How tall your child will be is something parents, grandparents, random family members and even strangers feel qualified to comment on from the time a child is born. There is a kind of odd fascination with height, especially for boys, as they grow from infancy to pre-teens and beyond that can often cause parents to worry if they don't think their son is growing at a typical rate. As boys grow from infants to toddlers to young adults, annual doctor visits help parents identify if their child is 'on track' in their development. At each visit, your child's growth, both in height and weight, is plotted on a chart to make sure they aren't 'falling behind.' Once boys hit the age of 12 their bodies typically start changing dramatically, leaving many parents wondering what the average height of a 12-year-old boy is?
How To Predict Height
If you have a pre-teen boy in your house you may be either in the middle of them experiencing a pretty big growth spurt or worried that they haven't started growing much at all. While growth charts at the doctor's office can tell parents if their child is on track with regards to their growth, each child is different and growth is largely determined by genetics. While there is no definitive way to determine your child's height when they're younger, there are a few methods that can help parents get an idea of their child's final height.
According to the Mayo Clinic, one somewhat effective way to guesstimate how tall your son will be is to take both parents' height and add them together, then add 5 inches for boys (subtract five inches for girls,) then divide that number by two. Some also suggest doubling your son's height when they are two years old is an effective way to determine their future height.
What's The Average?
If you follow the CDC growth chart the average height for 12-year-old boys, meaning those at the 50th percentile, is 58.7 in, which is 4.8 inches tall. By the age of twenty, the average height of an American man is 69.1 inches or just over 5 feet 9 inches tall. Whether your son is on the top end of the growth chart or the lower end this is a good way to see if your child's growth is on track. Growth charts help doctors recognize if there are any changes in growth that would be cause for concern.
What Determines Height?
Doctors and scientists believe that about 80% of a person's height is determined by genetics, Medical News Today reports. However, a person's DNA isn't the only thing that can affect how tall they will be. Nutrition can play a factor in a person's height, which is why doctors suggest growing children be fed a well-balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, and protein and why proper pre-natal nutrition is also important.
Adequate sleep is also an important factor in helping children grow properly because their body releases the hormone needed to grow when they sleep. Being active and participating in regular exercise is important in helping the child's body grow stronger.
Puberty
While genetics plays a huge part in a child's growth, when they grow is often decided by when they hit puberty. If you have a 12-year-old boy at home you've no doubt noticed that some of his friends may have begun shooting up while some still haven't experienced much physical change. It can be a confusing time for some boys, especially if they haven't started growing and maturing at the same rate as their friends. According to Healthline, boys tend to grow about three inches per year during puberty, but when puberty starts is different for everyone. For some boys, puberty can begin when they are around 11 or 12, but for others, it may start a bit later, around 13 or 14. On average, boys tend to stop growing by the time they turn 16, however some boys grow up until they are near the end of their teens. Boys tend to reach 92% of their peak height during puberty.
It's important that boys understand that every personal hits puberty and develops at their own time and not to worry if they feel like they're falling behind their friends and peers.
When To See Your Doctor
Of course, sometimes parents worry, especially if they find their son is falling significantly behind their peers on the growth chart. If you find your son isn't growing typically you may want to see your doctor to ensure there aren't any medical reasons for his delayed growth. There are many different factors that can contribute to delayed growth including a family history of short stature, constitutional delay, growth hormone deficiency, and hypothyroidism, according to Healthline.
While there can be any number of causes for delayed growth or short stature that could correct itself in the future, it is very important that you contact your doctor if you think there is an underlying health reason for the lack of growth. If your doctor suspects your child isn't growing at the rate they would expect, they may refer you to a pediatric endocrinologist who can help determine a proper course of action, if needed.
Growth Hormone Deficiency
Growth hormone deficiency happens in about 1 in every 3,800 babies, according to the Society of Endocrinology. Surprisingly, while genetics can play a huge part in a child's height it doesn't appear to have much to do with being growth hormone deficient. To determine if your child has a growth hormone deficiency an endocrinologist may order a stimulation test where a child is given something to stimulate their growth hormone. This typically takes a few hours with blood being drawn at regular intervals to measure how much growth hormone is being released.
If there is a diagnosed growth hormone deficiency there are growth hormones available that could help a child grow. These growth hormones are injected subcutaneously daily and children who are prescribed the growth hormone will be monitored closely by their doctors to ensure they are receiving the correct dosage and that they aren't experiencing any side effects to the injections. Your doctor will probably also order a bone age scan to determine your child's bone age and to ensure the growth plates are still open.
It's important to speak to your doctor if you suspect there are any growth issues with your son especially since early intervention is key. Once a child's growth plates close they won't grow any further any options you may have had will no longer be available.
Source: Mayo Clinic, Medical News Today, Healthline, Healthline, Society of Endocrinology