Factors That Contribute To Your Child's Height

Height often plays an important role in people's lives. Medically, pediatricians use growth chart to make sure that a child is growing at the proper rate. In May sports, such as volleyball and basketball, being tall is an important factor.

"Height is might" that is what most people would say. While Filipinos are not genetically predisposed to be a tall race, most parents still wish that their kids grow up to be taller than most children. But what exactly makes a person tall?

There are many factors that contribute to a person's height. Knowing what influences growth and development will help children achieve their optimum height.

1. Genetic make-up. Children inherit their parents attributes, so tall parents, in general, will produce tall off springs. Traits such as physique are also passed down from parents.

2. Prenatal Factors. While a baby is still in his mother's womb, the mom's habits, amount of exercise, and choice of food affect the child's development. Expecting moms need to stay in the pink of health to avoid any complications such as hypertension, anemia, and congestive heart failure, which could cause low birth weight in babies and a higher chance of perinatal morbidity incidence.

3. Nutrition. It is important to plan a balanced diet and incorporating a lot of "grow" foods in your child's meals. Include meat and egg in his meals, which are packed with protein. You must also encourage your child to drink milk, fortified with bone developing calcium.

4. Vitamins. Vitamins help maintain and facilitate the proper functioning of certain organs and organ systems found in a child's body. The following vitamins perform a vital role to ensure that the body efficiently absorbs nutrients and keeps the body's systems in prime working condition.

5. Exercise. While there are no definite exercises that promote height enhancement, certain activities like stretching help improve posture, since incorrect or poor posture contributes to slouching. This, in turn will make a child appear shorter than he actually is. Discrepancies in the vertebral curves, muscle coordination, strength, physical and mental health, and fatigue are leading causes of postural changes in a child.

6. Sleep. The daily amount of sleep your child gets affects his height. Growth hormones are secreted deep sleep. It is advisable for your kid to get sufficient sleep to boost a child's height.