The healthy growth of children has always been a major concern for parents, and the growth and development of children is one of the most important issues. With the improvement of living conditions, children’s dwarfism, precocious puberty and pediatric obesity have become the most common diseases that plague the healthy growth of children. These diseases not only bring low self-esteem and negative psychological problems to children, but also bring infinite worries and concerns to parents. If you find that your child has abnormal growth and development, you should take your child to a regular hospital with specialties in children’s endocrinology or dwarfism, precocious puberty and obesity as soon as possible so that a systematic endocrine examination can be conducted for your child.
Criteria for determining dwarfism
The growth rate of infancy (under 3 years old) is less than 7 cm per year, the growth rate of childhood (3 years old – before puberty) is less than 4-5 cm per year, the growth rate of puberty is less than 5.5-6.5 cm per year, and the height is less than 2 standard deviations (-2SD) of the average height of healthy children of the same age or below the third percentile of the growth curve.
Definition of precocious puberty
In girls, secondary sexual characteristics such as breast development appear before the age of 8 (or the first menstruation before the age of 10); in boys, testicular enlargement and secondary sexual characteristics appear before the age of 9 and are accompanied by excessive physical development, which is called precocious puberty.
Definition of obesity
Childhood obesity refers to children’s body fat accumulation too much, weight more than the average standard weight calculated by height 20%, or more than the average standard weight calculated by age plus two standard deviations or more, that is, obesity.
There are many factors affecting the growth and development of children: genetics, endocrine abnormalities, nutrition, disease, maternal pregnancy, living environment, etc. In addition, the reasonable conditioning is also a vital role in the growth and development of children, parents also need to pay attention to the following aspects of children’s cooperation in daily life
One: Diet
Whether the child is short or precocious, in terms of diet, it is better to have a balanced diet, that is, a reasonable mix of meat and vegetarian dishes, and a balanced intake of coarse and fine grains.
Adequate and balanced supply of nutrients is the material basis for growth and development. Supervise your child to have a good diet every day to ensure adequate intake of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins, especially appropriate supplementation of animal protein for the best protein bioavailability. Protein deficiency will directly affect height growth, and some important trace elements such as zinc, iron and B vitamins are abundant in animal foods. Deficiencies in these nutrients also tend to cause short stature in children. As for calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, which are the important material basis of bones, their influence on height is self-evident. Therefore, if you can ensure 250-500ML of milk, 1-2 eggs per day, moderate amount of various meats, cereals and fruits and vegetables, it will benefit the growth of children
For the prevention of precocious puberty, some foods should be eaten as little as possible, such as too much animal food, fresh; lychee, anti-seasonal fruits, drinks, foreign fast food, etc. Soy products are also discouraged because they contain a certain amount of soy isoflavones. Especially cola type carbonated drinks as far as possible not to drink (cola type contains high phosphorus, is not conducive to calcium absorption), firmly eliminate health products! Including do not use more colostrum, etc.
For some fat children, it is best to eat some fruit or soup before eating, and slow down the speed of eating. Because, our feeling of stomach fullness and hunger is not felt through the empty and full stomach, but through the high and low blood sugar. When the blood sugar is low, the stomach feels empty. If you eat too fast, although you have reached the normal serving size, but because blood sugar has not yet come to rise sharply to normal levels, you will also feel not full, you will eat more. Obese children try to avoid the consumption of instant noodles and fast food: less high-fat, high-calorie food, such as fried food, dairy products, chocolate, etc., reduce the intake of sweets, soft drinks, encourage the consumption of high fiber-rich food, such as: bamboo shoots, lettuce and fresh vegetables, etc.
Second, sleep.
As growth hormone is the most important hormone for human growth, the secretion of growth hormone is mainly secreted during deep sleep. Therefore, to ensure sufficient sleep, a pleasant environment, mood, and urge children to go to bed early and get up early every day, to have sufficient sleep time, so that the body class growth hormone and other growth-related hormones are in the best state of secretion and function.
Third, in terms of exercise.
Adhere to aerobic exercise.
① medium intensity (exercise intensity is too large, too small are not good, just stop when the heartbeat in 120 ~ 150 times / min more appropriate).
② regular, continuous exercise.
③ each exercise 20-40 minutes is appropriate (for obese children, it is best to reach 1-2h each time).
④The way of exercise is jogging, slow jump rope, etc. is preferred. Ball games, swimming, etc. are also possible, only that care needs to be taken to maintain the continuity of exercise.
Although proper diet, sleep and exercise are conducive to good growth and development of children, do not be too superstitious about these aspects and do not treat the related diseases.