Your teen's growth pattern is largely determined by genetics. Shorter parents, for instance, tend to have shorter kids, whereas taller parents tend to have taller kids. Although you may worry if your child isn't as tall as other classmates, the more important question is whether your child is continuing to grow at a normal rate.
If your doctor detects a problem — such as a growth rate that had been normal but has recently flattened — he or she may track your child's measurements carefully over several months to see whether the growth pattern suggests a possible health problem or is just a variation of normal. It's not unusual for teens to have their own concerns about how they're growing and how they look. Girls can be very critical of their own weight, which can sometimes lead to unhealthy body image concerns and dieting practices.
Boys tend to be more concerned with their height and muscle development, which can also lead to unhealthy practices, like using steroids and protein supplements. If you're concerned about your teen's body image, or eating and exercise habits, talk with the doctor. Many teens worry a lot about being different from their peers and about anything that would make them not fit in or seem "normal.
The doctor can provide reassurance that other kids have the same concerns about their size. As kids grow from grade-schoolers to preteens, there continues to be a wide range of "normal" regarding height, weight, and shape. Kids tend to get taller at a pretty steady pace, growing about 2. When it comes to weight, kids gain about 4—7 lbs. This is also a time when kids start to have feelings about how they look and how they're growing. Some girls may worry about being "too big," especially those who are developing early.
Boys tend to be sensitive about being too short. Try to help your child understand that the important thing is not to "look" a certain way, but rather to be healthy. Kids can't change the genes that will determine how tall they will be or when puberty starts. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Growth and puberty Median height Height and genetics Boys vs. Keep reading to learn more about growth in boys and what to expect.
How does puberty affect growth? Age years 50th percentile height for boys inches and centimeters 8 What role do genetics play in height? Do boys grow at a different speed than girls? What causes growth delays?
Read this next. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. Written by Grant Tinsley, PhD. Does Lifting Weights Stunt Growth? Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. Understanding Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder. EQ vs. Medically reviewed by Harshil Matta, DO. For example, if you look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC growth chart for boys 2 to 20 years , a year-old boy who is 5'1" 61 inches tall is in the 50th percentile.
Based on that curve, he should reach an adult height between 5'9" or 5'10" inches. The CDC growth chart also shows weight-for-age percentiles that allow parents to estimate what their son might weigh in the future. Using the same example of the 50th percentile, a year-old boy who weighs just over lbs can expect to weigh roughly by the time he's an adult, if he continues developing at an average pace. If it seems like every other kid is growing but not your own, don't worry just yet.
Pediatricians can do a bone age X-ray in office to determine if your son's growth is on track. However, if your son is falling off of the growth curve and not catching up with his peers, there could be something medically wrong, like a growth hormone deficiency, he adds. If you wait until your son is almost finished with puberty, there's not much an endocrinologist, a physician who specializes in conditions relating to hormones, can do to help.
When Do Boys Stop Growing?
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