As a child I used to eagerly wait for the clock to strike midnight on New Year’s Eve because I ascribed to the belief that enthusiastically jumping up and down at that time would make me grow taller in the year to come. 

As I got older, I realized that this jumping probably did not contribute much to my height, as I only grew to a fraction shy of five feet tall.  And as I studied to become a doctor, I learned that one’s adult height is a result of many factors, including genetics, nutrition and exercise, but definitely not jumping up and down on New Year’s Eve.

Height can also depend on one’s perception of it. I am much shorter than my husband, but his parents are also much taller than my parents, so it is no surprise that he is tall as well. I have accepted that our children are also growing to be taller than me, owing to their father’s height.  

The majority of patients who consult a physician for concerns about height are children whose parents feel they are shorter than what they consider normal. Most children who are short are actually healthy and do not have any medical problems. They can be short because:

•     One or both of parents are short. If one or both parents are under 5’5” you can’t expect your child to be six feet tall.

•     They are growing more slowly than normal and have their growth spurt later than other children. But these children will grow to a normal height as adults.

•     They had a growth spurt early. For a while, they are taller than other children their age. But then other children catch up and grow taller.

Children usually grow rapidly in the first two years of life. This slows down until the preteen and teen years during puberty where most have a “growth spurt,” where they grow a lot in a short amount of time. As an adult you can continue to grow taller until your early 20s.  Beyond that, the parts of your bones called growth plates close and your bones stop growing longer.

At regular doctor visits, pediatricians routinely check for your child’s growth. If your child is found to be much shorter than other children of the same age and gender, this is called “short stature.”

There are some medical problems that contribute to being short. This can be due to poor nutrition growing up and being very thin, or having chronic conditions that affect the digestive system, heart, lungs, kidneys or blood. Other reasons include a lack of hormones, such as thyroid hormone or growth hormone; or being born with abnormal genes. Blood tests and X-rays can help with finding the cause.

If a medical problem is found, early and proper treatment can help. Work with your pediatrician and if any medication is prescribed, only give your child the correct doses. If hormonal treatment is not taken properly it may not have the desired effect and can even be harmful. Make sure your child gets enough food and eats a healthy diet and plenty of physical activity. This can help develop their bones and muscles.

Children usually don’t have a problem with being short, and it doesn’t keep them from living a normal, happy life. Sometimes, it’s the parents who may place undue pressure on their children. If your child is healthy, help your child feel good about him or herself, point out your child’s strengths and not focus too much on their height.

For adults, there are unfortunately no treatments that can help to grow taller. Measures that can be taken however to appear taller are to improve your posture, both sitting and standing. Hold your head up high when walking, instead of looking down or slouching.  Taking care of your bone health with proper nutrition, exercise and adequate calcium and vitamin D can also help your bones from becoming weaker as you get older, which can contribute to loss of height with advancing age.