to know the baby's height, look at his parents. However, the genetic program for growth can be influenced by a number of factors.
Children grow fastest in the first year of life: approximately 25 cm. By the 2nd year they add another 8–12 cm, by the 3rd year 7–8 cm, then the growth rate is approximately 4–6 cm per year. But if a child after 4 years grows less than 4 cm per year, this is a cause for concern. Therefore, it is recommended to record the baby’s growth approximately once a year at one time.
Genes and factors
Health problems can affect a child's growth. For example, chronic diseases of the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels, hormonal disorders. Systematic intake of medications containing glucocorticosteroid hormones (say, to relieve asthma attacks) also slows growth.
It happens that babies born with height and weight below normal grow poorly. Even despite the care of their parents, about 10% of such children after 4 years of age still lag behind their peers. A similar delay occurs in children whose mother or father is shorter than 160 cm. Doctors find only constitutional growth retardation in most children.
There is no pathology, but the child remains the smallest in the class for a long time. In such children, as a rule, puberty begins later: thus, nature prolongs their growth time. As a result, children usually reach their normal level without any treatment.
Visit to an endocrinologist
The growth hormone (GH) is responsible for human growth. Thyroid and sex hormones and insulin are also important, but due to growth they are active only in the presence of normal levels of growth hormone. It turns out that a deficiency of one or more of the listed hormones or an excess of adrenal hormones can cause growth retardation and cannot be avoided without proper treatment.
Endocrine growth retardation, fortunately, is found in only less than 1% of children. A real lack of growth hormone leads to dwarfism (dwarfism): boys grow up to 140 cm, girls up to 130 cm. Thus, the sooner parents contact an endocrinologist and receive an appropriate prescription for treatment, the greater the chances that their child will grow to average or even taller.
Is it possible to influence a child's growth?
What growth factors can parents influence? First of all, on healthy nutrition.
* For a child to grow normally, his body needs everything to build long tubular bones, muscles, teeth, skin and other tissues and organs. Amino acids from complete protein are practically the main building material. 60% of protein foods must be dairy products, fish, poultry, eggs, meat - i.e. products of animal origin. But at the same time, you need to make sure that these products are not excessively fatty, because... fat slows down the production of growth hormone.
* 40% of the diet should be plant foods. First of all, cereals. Observance of religious fasts and vegetarianism, fast food and processed foods are unacceptable for children!
* Carbohydrates provide energy for growth, but they must be obtained from the same grains and cereals. Whole grains (buckwheat, pearl barley, millet, etc.) perfectly increase the synthesis of necessary growth hormone. Sweets that lack fiber slow down the production of growth hormone! Instead of candy, it is better for your child to buy fresh fruit.
*Vitamins and minerals are very important for growth. First of all, it is vitamin D, the lack of which leads to rickets.
* We must not forget about calcium and iodine. At 6-10 years of age, children should receive 150 mcg of iodine and 800–1200 mg of calcium per day. Teenagers – 200 mcg of iodine and 1200–1500 mg of calcium.
In addition to nutrition, the regime is extremely important: the child must receive emotional and physical stress, while getting good rest.
What else affects growth?
* 70% of growth hormone is produced from 22 to 24 hours - exclusively during deep sleep. Children under 12-14 years old need to sleep at least 10 hours, teenagers - at least 8! Using a smartphone, tablet or computer before bed significantly reduces the depth of sleep, so the production of growth hormone will be incomplete!
* Almost any physical activity that does not force you to overexert yourself helps your child grow. Traditionally, sports that require jumping and stretching help growth: basketball, volleyball, badminton, swimming, long jump and high jump.
* “Psycho-emotional short stature” - the cause is not a deficiency of growth hormone, but a very bad atmosphere in the family.
An individual growth program is individual and different for each person, having its own characteristics, but there are still general patterns. Men grow on average to 18–22 years of age, women to 15–19 years of age.
Some children grow up quickly, while others remain the smallest in the class for a long time. What determines growth and is it possible to influence it using methods available to parents?
Experts
- Tatiana Garats
- Maria Petrovskaya, pediatrician, department of diagnostics and rehabilitative treatment of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “SCCHD” of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences
- Elena Roslavtseva, Candidate of Medical Sciences, pediatrician of the highest category, highly qualified pediatric gastroenterologist and nutritionist, senior researcher, Federal State Budgetary Institution “SCCHD” of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences
- Irina Shirokova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, endocrinologist of the highest qualification category, Federal State Budgetary Institution "SCHD" RAMS
If you want to know the height of a child, look at his mom and dad. In most cases, it is their genes that determine how tall a person will be. However, a number of factors can influence the genetically determined growth program. As a result, about 5% of children grow poorly, frightening their parents and forcing them to consult doctors.
Babies grow most noticeably in the first year of life: by about 25 cm. By the age of two they gain another 8-12 cm, by three - 7-8 cm, then the growth rate is 4-6 cm per year. Record your heir's height approximately once a year at the same time. Whether the growth is normal can most accurately be determined from the so-called central tables, which all pediatricians and other pediatric doctors have. They are also available on the Internet, but without the appropriate knowledge it is difficult to understand them. However, if a child grows less than 4 cm per year after age 4, there is indeed cause for concern.
FOR CALCULATION FANS
There are formulas that allow you to calculate your child's genetically determined height. However, their error is quite large - 5-10 cm.
Girls = (father's height in centimeters + mother's height in centimeters)/2 - 6.5 cm.
Boys = (father's height in centimeters + mother's height in centimeters)/2 + 6.5 cm
GENES AND FACTORS
Health problems may affect growth. For example, chronic diseases of the respiratory system, heart and blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, hormonal disorders. Regular use of medications containing glucocorticosteroid hormones (for example, to relieve asthma attacks) also slows growth.
It happens that babies who were born with a weight and height below normal grow poorly. Despite parental care and proper nutrition, 10% of such children, even after 4 years, lag behind their peers. A similar delay may also occur in those children whose one parent is shorter than 160 cm. Just don’t panic! In most children, doctors find only so-called constitutional growth retardation. There is no pathology, but the child remains the smallest in the class for a long time. As a rule, in such children, puberty begins later - at 14-16 years old: in this way, nature prolongs their growth time. As a result, they usually reach their normal level without any treatment, although they are unlikely to become really high. More often, this option occurs in boys, whose parents, especially fathers, at one time grew up just as slowly.
VISIT TO AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST
Somatotropic hormone (STH) (“growth hormone”) is responsible for growth in the human body. Sex hormones of the thyroid gland and insulin are also important, but in relation to growth they are active only if there is a normal level of growth hormone. It turns out that a deficiency of one or more of the listed hormones or an excess of adrenal hormones entails growth retardation and without appropriate treatment the matter will not progress.Fortunately, endocrine growth retardation is detected in only less than 1% of children whose parents complain about it. A real lack of growth hormone leads to dwarfism, or dwarfism, then boys grow no more than 140 cm, girls - up to 130 cm. The sooner parents contact an endocrinologist and receive an appointment for GH injections, the greater the chance that a small patient will grow to average height or even higher. Moreover, if the first child was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, and the parents are planning a second one, in most cases the second child does not repeat this hormonal problem.
BONE AGE
Bone (biological) age shows whether the growth and overall development of bones corresponds to how old and months old the child is. This is a more accurate indicator than height or body weight. In children's bones there are so-called growth zones, due to which the skeleton can increase. These growth plates gradually close towards the end of puberty, the skeleton ossifies and growth stops. Bone age allows doctors to understand how long the child will continue to grow, whether it is necessary to look for hormonal pathology, or whether there is no reason for this. True, even in healthy children, the deviation of bone age from the real one can be up to 3 years.
ALL IN OUR HANDS…
Now we come to the most interesting part: growth factors that parents can influence on their own. What's next?
- First of all, food. In order for a child to grow, the body needs everything it needs to build, first of all, long tubular bones, as well as muscles, teeth, skin and other tissues and organs. The building material is amino acids, which can only be obtained from complete protein. Therefore, 60% of protein foods should be dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, meat - in general, animal products. Make sure that they are not very fatty, as fat inhibits the production of growth hormone.
- Plant foods should make up 40% of the diet. First of all, we are talking about cereals. Legumes are also good, but they often create digestive problems, and they still do not replace milk and meat. Vegetarianism and religious fasting are unacceptable for children! As well as fast food, semi-finished products such as sausages and sausages: there is almost no complete protein there.
- Carbohydrates provide energy for growth, but they must be obtained from the same cereals and grain dishes. Sweets that do not contain fiber also slow down the production of growth hormone! Therefore, instead of sweets, it is better to buy fruits. By the way, uncrushed cereals (buckwheat, millet, pearl barley, etc.) increase the synthesis of the necessary growth hormone.
- Vitamins and minerals are also important for growth. We are talking primarily about vitamin D, a deficiency of which develops rickets. Now doctors' recommendations are to give it to all children in a prophylactic dose, approximately 10 mcg per day.
- Don't forget about calcium and iodine. The first, lying on a protein matrix, is embedded in the bones, increasing their volume and strength. The second is part of the thyroid hormones, which without it will be lacking. Therefore, at 6-10 years of age, children should receive 800-1200 mg of calcium and 150 mcg of iodine per day. And teenagers - 1200-1500 mg of calcium and 200 mcg of iodine. The best source of calcium is cottage cheese, but you can't eat so much of it, so about half of the calcium needs to be taken in tablets. Another option is calcium-fortified foods. As for iodine, only those who live near the sea receive it in abundance: drinking water and seafood there are rich in iodine. Iodized salt is not enough, so iodine supplements are another essential for growth.
- In addition to nutrition, the general daily routine is important: the child must receive adequate emotional and physical stress and at the same time have a good rest. Then you don’t have to worry about his growth.
ALLERGY? A SMART APPROACH
There are more and more children with severe allergies to many foods at once. Pediatricians and allergists often advise them to eat an extremely monotonous diet like “rice, cauliflower and rabbit meat.” However, after a year or two, such food reveals a lack of minerals, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and sometimes protein. Look for a middle ground: perhaps at some point it is worth tolerating, for example, moderate skin rashes, but giving the child nutritious food. Let us remind you that complete food does not mean fast food stuffed with flavoring additives and preservatives, but unusual types of meat, fish, vegetables, etc.
SLEEP IN GROWTH
Does your child love surfing the Internet at night? For the sake of high growth, you will have to give it up. 70% of growth hormone is produced between 22 and 24 hours, and only during deep sleep. It turns out that at this time both the baby and the teenager should not just go to bed, but have their tenth sleep - the deepest one. At the same time, studying the glowing screen of a smartphone, tablet or computer before bed reduces the depth of sleep, so that the production of growth hormone will again be reduced. Explain to younger family members that up to 12-14 years of age you need to sleep at least 10 hours, for teenagers - at least 8, but doing this during daylight hours is useless!
OH SPORT!
Any physical activity that the child enjoys and does not force him to overexert, helps him grow. True, it is quite difficult to single out those that really stimulate growth. Traditionally these are sports where you have to jump and reach up and forward: basketball, volleyball, swimming, badminton, high jump and long jump. Wrestling and weightlifting are also thought to stunt growth.
HUG ME, MOM!
“Psycho-emotional short stature” is dwarfism, the cause of which is not a deficiency of growth hormone, but a bad atmosphere in the family. First of all, this applies to dysfunctional families, where no one cares about the child’s nutrition, his emotions and outlook. However, even in seemingly prosperous families, where the child does not feel loved and needed, his growth may slow down.
UP TO 16 AND OLDER
Each person’s individual growth program has its own characteristics, but there are still general patterns. On average, men grow up to 18-22 years old, and women - up to 15-19 years old. After 25 years, men sometimes experience a slight increase in height - up to 2 cm. In general, those who experienced puberty with some delay are more likely to grow in adulthood.
Young parents, of course, want to know how tall their child will be as an adult. In the anthropometric office they usually ask: what is the height of the father (P), mother (M), what height they were at birth and how old they are now. This data is immediately processed by a computer and gives a forecast: when the children grow up, the most likely height of the daughter (D) or son (S) will be such and such. You can estimate the expected growth yourself using a calculator, without turning to doctors.
The main factor influencing the growth of children is the genetically determined height of their parents. Statistical studies show that about half of a child's growth depends on it. And the remaining fifty percent is much more difficult or completely impossible to take into account. These are difficult-to-control or completely uncontrollable lifestyles, good and bad habits, quality of nutrition, environmental conditions, mutagenic changes.
However, mathematical statistics can offer a simple linear relationship to approximate the height of children based only on the height of the father and mother, and also indicate the accuracy of such an estimate. A survey of three dozen families made it possible to construct a statistical relationship - a “cloud of points” inside an ellipse elongated to the right and upward: indeed, the greater the height of the parents, the greater the growth of their children. But using the “point cloud” is inconvenient. Mathematicians are looking for such a straight line or curve passing through it that, having given a value on the abscissa axis, they can obtain the corresponding value on the ordinate axis with the smallest possible error. This is usually achieved using the so-called least squares method, looking for the linear function y = Kx + b, where K is the slope coefficient of the line (the tangent of its angle with the x-axis), b is the segment cut off on the ordinate axis.
The optimal value of K is especially easy to calculate if, by the nature of the problem, the straight line passes through the origin. In our problem, naturally, it will not go like this (the growth cannot be zero) and the formulas for calculating K and b turn out to be more cumbersome, although not beyond the scope of school algebra.
Their conclusion can be found in the book: Ya. B. Zeldovich, A. D. Myshkis. "Elements of applied mathematics". M.: Nauka, 1965 and later editions.
In our problem, x = P + M, y = D or y = S. By surveying Muscovites, several dozen height values for parents (P and M) and children (D and S) were obtained. Calculations gave for the daughter K = 0.505, b = 5 cm; for my son K = 0.57, b = 14.5 cm.
As a result, to calculate the expected height of the daughter, the following formula was obtained: D = 0.505(P + +M) - 5 cm. For example, the father’s height is 180 cm, the mother’s height is 161 cm, for a total of 341 cm. Multiplying the last value by 0.505 and subtracting 5 cm, we get the expected height of an adult daughter 167.2 cm. In the formula for estimating the height of an adult son, instead of 0.505, you need to take 0.57, and subtract, instead of 5 cm, 14.5 cm: C = 0.57(P + M) - 14, 5. For example, for the same parents, the height of an adult son will most likely be 179.9 cm.
In probability theory, both calculated (children's height) and initial values (parents' height) are called random variables. Here we found only the most probable height of an adult son and daughter. Deviations, of course, are possible; they are easy to observe in brothers or sisters in full accordance with the law of normal distribution of random variables - the most common in nature. On the graph, this law has the form of a bell-shaped curve: in the center there is the most probable value of a random variable, on both sides there are deviations, the probability of which quickly tends to zero as they increase (it is also called a Gaussian curve after the great German mathematician Carl Gauss, who derived the analytical form normal distribution law - see "Science and Life" No. 2, 1995). Mathematical statistics can also estimate the most probable deviations from the predicted value, as they often say: the value is plus or minus so much. To do this, you first need to set the confidence level of the estimate - usually 90, 95 or 99%. In the case under consideration, there is a fairly strong scatter of random variables, it is reasonable to set the confidence level to 90%. Quite complex calculations make it possible to obtain the so-called hyperbolic regression confidence zones (they are shaded in the figure), or simply the values of probable deviations from the straight line.
The final answer should sound something like this: if the father’s height is 180 cm, and the mother’s is 161 cm, then the most likely height of their adult daughter will be 167.5 cm, and the deviation from this value will not exceed plus or minus 4 cm with a probability of 90%.
The size of the statistical sample collected by students is small - only thirty points. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculations is also not so great - plus or minus 4-5 cm. In serious scientific work, data processing for people is carried out on representative samples (this term is now often used when publishing data from public opinion polls and means that they can be generalized to a very large population group) of about a thousand people. At the same time, it seems to us that the accuracy of solving this problem will not increase much even for large samples; apparently, it will not be higher than plus or minus 3-4 cm due to physiological, genetic and environmental reasons affecting human development. We wanted, firstly, to give a simple opportunity to anyone who wanted to satisfy his natural personal interest. And, secondly, to offer students studying probability theory and mathematical statistics (which are now taught in a wide range of specialties) and their teachers an interesting and relatable topic for solving a statistical problem. It is quite possible that they will receive more representative samples and find more accurate and reliable formulas for predicting the growth of our children.
Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences B. Gorobets
“Science and Life”, No. 6, 1998
Height is one of the indicators of a child’s physical development, which is carefully monitored by mothers and fathers. The increase in body length makes parents delighted. But if the baby has not grown up, then mom and dad begin to worry. How can you increase your growth rate and what to feed your child? This article is about this.
All parents dream of their child growing up strong and healthy, keeping up with their peers in physical development. The main word in this phrase is “grew”. Thanks to active growth, children gradually turn into adults. Boys want to be tall, and girls tend to be average. Nevertheless, there are short boys and girls.
But many parents believe that their children will be taller than them. Of course, it is difficult to fight heredity, but it is still possible. If you consume the right foods during periods of intense growth, your body length will increase. In this simple way, a short child can become a child of average or above average height.
Changes in growth rates at different ages in children
Growth is a physiological process characterized by elongation of the body and a change in its proportions.
All children go through stages of physical development starting from the earliest period - conception. During pregnancy, a woman’s belly grows rapidly, especially over a long period of time. This is due to an increase in the size of the fetus. From a small embryo (2.5 mm) a full-fledged child is formed, 46–56 cm long.
After birth, the baby also continues to grow actively. This is more clearly expressed in the first year of life. Height increases by half. If at birth the newborn’s body length was 50 cm, then by the age of one year it approaches 75 cm. At 4 years old, children double their height (on average it is 100 cm), and by the age of 12 they triple it (about 150 cm).
Body length from 2 to 15 years can be determined based on a formula where the height of an eight-year-old child is known (130 cm). For each missing year, 7 cm is subtracted from 130 cm, and for each subsequent year, 5 cm is added to 130 cm.
Also, the average height of a child can be calculated if you know the height of both parents. To do this, the height of mom and dad in centimeters needs to be folded and divided in half. Add 6.5 cm to the result obtained if the child is a boy, or subtract 6.5 cm if the family has a girl.
As the body lengthens, the proportions also change. In a newborn, the ratio of head to body length is 1:4, and in an adult it is 1:7–1:8. As a result, nurses often have to measure body proportions when visiting a pediatrician. The expression is true: “A child is not an adult in miniature.” More about the average normative height and weight in children.
The influence of the skeletal system on the growth of a child
The growth of a child directly depends on the degree of skeletal development. In children, the end sections of tubular bones - the epiphyses, spongy bones of the hand and foot consist of cartilaginous tissue. Gradually, during the formation of the skeleton, zones of ossification appear. Using them, you can determine the child’s bone age and make a prediction regarding further growth. To do this, it is necessary to do an x-ray examination of both hands. Each age period corresponds to the appearance of a certain bone (in girls, the last bone appears at 11 years, in boys - at 13.5 years). As soon as the ossification points cover all growth zones, the elongation of the skeleton will stop.
After the last bone of the wrist joint ossifies, the child’s growth will stop, regardless of age.
To avoid short stature in their baby, parents need to pay attention to indicators of physical development. The exception is hereditary short stature. Before the growth plates are closed, good body length can be achieved with proper therapy.
Vitamins and minerals for children's growth
In order for the body to grow and develop according to age, the child’s diet must contain a sufficient amount of vitamins, micro-, macroelements and other substances.
Children have an accelerated metabolism. This is due to the development of various organs and systems of the body, as well as active growth. The child consumes a large amount of energy, which must be constantly replenished. For this you need quality nutrition. The foods in your baby’s diet should not only be varied, but also healthy. Children's bodies especially need fortified nutrition during periods of viral epidemics, stressful situations and intensive growth. A highly nutritious menu will also help support immune defenses.
Among all the vitamins and minerals, the most important ones can be identified. They help the baby grow due to the increased production of endogenous somatotropin - growth hormone:
- – helps strengthen the musculoskeletal system, participates in the synthesis of building materials for the formation of bones and cartilage, as well as teeth, affects the growth of all tissues, strengthens the immune system.
Features: vitamin A can be stored (deposited) in the body for a long time, it is better absorbed with vitamins E and C. Retinol is temperature resistant and is destroyed in the presence of light and air.
Foods rich in vitamin A (animal origin) and carotene, a precursor to retinol (plant origin):
- meat and offal (liver), ;
- milk, eggs (yolk), cheese (hard varieties);
- orange and red vegetables and fruits (apricots, mangoes);
- , greens (spinach, parsley, dill).
- – has a beneficial effect on the formation of collagen, a protein necessary for the growth and restoration (regeneration) of the musculoskeletal frame, various tissues and blood vessels, promotes the absorption of many vitamins, removes harmful substances from the body, being an antioxidant.
Features: Vitamin C is easily destroyed in the presence of light, as a result of the action of oxygen (oxidation), and when heated. Vegetables and fruits, which are the main sources of ascorbic acid, should be eaten immediately after cutting with a knife. About 25% of ascorbic acid is lost during boiling or steaming. Heat treatment of the product for more than 20 minutes leads to a loss of 50% of vitamin C.
Foods Rich in Vitamin C (Plant Source):
- almost all fresh vegetables (high concentration of ascorbic acid in bell peppers, green peas and various types of cabbage: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage) and fruits (highest content in citrus fruits);
- berries (black currant, strawberry, sea buckthorn, kiwi);
- greens (parsley, sorrel, spinach).
- – participate in metabolism, promote the absorption of the body’s main nutrients - proteins, fats and , regulate the functioning of the brain and nervous system, activate appetite and are growth stimulants, protect bone and muscle tissue from various damages.
Features: vitamin B 1 (thiamine) is destroyed during heat treatment and long-term storage of food in the refrigerator; vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) is lost under the influence of temperature, air oxygen and light; vitamin B 3 (nicotinic acid) is destroyed during mechanical cleaning of products; vitamin B 5 (pantothenic acid) is lost during boiling and freezing; vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine) is better absorbed in the presence of calcium and copper and is destroyed during long-term storage of products (60–80% is lost during canning, 15% during freezing); vitamin B 7 (biotin) is lost when exposed to high temperature, can bind to the yolks of a chicken egg (raw) and is not absorbed by the body; vitamin B 9 (folic acid) is resistant to heat treatment in products of animal origin, in vegetable products it is destroyed by boiling and exposure to light; Vitamin B 12 (cobalamin) is lost when exposed to light, water and high temperature.
For lunch it is better to use:
- salads from fresh vegetables and herbs (spinach, parsley, lettuce, celery);
- soups and broths (they stimulate metabolism);
- meat (beef, lean pork, chicken breast) – 1–2 times a week;
- offal (liver, kidneys) – 1–2 times a week;
- fish – 1–2 times a week;
- wholemeal bread;
- natural juice about 300–500 ml per day or every other day (carrot and orange juices are useful), tea.
Afternoon snack
After lunch, the body is enriched with nutritious and healthy food. But for the normal functioning of the digestive system it is necessary, especially after a nap (relevant for).
For an afternoon snack it is better to use:
- dairy products (cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, cheese);
- fresh fruits (bananas and oranges are healthy).
You can eat up to 2 kg of fresh vegetables and fruits per day.
Dinner
The last meal should be light. Eating heavily, especially close to bedtime, disrupts normal metabolism and reduces growth hormone production at night.
For dinner it is better to use:
- boiled eggs;
- seafood (squid, shrimp, crabs, mussels, seaweed);
- fresh vegetables, possibly combined with chicken breast in the form of a salad;
- nuts (about 50 g);
- tea or kefir.
Vitamin and mineral complexes for the harmonious growth of children
With vitamin deficiency, children are inactive (physical inactivity), suffer from frequent infectious diseases, and lag behind their peers in physical development. As a result of taking vitamins for growth, additional energy and activity appears. Bones become strong, ligaments become mobile, and muscles become more resilient to stress. In addition, immunity increases.
During periods of active growth (1–3 years, 3–7 years and 7–11 years), the child’s body needs not only good nutrition, but also additional intake of vitamin and mineral complexes. associated with the hormonal revolution, requires the right lifestyle. This is mainly physical activity and the absence of bad habits, such as drinking alcohol and energy drinks, smoking, and drug addiction. Taking multivitamin complexes will increase immune protection, endurance and resistance to stress.
Basic vitamin and mineral complexes for children's growth:
| No. in order | Name | Age period |
| 1. | Alphabet Series:
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| 2. | Vitrum series:
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| 3. | Series "Multi-tabs":
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| 4. | "Duovit" | From 10 years old |
| 5. | "Biovital gel" | From infancy to late adolescence |
| 6. | Pikovit series:
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| 7. | Series "Supradin":
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| 8. | "Vita Mishki Calcium + vitamin D" | From 3 years |
| 9. | Series "Complivit":
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| 10. | "Kalcemin" "Kalcemin Advance" | From 5 years From 12 years |
| 11. | "Calcium D 3 nycomed" "Calcium D 3 nycomed forte" | From 5 years From 12 years |
Conclusion
Human height is genetically programmed. But according to medical research, only 2% reach their ancestral length. The remaining 98% do not grow by 5–10 cm. This is due to poor nutrition, reduced immunity, psychological stress and poor lifestyle in childhood. Teenagers drink beer, smoke cigarettes, and kids spend more and more time at the computer. All these factors lead to metabolic disorders, hormonal dysfunction and muscle weakness. Physical inactivity often contributes to the appearance of excess weight.
In order for a child to achieve decent results in growth, the following conditions must be observed: children must eat properly and efficiently (running, swimming, gymnastics, exercises on the horizontal bar - stretching the spine), get enough sleep and not have bad habits.
The program “Doctor Komarovsky’s School” talks about whether you should worry about the growth of children, what are the age norms for weight and height:
