What do American pediatricians recommend to do in spring to help children grow taller?

Can height be predicted? The most accurate prediction method in medicine is \”bone age measurement\”, which requires X-rays of the hands. Generally, children do not need to take this test, so there are several relatively simple methods that can roughly predict the child\’s adult height. But it must be noted here that such a prediction is only a rough estimate and there will definitely be errors. 1. Height at 2 years old*2 This is the most commonly used \”local method\” in the United States, which is to multiply a boy\’s height at 2 years old by two. Generally speaking, girls grow faster than boys, so it is recommended to multiply the height of an 18-month-old girl by two. 2. Half of the total height of the parents. This is also a method that is often used. Add the height of both parents and divide it by two. After calculating the result, add 5 cm for boys and subtract 5 cm for girls. No matter which of the above methods is used, the pediatrician will tell me that the error will fluctuate by about 10 centimeters. Although these two prediction methods seem unreliable, they tell us an important secret about how children grow taller. What factors affect a child\’s height? From the two prediction formulas above, we can see that a large part of the factor that determines the height of a child is genes, that is, the height of both parents, which accounts for about 80% of the influence. But as the pediatrician mentioned, there will still be an error of 10 centimeters up and down, and this error is determined by acquired environmental factors, which plays a 20% role. Since genes cannot be changed, we still need to improve the environmental factors and strive to make the child\’s height reach its maximum potential. There are two key points in the environmental factors. 1. Balanced nutrition This sounds like a cliché, but at least I had a misunderstanding at that time. When it comes to growing taller, my first reaction is to supplement calcium. I have written an article before, specifically emphasizing that children are not deficient in calcium, but are lacking in VD that promotes calcium synthesis. In addition to ensuring the intake of VD, the most important thing is to ensure the intake of protein. Our pediatrician is an Asian herself and a mother of two children. She specifically emphasized to me that Asians generally have a diet that is low in protein, while Americans, on the other hand, have too much protein but too little in vegetables and fruits. She pointed this out at that time to remind me to pay special attention to the protein intake in Xiao D\’s diet. Red meat and fish are both good sources of protein. Children who don’t like meat can also introduce beans, nuts, eggs, etc. This is the recipe recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for three meals a day for children after 1 year old. I was still a new mother at that time, and I found that I did have such a misunderstanding. I felt that it would be better for my little D to eat more, but I never took it seriously. After thinking about her nutritional ratio, to give a very typical example, if a 1-year-old child drinks a large bowl of porridge or eats a steamed bun in the morning, the whole family may be very happy and feel that they have a good appetite. But if we think about it carefully, a bowl full of porridge is indeed very filling, but it contains almost no protein intake. Therefore, special attention should be paid to preventing such a problem of weight over quality. This is the recipe for three meals a day after D is 1 year old, for your reference. For more complementary food content, it is recommended to enter the official account to reply Complementary Food 2. Outdoor Activities Regarding outdoor activity time, in the United StatesBasically, there are hard and fast rules: 1 to 3 years old should ensure at least 1 hour of outdoor activity time every day, and after 3 years old, at least 2 hours a day should be guaranteed. I have written an article before, specifically explaining the benefits of outdoor activities. Click -> Not just for health, why does the United States emphasize that children have 2 hours of outdoor activities every day? Outdoor activities are also beneficial to children’s growth. Sufficient light can promote VD Production, and we all know that VD can promote the absorption of calcium, which is an indispensable element for bone development. Children who frequently spend time outdoors are less likely to get sick. Illness itself does not necessarily affect growth, but children often do not like to eat when they are sick, and poor eating affects nutritional intake, and natural growth slows down. And most crucially, being outdoors increases muscle and bone health. The human body is actually a very precise instrument that can regulate itself. If it finds that its muscles and bones are too weak to support its height, it will stop growing to protect itself. In other words, your child could have grown taller, but if he lacks exercise and his body finds that his muscles and bones cannot keep up, he will not grow any taller. Let me put down my obsession and make a final digression. The reason is that a friend of mine, neither she nor her husband are tall, so she really hopes that her son can grow taller. Therefore, I am always very nervous, fearing that I will miss the golden opportunity for my child to grow taller. If there are tips on growing taller in mother groups or online, I want to try them, and they always provide supplements for my children. I spent a lot of money, but I didn\’t see any results. Instead, I was always in a state of anxiety, which also affected my family and children. Recently, she told me that she finally figured out that the issue of wanting her son to be taller should be considered before getting married, not now. Now she just does what she can control and doesn\’t worry about the rest. What my friend said is actually to the point. Nowadays, many mothers will choose to supplement their children with this or that, especially calcium supplements, DHA supplements, and probiotic supplements. Even if they know in their hearts that they are useless, they are still willing to spend money on them. Peace of mind. In fact, these are all obsessions. Once people raise children with obsessions, they will have many false expectations. In the blink of an eye, little D is old enough to wear pigtails. Although we need to work hard for the 20% of height, we must know that there is no secret to the factors that affect these 20%. It does not rely on supplements, but on the most important factors in raising children. Do the basics well, eat a reasonable and balanced diet, stay away from junk food, and encourage children to exercise more. These are things that should be done every day, and they are things that children should be encouraged to do throughout their lives. Parenting means insisting on doing the right things every day, not taking shortcuts, and laying a solid foundation. Let go of some obsessions, and maybe we and our children will feel a little more relaxed.