by Angela La Fon

Created on: April 11, 2011   Last Updated: April 15, 2011

Children are always growing but the path to adult height isn’t a steady one.  Children go through growth spurts, or periods of rapid growth, each year but the major ones occur during infancy and puberty.

Infant Growth Spurts

Babies have a growth spurt like no other time in their lives.  Clothes that swamped your newborn last month may be way too small next month.  Consider this:  In the first six months of like babies will double their birth weight and by the their first birthday they will likely triple their birth weight.  This rapid growth spurt during the first year of life is one of the reasons pediatrician wellness visits are suggested at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months old.  Doctors will plot a baby’s head circumference, height and weight onto a chart to make sure your baby is developing normally.  Typical growth during the infancy is 1 ½ lbs. and 1 to 1 ½ inches per month. 

Puberty Growth Spurts

Smaller, shorter growth spurts will continue until the next big one at puberty.  Puberty generally begins between the ages of 8 and 13 for girls.  Boys are more likely to begin puberty between the ages of 9 to 14.   During puberty adolescents will grow more than any other time in life with the exception of infancy.  Some adolescents will grow up to four inches a year during puberty.  Boys often continue to grow into their late teens or even early twenties. 

Signs of Growth Spurts

The most obvious signs of a growth spurt may be that a child’s pants and shirts are too short and none of their shoes fit but there are often other tell-tale signs parents may notice that can indicate that children are going through a growth spurt.  From babies to teens and in between, an increased appetite can be a sign of a growth spurt.  For babies, a growth spurt may also be accompanied by crankiness, especially if the baby is waking up to eat more often.  Children going through major growth spurts will also want to sleep more.  In fact, studies have found that 80% of growth hormones are secreted during sleep so experts think that this is when the growth is occurring. 

Sweet Cravings and Growth Spurts

Scientists have discovered that there is a link between growing bones and cravings for sweets.  During this time of rapid growth, it appears that youth are craving sweets, a higher calorie food.  Just because there’s a biological explanation for sweet cravings, doesn’t mean that giving in to all craving for sugary treats is a good idea.  Doctors encourage healthier choices like naturally sweet fruits.  You can see a short video explaining the research between sugar cravings and growth spurts here at WebMD videos.

If your child has questions or concerns about their growth spurt or the lack of a growth spurt, KidsHealth offers a factual and positive article for kids on “Feeling Too Short or Too Tall?”

Additional information:

http://teens.webmd.com/girls-puberty-10/puberty-chan ging-body

http://www.webmd.com/video/kids-craving-sweets

http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/my_height. html#

http://www.parents.com/advice/babies/baby-developmen t/what-are-the-signs-of-a-growth-spurt/

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