It’s completely normal to be concerned about your daughter’s growth and development, and it’s great that you’re taking an active interest in her health and well-being. It’s important to remember that every child grows at her own pace, and there can be many factors that influence growth.
What is a cause for poor growth in girls?
Growth can be affected by genetics, nutrition, sleep, physical activity, and puberty, among other things. Depending on these factors, her growth spurt may occur at a different time compared to other girls her age.
When both parents are shorter than average, it would be surprising for a girl to be particularly tall. Sometimes there may be a shorter parent, or a parent with shorter family members, that has “stronger” genes that leave their children more likely to be shorter, as well.
Old fashioned things help growth
Nutrition is an important factor in growth for girls. Many girls become very concerned about their appearance and will intentionally refrain from eating. This lack of nutrition and appropriate caloric intake can stunt a girl’s growth. Unfortunately, it is more common for girls to restrict intake while they’re in the most important phase of growth - puberty. Even if a girl is eating normal meals and not restricting, it is still important for her to eat the right types of foods - rich in nutrients like protein.
There is an old wives-tale that says that children grow in their sleep - it’s true! Ensuring that your daughter is getting enough sleep is important. You know when your daughter is well rested when she has energy to do the things that she finds important throughout the day, and that she is able to wake up pretty easily in the morning.
Exercise is important for many reasons, and growth is one of them. When we exercise and challenge our bodies, it promotes growth hormone release. What a great way to help your daughter grow while managing stress and helping her gain a sense of strength and accomplishment.
Medical aspects of growth
The timing for puberty can affect growth. If your daughter is a late bloomer, her friends who have gone through puberty sooner will be growing inches more in a year compared to your daughter, which will make her appear to have stopped growing compared to girls who have always seemed about the same size.
There are also medical problems that can affect a girl’s growth, as you can find on other posts I’ve written. For this reason, it’s important to review your daughter’s growth with your pediatrician, and possibly with a pediatric endocrinologist, who will ensure that all of these aspects of your daughter’s health and development are being supported and cultivated the best way that we can!
Regardless of what may be affecting your daughter’s growth, remember to continue to support and encourage her, no matter what her height may be, as self-confidence and self-esteem are important factors in her overall well-being. Allow her to voice her feelings about how she feels, and empower her in ways that she can have agency to take care of her body the best way possible.
