I. Definition of short stature Short stature means short body. The criterion of short stature is that the length (height) is 2 standard deviations less than the average height of normal children of the same age and sex or below the 3rd percentile. There are many causes of short stature. Such as birth weight, family factors, physical factors, nutritional factors and various systemic diseases, endocrine diseases, metabolic diseases, chromosomal diseases, etc. can cause growth disorders in children, resulting in short stature, or even dwarfism (long-term calcium supplements alone may not be conducive to increase height, and are prone to stone disease). Some children with short stature do not have obvious disease manifestations and may fall within the normal range of variation.
The normal growth of children, each person has its own growth rate, along a certain percentile line, through puberty to reach a different adult height. From birth to adulthood, the growth rate of each period has a certain pattern, forming a fixed growth rate curve. Only by understanding the growth rate of children can we determine whether their growth is normal. The absolute height of a child does not indicate whether the growth is normal or not. If the length is below the 3rd percentile but the growth rate is normal, the growth is still normal although it is in the category of dwarfism; on the contrary, if the length is above the 10th percentile but the growth rate is stagnant, the diagnosis of growth disorder is needed.
Because of the different factors affecting growth, the height standard varies from country to country and region to region. China has conducted a large-scale sample survey of nine provinces and cities, urban male youth (18-25 years old) average height of about 170 cm, while 95% of people between 158-181 cm; female youth average height of about 159 cm, 95% of people between 148-169 cm (about 1 cm shorter in the south, about 2 cm higher in the north). Children and adolescents of different ages and regions also have their own normal standards. In adults and children, if the height is lower than the above normal low limit, or more than 10% below the normal average, then the height is considered short or insufficient. Children and adolescents who are always found to be under height in continuous follow-up are called growth retardation, growth delay, or growth retardation.
Second, the general law of children’s height growth law baby height growth has a certain pattern, the average length of the newborn baby is about 50 cm, the first year after birth height growth is the fastest, about 25 cm; the second year height growth slowed down, about 10 cm a year; after two years of age height growth rate tends to stabilize, the average annual growth of 5-7 cm.
In general, the final height of a person in adulthood depends on genetics, nutrition and the regulation of growth rate by endocrine hormones.
Under normal circumstances, there are two peak periods for height growth, the first from birth to age 3 and the second during puberty. For parents, mastering the pattern of height growth of their children can help detect abnormalities in their height at an early stage, so that they can take appropriate treatment or intervention measures earlier.
1, when the baby is born: the average height is about 50 cm; 2, within the first year of life: the fastest growth rate, the average growth of about 20-25 cm; 3, 1 to 3 years: the average annual growth of about 8-10 cm, to a year old height of about 75 cm, 2 years old about 85 cm, 3 years old about 95 cm; 4, after 3 years: the growth rate gradually decreases, the annual growth of about 5-7 cm;
5, into puberty: boys can grow 20-30 cm, girls 15-25 cm; 6, after puberty: height growth gradually slowed to a halt.
Third, the child’s two key periods of rapid growth Key period 1, infant and toddler stage Before the child is 2 years old, especially within 1 year, is the first period of rapid growth and development.
Critical period 2, puberty Puberty is the second peak of growth and development, girls generally start to enter puberty from the age of 9 – 11, two years earlier than boys. The height of puberty increases by 6 – 8 cm per year, and a few people grow faster by up to 10 – 12 cm.