--- title: When Do Girls Stop Growing? Ages, Periods & Final Height description: Most girls reach adult height by 14–15, about 2 years after their first period. Pediatric endocrinologists explain the timeline and when to check. image: https://24027084.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24027084/when-do-girls-stop-growing.png --- [![LIFE\_Pediatric\_CBP\_white](https://lifeendo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LIFE_Pediatric_CBP_white.png?width=477&height=111&name=LIFE_Pediatric_CBP_white.png "LIFE_Pediatric_CBP_white")](https://lifeendo.com/) [![LIFE\_Pediatric\_CBP\_full\_color.](https://lifeendo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LIFE_Pediatric_CBP_full_color..png?width=477&height=111&name=LIFE_Pediatric_CBP_full_color..png "LIFE_Pediatric_CBP_full_color.")](https://lifeendo.com/) - [About](https://lifeendo.com/about) - [Meet Your Providers](https://lifeendo.com/about) - [Locations](https://lifeendo.com/locations) - [FAQ](https://lifeendo.com/faq) - Services ### General Endocrine Care - - Early Puberty - Poor Growth - Thyroid Problems - - Type 1 Diabetes - Adrenal insufficiency - Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Medical Weight Loss [Visit The Store](https://lifeendo.com/redirecting-to-supplement-store) - [Blog](https://lifeendo.com/blog) - [Patients](https://lifeendo.com/patients) - [Store](https://lifeendo.com/redirecting-to-supplement-store) [Inquire Here](https://lifeendo.com/contact-weight-loss) [Inquire Here](https://lifeendo.com/contact) - [About](https://lifeendo.com/about) - [Locations](https://lifeendo.com/locations) - [Medical Weight Loss](https://lifeendo.com/medical-weight-loss) - [FAQ](https://lifeendo.com/faq) - [Blog](https://lifeendo.com/blog) - [Patients](https://lifeendo.com/patients) - [Store](https://lifeendo.com/redirecting-to-supplement-store) [Inquire Here](https://lifeendo.com/contact-weight-loss) [Growth](https://lifeendo.com/blog/tag/growth) [Puberty](https://lifeendo.com/blog/tag/puberty) # When Do Girls Stop Growing? Ages, Periods & Final Height [![Dr. Christi Gerhardt](https://24027084.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/24027084/hubfs/dr-christi-gerhardt-Jan-26-2026-09-59-57-3363-PM.png?width=40&height=40&name=dr-christi-gerhardt-Jan-26-2026-09-59-57-3363-PM.png)](https://lifeendo.com/blog/author/dr-christi-gerhardt) by [Dr. Christi Gerhardt](https://lifeendo.com/blog/author/dr-christi-gerhardt) 6 min read Oct 11, 2026 # **When Do Girls Stop Growing? Pediatric Endocrinologists Explain the Final Inches** *By Dr. Christina Gerhardt, MD, and Dr. Toni Kim, MD, board-certified pediatric endocrinologists* **Most girls stop growing in height between ages 14 and 15, about two years after their first period.** A small amount of growth can continue for a year or two after that. A bone age X-ray is the most reliable way to confirm that growth has finished. That is the average. Your daughter's timeline depends on when her puberty started, her family's growth pattern, and her overall health. Here is how the final years of growth unfold, and how to tell where she is. ## When do girls stop growing in height? The timeline Girls grow in a predictable sequence. The order matters more than the exact ages. | Stage | Typical age | What happens | | --- | --- | --- | | Growth spurt begins | Around 9 | Growth speeds up, usually alongside the first signs of breast development. | | Peak growth | About 11 to 11½ | Girls grow fastest here, about 3.3 to 3.5 inches (8.3 to 9 cm) a year. | | First period | After the peak, often 12 to 13 | Growth is already slowing when periods begin. | | Near-adult height | About 14 to 15 | Growth tapers off. Bone age catches up with her actual age. |     *![Growth curve showing girls’ fastest growth around age 11 and adult height around 14 to 15.](https://24027084.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/24027084/hubfs/when-do-girls-stop-growing-growth-curve.png?width=1672&height=941&name=when-do-girls-stop-growing-growth-curve.png)Most girls grow fastest around age 11 and reach near-adult height by 14 to 15, about two years after their first period.* Girls usually finish growing about two years earlier than boys, who typically reach adult height between 16 and 18. For the boys' side, see our guide to [puberty in boys](https://lifeendo.com/blog/puberty-in-boys). ## Do girls stop growing when they get their period? No. Growth slows after a first period, but it doesn't stop right away. Peak growth comes before periods begin, so by the time a girl starts her period, her fastest growth is behind her. In one study of post-period growth, girls gained a median of about 1.5 cm (just over half an inch) in the first year. About 64% grew at least 1 cm that first year, and 31% still grew at least 1 cm in the second year. Small gains can continue beyond that. For a parent, the takeaway is simple. A first period means the window for growth is narrowing, not closed. That window is when an evaluation still has options to offer. ## What changes when a girl stops growing - **Early puberty means an earlier finish.** When puberty starts early, bone age advances faster and girls reach adult height sooner. Some end up shorter than their family's height would predict. Our guide to [foods that may affect early puberty](https://lifeendo.com/blog/foods-that-cause-early-puberty) covers one piece of that picture. - **Late bloomers finish later.** Girls with constitutional growth delay start puberty late and keep growing later into their teens. Many catch up to a normal adult height. - **Family background and generation matter.** Puberty timing varies across populations, and the age of peak growth has shifted earlier over recent decades. - **Health and nutrition play a role.** Chronic illness, low energy intake, thyroid problems, and some medications can slow growth or shift its timing. ## How to tell if your daughter is done growing These signs suggest growth is ending: - Her periods started two or more years ago. - Her height has changed by less than 1 cm (about ⅜ inch) over the past year, measured carefully. - Her shoe size has stayed the same for a year or more. The only reliable confirmation is a **bone age X-ray** of the left hand and wrist. When bone age matches or exceeds her actual age and the growth plates are nearly fused, growth is essentially finished. Our article on [when growth plates close](https://lifeendo.com/blog/when-do-growth-plates-close) explains how doctors read that X-ray. Want an estimate before you go that far? Our [child height calculator](https://lifeendo.com/blog/child-genetic-growth-potential) predicts adult height from both parents' heights. ## When to see a pediatric endocrinologist Don't wait to see if she catches up. Once the growth plates close, nothing can change adult height. An evaluation while she's still growing keeps every option open. Consider a visit if: - She showed breast development or other puberty signs before age 8. - She has no breast development by age 13. - She hasn't had a period by 15, or within three years of breast development. - Between age 3 and the start of puberty, she grows less than about 2 inches a year. - She has crossed down through two or more percentile lines on her growth chart. - Her projected height is well below what her parents' heights would predict. - Her periods started early and you're worried about her final height. ## How LIFE evaluates growth in girls At LIFE, a growth evaluation starts with the full story. We review at least the last five years of her growth data, her family's growth patterns, and her puberty timeline. We order a bone age X-ray and targeted labs when they'll answer a real question. We also look at the whole child: nutrition, sleep, activity, and metabolic and inflammatory factors that can quietly affect growth. When treatment makes sense, options may include growth hormone therapy or medication to slow early puberty. Our guide [Does My Child Need Growth Hormone?](https://lifeendo.com/blog/does-my-child-need-growth-hormone) explains how that decision is made. The plan is built around your family's goals and values. LIFE is a national practice. Families can meet our physicians by telehealth from anywhere, or in person at LIFE offices, including Austin, Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, and Nashville. ## FAQ **At what age do girls stop growing?** Most girls reach adult height between 14 and 15. Girls who start puberty early may finish sooner, and late bloomers may keep growing until 16 or later. **How much do girls grow after their first period?** Usually a little. In one study, girls gained a median of about 1.5 cm (just over half an inch) in the first year after their first period. Most of the remaining growth happens in that first year. **Do girls stop growing after their period?** Not right away. Growth slows after a first period but often continues for one to two more years. **When do girls' feet stop growing?** Feet usually finish growing before height does, often around ages 12 to 14. A shoe size that stays the same for a year is one sign that overall growth is winding down. **Can a girl still grow after 16?** Sometimes, but not much. Girls with late puberty or constitutional growth delay can keep growing slowly into their late teens. A bone age X-ray shows whether growth plates are still open. **Is it too late for growth hormone if my daughter has started her period?** Not necessarily. What matters is whether her growth plates are still open, which a bone age X-ray can show. The earlier she is evaluated, the more options remain. **Can anything help my daughter grow taller?** Good sleep, enough protein and calories, and regular activity support healthy growth. Over-the-counter "height" supplements haven't been shown to increase adult height. If a medical cause is slowing her growth, treating it while her growth plates are open can help. **When do boys and girls stop growing?** Girls typically reach adult height around 14 to 15. Boys usually finish later, around 16 to 18, because their puberty starts later and lasts longer. ## Next Steps & About The Authors ### Wondering whether your daughter has more growing to do? If her growth, puberty timing, or predicted height has you questioning things, a clear answer is worth having while there's still time to act. Our physicians take the time to review her full growth history and explain what it means for her. [**Schedule a consultation with LIFE**](https://lifeendo.com/contact) ### About Dr. Christina Gerhardt Dr. Christina (Christi) Gerhardt is a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist with more than 20 years of experience. She is known on the West Coast for her care of growth and puberty, and for an integrative approach that looks at nutrition, lifestyle, and the whole child alongside medical treatment. Families chose her as a top pediatric endocrinologist for years running. She sees patients nationwide through LIFE Pediatric Endocrinology. [Read Dr. Gerhardt's full bio](https://lifeendo.com/about-dr-christina-gerhardt). ### About Dr. Toni Kim Dr. Toni Kim is the founder of LIFE Pediatric Endocrinology and a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist with more than 20 years of experience, including many years in practice in New York. She earned her MD at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, completed her pediatric residency at New York Medical College, and trained in pediatric endocrinology at Children's Hospital Colorado. Her focus is growth and puberty disorders. She is known for an integrative approach that pairs medical treatment with nutrition and lifestyle medicine. [Read Dr. Kim's full bio](https://lifeendo.com/about-dr-toni-kim). ## References 1. Diaz A, Ayala Castro L, Carrillo-Iregui A. [Short Stature for the General Pediatrician](https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.2024-006538). *Pediatrics in Review*. 2025. 2. Cronk CE, Schall JI, Hediger ML, Scholl TO. [Growth of Postmenarcheal Girls From Three Ethnic Groups](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28557271). *American Journal of Human Biology*. 1996. 3. Abbassi V. [Growth and Normal Puberty](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9685454). *Pediatrics*. 1998. 4. Howard SR, Roux N, Leger J, et al. [Puberty and Its Disorders](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119152712.ch7). In: *Brook's Clinical Pediatric Endocrinology*, 7th ed. 2019. 5. Riederer MF. [Growth Spurts and Athletic Training](https://doi.org/10.1177/19417381231187909). *Sports Health*. 2023. 6. Sanders JO, Qiu X, Lu X, et al. [The Uniform Pattern of Growth and Skeletal Maturation during the Human Adolescent Growth Spurt](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16996-w). *Scientific Reports*. 2017. 7. Mao SH, Li HB, Jiang J, et al. [An Updated Analysis of Pubertal Linear Growth Characteristics and Age at Menarche in Ethnic Chinese](https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.21116). *American Journal of Human Biology*. 2010. ## Medical disclaimer This article is for general education and does not replace medical advice. Every child grows differently. 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