How does growing taller work

You might want to know how tall you will be. Will you be nose to nose with your mom or dad someday? There's no way to know for sure how tall a kid will be as an adult, but it's easy to get a clue: Look at your parents and the other adult members of your family. How tall are they? Chances are you'll be around the same height as your parents. If one parent is tall and one short, then you're likely to end up somewhere in between.

But you could be taller or shorter, too. Boy, there are a lot of "buts" when it comes to height! That's because your height is determined by your genes — the complicated code of instructions that you inherit from your parents.

Genes tell your body how to grow and determine lots of things, including how tall you are. But those genes don't make you an exact copy of your mom or dad. Kids only get some of the genes from each of their parents, and parents don't give the same bunch of their genes to each kid.

If you have brothers and sisters, you know this is true. Brothers and sisters can look very different even though you have the same parents. Even identical twins can end up being different heights! You're too short to ride the rides you want to ride at an amusement park. This one is upsetting. You're all ready to board the super-fast roller coaster and the ride operator says you're too small. People grow the fastest in the first 9 months of life, before being born.

After birth, this slows down. Once a child is 8 years old, they will grow at an average of 2. After this, the growth plates stop making new bone, and the person will stop growing.

The hands and feet stop growing first, then the arms and legs. The last area to stop growing is the spine. Scientists have identified more than different genes that determine height. Some of these genes affect the growth plates, and others affect the production of growth hormones. Normal height ranges are different for people from different ethnic backgrounds. Again, this is determined by their DNA.

Males tend to be taller than females. Males may also continue growing for longer than females. On average, an adult male is 5. Learn about what age girls stop growing and what age boys stop growing here. Once a person has been through puberty, the growth plates stop making new bone. They fuse together, and the person stops growing.

This means that when a person reaches 18 years of age, they are not able to increase their height. Students Teachers Patients Browse. Human body. Home Topical issues Growth and height.

Growth and height The height a person reaches as an adult is a result of their genes as well as general health and nutrition during their years of growth. Normal growth is controlled by hormones such as growth hormone, sex hormones and thyroid hormones. What decides your height?

Normal growth The fastest period of growth is before birth, with the baby growing from almost zero to a length of about 50cm in nine months. Normal growth is controlled by a number of hormones: Growth hormone, made in the pituitary gland , which is the most important factor Thyroid hormone Sex hormones, testosterone or oestrogen , which are important for growth during puberty What is too tall or too short?

Doctor measuring height of young girl. Hormones and conservation. Eating disorders and hormones. Related Glands. Pituitary gland Hypothalamus Thyroid gland View all Glands. Related Endocrine Conditions.

Gigantism Klinefelter's syndrome Prader-Willi syndrome Turner syndrome Adult-onset growth hormone deficiency Childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency View all Endocrine conditions. The rate of growth in height reaches its peak about 2 years after the start of puberty. Menstruation begins, almost always after the peak growth rate in height average age is Changes in Boys Boys tend to show the first physical changes of puberty between the ages of 10 and Other features of puberty in boys include: The penis and testicles increase in size.

Pubic hair appears, followed by underarm and facial hair. The voice deepens and may sometimes crack or break. The Adam's apple, or larynx cartilage, gets bigger.

Testicles begin to produce sperm. At the Doctor's Office Normal growth — supported by good nutrition, enough sleep, and regular exercise — is one of the best overall indicators of your teen's good health. If you have any other concerns about your teen's growth or development, talk with your doctor.