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A teenage growth spurt is a phase characterized by a sudden increase in the teen’s height, appetite, and fussiness. This phase is marked by rapid changes in the bodies of children. During this period, your teen’s height may grow rapidly for a few months and then slow down for the next few months. This cycle may continue for some years.
A growth spurt is not just about physical changes but also hormonal, caused due to puberty. Therefore, a pubertal growth spurt may sometimes be overwhelming and difficult to handle. In such cases, teenagers may need parental support to get through the phase smoothly. This post discusses teenage growth spurt in detail and provides some tips on helping your child manage it efficiently.
At What Age Does Adolescent Growth Spurt Begin?
Everyone is different. The occurrence of teenage growth spurt might vary. Some experience it early, while some may have it late. Yet, on average, a major growth spurt during puberty usually happens between 8 and 13 years in girls and 9.5 and 14 years in boys (1).
Whereas this phase of rapid growth in most girls ends by 15 years of age, it may continue until 16 or 17 years in boys (2). However, exceptions exist as some teens, especially boys, may continue to grow until their late teen years.
Age-wise Average Height For Boys And Girls
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It is crucial to track your child’s growth and their overall development during teenage growth spurts. You may use a growth chart for this.
A growth chart is an assessment tool that compares your teen’s height and weight with the standard average height for a specific age. It can help keep track of your teenage boy’s or teenage girl’s general growth.
Percentile Average Height For Boys And Girls
| Age (years) | 50th percentile height for boys (cm) | 50th percentile height for girls (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 128 | 127.5 |
| 9 | 133.5 | 133 |
| 10 | 138.5 | 138 |
| 11 | 143.5 | 144 |
| 12 | 149 | 151 |
| 13 | 156 | 157 |
| 14 | 164 | 160.5 |
| 15 | 170 | 162 |
| 16 | 173.5 | 162.5 |
| 17 | 175.5 | 163 |
| 18 | 176 | 163 |
Note: 50th percentile height is the average or median height of a girl or boy. If your child is in the 50th percentile, this means that when 100 normal teens of their age and gender are compared, 50 teens are shorter, and 50 are taller than your child.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (3)
Research shows that the final height attainable by children is usually dependent on parental heights. In the graph below, the difference between a child’s height percentile and the target height percentile (based on his/her expected final height) is represented as the “height gap.”
Association between onset age of the pubertal growth spurt and height gap
Source: Association between the onset age of puberty and parental height; PLoS ONEIt shows that children showing a positive height gap (actual height percentile greater than target height percentile) have an early pubertal growth spurt (PGS), whereas children with a negative height gap show a delayed PGS.
What Causes Growth Spurt In Teens?
During adolescence, two sex hormones testosteroneiXMale sex hormone required for the development of sexual and secondary sex characteristics, also found in females in trace amounts (in boys) and estrogeniXA sex hormone responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics (in girls) cause a growth spurt. These sex hormones increase the human growth hormone secretion, which, in turn, causes an increase in mineralization of bones, leading to linear growth, i.e., an increase in height (4).
Signs And Symptoms Of Growth Spurt In Teenagers
You can identify growth spurt in your teenager if you observe the following signs:
- Feet big for shoes: Your teen’s growth begins from the extremities and works its way in. Therefore, your teen will first experience growth-related changes in hands and feet. Research studies suggest that frequent changes in shoe size are an early indicator of a growth spurt (5)
Thus, do make a note of changes in the sitting height, leg length, and shoulder-width that may corroborate your assessment (6).
- New pants become short: If the teen complains about their new pants becoming short in a matter of months, then it is likely due to a pubertal growth spurt. On average, a teenage boy could grow around three inches (7-8cm) a year during this period. The average gain in teenage girls is two to three inches (5-7.5cm) a year (7).
- Clothes get tight: Clothes would become tight around the waist and thighs. This change may occur due to fat gain before a growth spurt. However, it may accelerate during puberty, leading to an increased gain in weight around the waist, hips, buttocks, and thighs for girls. While for boys, it may happen around their belly (8).
Image: IStock
Quick tip- Prominent joints with big bones: Various joints in the body become bigger and prominent. Some of the more obvious joints are knees, elbows, and wrists.
- Increase in appetite: The tremendous physical and physiological changes during the pubertal growth spurt cause increased nutritional needs. It can lead to an increase in the teen’s appetite.
The rise in appetite is more commonly observed in teenage boys than girls (9). Besides these prominent changes related to growth spurt, you may notice changes specific to puberty.
- Strong body odor: Puberty causes an increased production of adrenal androgens leading to body odor (10)
The presence of body odor usually indicates growth spurt, but in some cases, it is evident in children with delayed puberty (11).
- Change in voice: Research studies suggest that if a teen has developed a characteristic adult voice, then it is likely that growth spurt is decelerating (12). However, more research is needed to validate the suggestion. Change in voice is more prominent in teen boys than girls.
- Changes in the skin: Skin changes during puberty include the appearance of facial hair, oily skin, acne, and pigmentation caused by hormonal changes (13). These changes are intense during a growth spurt.
Image: IStock
- Development of secondary sex characteristics: Sexual maturation accelerates during the pubertal growth spurt. Some of the typical signs of sexual maturation are breast development, enlargement of testicles, and enhanced pubic hair distribution. These changes are not specific to growth spurts but are likely to be more noticeable around that phase.
All these changes, along with some other physiological changes, can have an impact on the teenager.
How Does Growth Spurt Affect Teenagers?
The intense phase of adolescent development can affect a teenager in various ways (14). Some of them are:
- Clumsiness: Growth spurt causes the bones to lengthen, while muscles and tendons are still catching up with the growth. This variation in development can cause a lack of coordination that may increase the risk of injury (15). Avoid this by encouraging your teen to stay physically active. It will help in muscle development and also minimize the risk of injuries.
- Growing pains: Teens might experience pain in the lower limbs due to rapid bone growth during the growth spurt. However, medical practitioners have different views on this (16). Some suggest that growing pain during adolescence could possibly occur due to lack (or less) of physical activity.
- Reduced sleep: Teenagers might sleep due to a shift in their biological clock (17) caused by hormonal changes. However, this may not always be the case, as some teenagers might sleep more. Social media addiction and being on the phone may be secondary reasons for irregular sleep patterns in teens.
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- Frequent mood swings and irritable behavior: Mood swings and irritability are emotional changes that might occur due to stress and anxiety. Some common causes of stress/anxiety in teens are hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, peer pressure, a struggle for freedom and control.
- Exploring sexual orientation: It is often seen that teenagers get increasingly aware of their sexual orientation and might indulge in sexual activity. There is also likely to be increased interest in concepts of sexual intimacy.
- Focus on their appearance: Teenagers can get more conscious about their appearance and body image. Physical appearance, social approval, and approval from the opposite gender could become crucial. This could lead to low self-esteem (if they are unable to get approval). Therefore, there is an increased risk of developing eating disorders, such as anorexiaiXAn eating disorder characterized by extreme weight loss and an intense fear of gaining weight and bulimiaiXAn eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging through methods such as vomiting or laxative use , especially in girls. Eating disorders can lead to stunted mental and physical growth in the long run.
- Experience social changes: Teenagers might experience social changes during this time. They are concerned about their identity, independence, and responsibility. Moreover, many teenagers actively seek out new experiences.
- Undergo cognitive changes: The adolescent brain undergoes a lot of growth and development in the teenage years. These changes allow your teenager to develop critical skills like abstract thinking, advanced reasoning, and metacognition.
While undergoing these changes, your teenager needs your help and support in this crucial stage of their life.
Tips To Help Your Teenager
Here are some ways you can support your child.
- Strike communication: Initiate a conversation and encourage the teen to discuss their concerns, thus helping the child feel better. Your teen might hesitate to talk, but persistent efforts will pay. You can also consult a counselor or an expert, if needed.
- Do not be judgemental: Avoid passing any judgments. Some problems that they have might sound trivial, but have patience and help resolve them.
- Be a role model: If you wish to teach your child something, then it is time for you to be a good role model. You cannot expect them to lead a healthy life if you aren’t doing the same.
- Serve healthy food: Good nutrition is a foundation of a healthy body and mind. Serve well-balanced, wholesome meals to your teen. Keep lots of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods in the house. Eat with your teen and support them in developing healthy eating habits.
Quick tip- Let your teen be responsible: While eating out, let your teen make responsible choices. Discuss their health and diet concerns with a nutritionist.
- Encourage physical activity: Encourage your teen to do some physical activity regularly. Plan an outing together where you can indulge in activities, such as hiking, swimming, jogging, or walking. It will help them stay within a healthy weight range and boost their self-confidence.
- Avoid comparisons with peers: Avoid comparing your teen’s weight or height with their peers since such comparisons can have detrimental effects on their cognitive and social development. Besides, it can make them self-conscious.
- Do not be too pushy: Avoid being pushy, especially about sleep and wake up time. Therefore, let your child come up with a sleep and wake cycle. Help them to sleep and wake up early, but do not push them to do it in a few days.
- Give your teen space: Giving space to your teen is important. It will help them have their independence while knowing that you have their back. Always keep the channel of communication open to display your love and support.
- Give them sex education: Adolescent sexuality is something that you should talk with your teen upfront. Providing sex education to your teen not only resolves their curiosities but also makes them aware of various issues such as sexual activity and teenage pregnancy.
Do rememberWhen To Consult A Doctor About Your Teen’s Growth Spurt?
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The rate of growth spurt depends on several inter-twinning factors like heredity, diet, exercise, any health issues, etc. Nevertheless, there are specific cases where it is ideal to consult a doctor (18).
- If you feel that your teen is growing at a significantly different pace than his or her peers.
- Unusually early onset of puberty. In medical terms, this condition is known as precocious puberty. A child with this condition will experience sexual development at an early age. For girls, it would be before the age of eight years, and for boys, it is before the age of nine years (19).
- The marked delay in growth or sexual development. Growth hormone deficiency is one of the causes for delayed puberty. The deficiency can cause the teen to have a short stature when compared to the average predicted height for their age (11).
- A sudden change in appetite that does not seem right.
- Body image problems where a teen believes that they are overweight when they actually are not. This case is usually more common in girls than in boys and can be a sign of an eating disorder.
- Signs of mental health concerns, such as depression, extreme mood swings, anxiety, hostility, and argumentative behavior.
- Poor academic performance, such as failing. Avoiding school and activities that your teen otherwise enjoyed.
- Use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
Consulting a doctor can help in the timely detection of any medical issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do Late Bloomers grow taller?
Late bloomers with a delay in growth and puberty may continue growing for longer than their peers but will catch up to a normal height (20) (21).
2. What helps teenage growth?
Teenage growth may be supported by a healthy intake of calcium, iron, and whole grains in their daily diet, along with regular physical exercises (22)
3. Can nutrition and diet affect the timing and extent of a teenage growth spurt?
Nutrition and diet are two of the most important factors that affect the onset of puberty and growth spurt. Sufficient nutrition intake and a well-balanced diet are essential for normal growth processes. If the child is overweight or obese, they possess a higher chance of entering puberty early due to excessive consumption of processed and high-fat foods (23).
4. How does a growth spurt affect a teenager’s body proportions?
When a teenager goes through a growth spurt, their legs will seem longer in proportion to the body than earlier. The child will also appear thinner as the size of the child’s body increases, but the body fat level remains relatively stable (24).
5. Does sleeping make you taller?
Sleep is essential for teens’ overall health and well-being, including growth. However, a person’s growth is mainly influenced by genetics and hormones. While sleep aids in hormone release, factors like a balanced diet and genetics play vital roles in determining a teen’s height (25).
6. How long does a growth spurt last for a teenager?
Teenagers’ growth spurt usually begins around 10 for girls and 12 for boys, but it can differ for each person. Boys usually have a more intense and longer growth spurt than girls, leading to a difference in average height. This phase generally ends around 18-19 for girls and 20-22 for boys, marking the start of adulthood. However, about 10% of girls may have a small or no growth spurt (26).
The teenage growth spurt is when your children’s bodies undergo significant changes. These changes, such as a sudden growth in height, the development of sexual traits, mood swings, and other significant changes, can be overwhelming. Therefore, it’s important to educate children about this phase and the changes that come with it. Remember that each child is unique and will experience growth spurts at different ages. But if the deviation is drastic or abnormal, affecting their physical and emotional state, consult your child’s doctor to determine any underlying cause and seek timely help.
Infographic: Tips To Help Your Teenager During A Growth Spurt
Growth spurts are a part of a myriad of transformations that occur in teenage years. While some teens may have minor changes, others may experience changes at a greater intensity and for a longer duration. Here are some useful tips to prepare and help your teen handle a growth spurt. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Teenagers undergo physical and hormonal changes during growth spurts.
- Major growth spurts typically occur between ages 8-13 for girls and 9.5-14 for boys during puberty.
- Changing body size, increased appetite, and skin and voice changes are all indicative of growth spurts in teenagers.
- Encourage your teen by suggesting healthy habits such as eating well, exercising, and open communication without judgment.
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ShareAre you noticing your teen growing taller? Check out this video to learn the 13 tell-tale signs that your teen is going through a growth spurt!
References
1. The Growing Child: Adolescent 13 to 18 Years; Johns Hopkins Medicine
2. Your Child’s Growth; Kids Health, Nemours
3. Data Table of Stature-for-age Charts; Data Table of Stature-for-age Charts; CDC
4. Delemarre-van de Waal HA and van Coeverden SC; Hormonal determinants of pubertal growth.; National Center For Biotechnology Information
5. Iris Busscher et al.; The value of shoe size for prediction of the timing of the pubertal growth spurt; National Center For Biotechnology Information
6. Rao S and Joshi S; Growth in some physical dimensions in relation to adolescent growth spurt among rural Indian children.; National Center For Biotechnology Information
7. Stages of puberty: what happens to boys and girls; NHS
8. Weight changes in kids: Knowing when to act, what to say; Children’s Wisconsin
9. Lauren B Shomaker et al., Puberty and observed energy intake: boy, can they eat!; National Center For Biotechnology Information
10. Physiology, Puberty; National Center For Biotechnology Information
11. Delayed Puberty; National Center For Biotechnology Information
12. Hägg U and Taranger J.; Menarche and voice change as indicators of the pubertal growth spurt.; National Center For Biotechnology Information
13. Parenting children through puberty; Victoria State Government
14. Erin Morgan and Angela Huebner; Adolescent Growth and Development; Virginia State Government
15. Physical Development: What’s Normal? What’s Not?; Healthy Children; American Academy of Pediatrics
16. Growing pains; Victoria State Government
17. Sleep in Adolescents; Nationwide Children’s
18. Growth and Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years; University of Michigan
19. Precocious Early Puberty; Boston Children’s Hospital
20. What is Delayed Puberty?; Cincinnati Children’s
21. Short Stature; Children’s Mercy Kansas City
22. Your Teen’s Growth Spurt: How to Fuel It Right; University Hospitals
23. Ashraf Soliman et al.; Nutrition and pubertal development; National Center For Biotechnology Information
24. Physical Changes During Puberty; American Academy of Pediatrics
25. Does sleeping make you taller? https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-faqs/does-sleeping-make-you-taller
26. Adolescent growth spurt; https://carta.anthropogeny.org/moca/topics/adolescent-growth-spurt
