How to make your child grow taller

This guide will look at ways you can aid the natural way for a child to grow taller and reach his/her full height potential. Every child is genetically programmed to grow to certain height. It will depend on the height of parents, but they may or may not reach their full height.

One of the main reasons why a child fails to grow at normal rate is because there isn't enough growth hormones produced by the pituitary gland.

Here are some factors that will determine the adult height of a child:

• The height of parents. Genetic factors “program” the adult height of a child.

• The environment they live in. There is substantial scientific evidence that height can vary depending on where you live and the type of diet that one consumes. For example, the average height in Japan before the war was substantially less than it is now as a result of the transformation in the diet people now consume.

Some tips to ensure the child is given every chance to reach their full height

Diet

A child may naturally reach his full height by doing and eating things that they normally do, but a parent can ensure a few things that will enable their child to reach their full potential in terms of height.

• A diet high in protein is essential because protein is a growth hormone made up of amino acids responsible for causing growth. A diet insufficient in protein will likely result in insufficient production of growth hormone in the pituitary gland.

• High calcium intake. A growing child requires plenty of calcium because it aids the development of bones. Although it isn't clear whether calcium helps to make bones not only denser but also longer, nevertheless, a parent should ensure a child drinks plenty food rich in calcium, especially milk.

Exercise and sports

Exercise increases the release of growth hormone by the pituitary gland, so a while a child is still growing, regular exercise will increase the likelihood of the child increasing their height.

Extending the spinal column

The theory is that, because the bones of the spinal column do not fuse and that the it contributes significantly to an individual's total height, it is important to extract as much height gain as possible by lengthening the spine under the influence of exercises aimed at lengthening the discs together with growth hormone released by the pituitary gland.

This should be done only be young teenagers just beginning high school and is not really recommended for very young children because of the risks of injury. It can be done through a stretching program that focuses on extending the back for several minutes on a daily basis. The child should be careful not to injure him/herself. There are plenty of sites that provide illustrations of stretching routines that focus on various parts of the body.

Human growth hormone therapy

This is often a last resort for many parents. If a child is unusually short in stature compared to peers, there is the option of consulting with your physician about human growth hormone therapy. A doctor can administer HGH to a child to boost their height because it allows for better synthesis of protein.

• The therapy takes place over the course of many months and years by injecting the hormone.

However, it should be recognised that, although HGH can make a child grow taller, it can have negative side effects.

• There is the possibility of the onset of diabetes

• Possibility of causing headaches

Avoid weight training at young age

Some would say it is a myth that a teenage boy lifting weights will stunt his growth, but there is no scientific evidence to back this up. However, the theory is that lifting weights that put too much stress on the spine will stop it from elongating. There could be some truth in that.

Avoid products and supplements sold over theinternet

• There are host of products like Kimi, invented in Japan, promising to make people taller within a matter of weeks, but these are nothing but “snake oil”, a derogatory term used for products with no validity in their claims, are invented simply to rip people off that are desperate in wanting to gain and inch or two.

• Also, there are various sites selling supplements, supposedly containing human growth hormone to aid in height increase. You should avoid such products because they neither work nor are they particularly safe to use.

The only growth hormone that should be considered is that administered by your physician after full consultation.