Child's growth can be monitored from his height. To ensure children grow well, parents need to know what is the ideal height for the child's age. In addition, parents also need to know how to maximize a child's growth, in order to help him grow optimally.
In addition to body weight, children's height is also a measure of their nutritional status and growth. Poor height in children can be caused by several things, such as genetic factors, namely when both parents are short stature, imperfect growth, malnutrition, or the presence of certain diseases.
So that growth disorders can be identified early and treated immediately, parents must be careful in monitoring the child's growth and development. If not handled properly, the child's growth will not be optimal, and the child may experience complications later in life.
Ideal Child's Height According to Age
Ideal height is a range of normal body length according to age and sex. Ideally, the increase in body length from birth to 1 year is about 25 cm, from 1 year to 2 years is about 13 cm, and the age of 2 years to 3 years is about 9 cm. Meanwhile, from the age of 4 years until puberty, children will experience a height increase of about 5 cm per year.
Based on the standards of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia which refers to the World Health Organization (WHO), the ideal height benchmarks for children are distinguished by age and gender.
Ideal height for boys based on age is:
- Age 1 year: 72 - 78 cm
- Age 2 years: 82 - 92 cm
- Age 3 years: 83 - 95 cm
- Age 4 years: 84 - 97 cm
- Age 5 years: 85 - 98 cm
Whereas the ideal height for girls based on their age are:
- Age 1 year: 70 - 78 cm
- Age 2 years: 80 - 92 cm
- Age 3 years: 82 - 95 cm
- Age 4 years: 83 - 96 cm
- Age 5 years: 84 - 97 cm
How to Optimize Child Growth
The growth rate of each child is different. This is influenced by several things, such as genetic factors, nutrition, the presence or absence of growth stimulation, and growth hormone levels. However, there are several ways you can do to maximize children's growth:
1. Give nutritious food
Meet the nutritional needs of children by adopting a healthy diet. Give your child a variety of nutritious foods, especially foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, such as calcium and iron. These nutrients can be obtained, among others, from fish, meat, beans, and vegetables and fruit.
2. Give milk
In addition to nutritious food, add milk to the child's daily menu. Choose milk that contains essential nutrients for growth, namely protein (amino acids), fat, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D.
A good supplementary milk product is one that contains high-quality protein, for example with essential amino acids obtained from sources of cow's milk protein, whey protein, and soy protein (soy). Various nutrients are needed in the process of growing children, in addition to maintaining bone health. To increase children's tastes, now some milk products are enriched with various flavors, such as vanilla, chocolate, and honey.
3. Make sure the child is getting enough sleep and exercising regularly
Applying good sleep patterns to children and getting used to exercise regularly can make optimal body growth, because adequate sleep and exercise will increase the production of growth hormones.
There are several types of exercise that are considered effective for elevating the body, although it has not been scientifically proven. Among these are swimming, playing basketball, and jumping rope.
Efforts to optimize the growth of children must be done from an early age until the child reaches puberty, because the child's height will reach its peak at the end of this period.
To ensure the child's growth in accordance with the above reference, take him to the Posyandu or other health facilities, to be weighed and measured in height. Beware of growth disturbances if the growth and development of the Little One is stunted or incompatible with children his age. If there are suspected abnormalities or growth disorders, immediately check with your child to the pediatrician.
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