The issue of proper development, nutrition and growth is extremely important for all parents. Children are born with different height and weight, but regardless of these indicators, all young mothers and dads carefully follow the further physical development of their child. Determine how much growth a newborn baby can be on ultrasound in the last period of pregnancy. The main factors that affect the growth and weight of the unborn child are the full nutrition of the pregnant woman and physical activity.
The World Health Organization proposes certain norms for the growth of children. These norms were formulated as a result of long studies and experiments. Scientists argue that favorable conditions for development in the first months of life and proper nutrition, affect the growth and weight of the child in such a way that these indicators fall within a certain range of values. This means that regardless of the part of the planet in which the child was born, its growth and weight can determine how favorable the conditions for its development. Naturally, all children are individual and there are deviations from these established average values, but, as a rule, insignificant. According to the studies, the average growth of the child provides him with better health, but the high growth of the child can bring him significant problems.
Child Growth Rates
The norms of growth and weight for girls and boys differ. The period of the most intensive growth in humans is the first months of life and pubertal period. As a rule, a person's growth is completed by the age of 20 - the end of puberty.
1. Rates of growth of children under one year. As a rule, boys are born a little larger than girls. The average height at birth for boys is 47-54 cm, for girls - 46-53 cm. By the first month, most children gain about 3 cm in height. With proper and nutritious nutrition, children take about 2 cm per month for about a year. In the last 2-3 months, this figure may decrease to 1 cm. The table shows the growth rates of boys and girls up to a year.
Growth and age of the child
| Age | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|
| 0 months | 47-54 cm | 46-53 cm |
| 1 month | 50-56 cm | 49-57 cm |
| 2 months | 53-59 cm | 51-60 cm |
| 3 months | 56-62 cm | 54-62 cm |
| 4 months | 58-65 cm | 56-65 cm |
| 5 months | 60-67 cm | 59-68 cm |
| 6 months | 62-70 cm | 60-70 cm |
| 7 months | 64-72 cm | 62-71 cm |
| 8 months | 66-74 cm | 64-73 cm |
| 9 months | 68-77 cm | 66-75 cm |
| 10 months | 69-78 cm | 67-76 cm |
| 11 months | 70-80 cm | 68-78 cm |
| 12 months | 71-81 cm | 69-79 cm |
To increase the growth of a child up to a year, breastfeeding contributes. Numerous studies show that children who consume breast milk are significantly ahead of the growth and weight of infants who are breastfed.
2. Norms of growth in adolescents. The developmental features of boys and girls in adolescence vary considerably. This is due to the fact that in boys and girls the beginning of puberty occurs at different ages.
In girls, puberty begins at 11-12 years. This period is characterized by intensive growth. Often at this age, girls overtake in the growth of their classmates.
In boys, puberty begins at 12-13 years. At this age, the boys manage to catch up and outstrip girls. From 12 to 15 years, boys can gain 8 cm in growth per year.
Problems of high child growth
Despite the fact that high growth in a boy or girl is considered attractive, if the child is very high, then parents have cause for concern.
Rapid and excessive growth in a child can be caused by a pituitary tumor that produces growth hormone in children. In high children, more often than others, there are disorders in the functioning of the nervous system and diseases of the internal organs. Often, high children suffer from an increase in the limbs. Outwardly this disease is manifested by changes in the circumference of the head, a significant increase in the foot and hands.
If the child is the tallest in the class, then the parents should show it to the endocrinologist to avoid further problems.
The formula for the growth of a child
There is a special formula for the growth of a child, thanks to which you can determine the optimal growth for a teenager.
For girls, the formula is calculated as follows: (father's growth + mother's height - 12.5 cm) / 2.
For boys, the optimal growth is calculated as follows: (father's growth + mother's height + 12.5 cm) / 2.
Thanks to these formulas, parents can determine whether their child lags behind or grows too fast.
If the child lags behind in growth and suffers from a poor appetite, then the parents, too, have cause for concern. A small increase in growth may mean that the child is not receiving the necessary substances and vitamins for normal development. In this case, it is necessary to revise the daily diet of the child and consult with the pediatrician. Perhaps, in addition to proper nutrition, vitamins will be needed for the growth of children.