The importance of monitoring and assessing children’s height

Height is not only a measure of appearance, but also plays an extremely important role in the comprehensive development of children, affecting both physical and mental health. Therefore, monitoring and evaluating children’s height regularly and accurately is of great significance. Parents are required to equip themselves with adequate knowledge to monitor their children’s height development process, thereby having timely interventions if necessary, allowing them to achieve their potential height and develop comprehensively.

1. What is the importance of children’s height monitoring and assessment?

According to the Viet Nam National Institute of Nutrition, our country is currently facing the challenge of stunting malnutrition in children under 5 years old (one in four children under 5 years old is malnourished), the average height of men and women is not only lower than several developed countries but also lower than some countries in the Southeast Asian region. For children under 1 year old, parents should measure their child’s height periodically every 1 month to monitor their growth progress. Since monitoring and evaluating children’s height is a simple task but brings various practical benefits to both children and parents. And this is also important reference data to help doctors and parents determine whether their children are developing as expected or are facing potential concerns, thereby being able to intervene promptly. 

Monitor and assess children’s height periodically

In fact, monitoring children’s height periodically allows parents to have an overview of their child’s height growth rate. At that time, parents can assess whether their child is developing normally or slowly compared to the standard. At the same time, according to the World Health Organization, height is also one of the important indicators reflecting the nutritional status and overall health of children and it is really necessary to be monitored and intervened promptly. 

In addition, regular monitoring helps parents detect early signs of slow height growth in children, such as: children’s height growth is slower than the standard, children’s height is shorter than their peers… Thanks to that, parents can provide appropriate support measures to help children develop height at their best.

The kid is shorter than their peer 

Based on the results of height monitoring, parents can adjust their diet, exercise and sleep to suit their child’s development needs. For example, if the child shows signs of nutritional deficiencies, parents need to supplement foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, etc. If the boy or girl is sedentary, parents should encourage them to participate in age-appropriate physical activities. Ensuring that the child gets sufficient and deep sleep also plays an important role in promoting height development. 

In addition, regular height monitoring allows children to form good health care habits, be aware of the importance of height development and be more responsible for their own health..

2. How to monitor and assess children’s height

With the benefits mentioned above, monitoring and assessing children’s height is necessary. In addition, parents also need to equip themselves with steps to be able to carry out this process effectively. 

– Measure height periodically and correctly, consider the following factors: time of measurement, measuring tools and measurement method. Parents should measure their children’s height at the same time of day, preferably in the morning after waking up and using a measuring tape with the smallest division of 0.1 cm. The measurement sequence will be carried out sequentially from having the child take off their slippers, hats or other accessories, then stand up straight, with their legs close together and their heels touching the wall, and then the parent will mark the height on the wall. The final step is to read the measurement on the tape and record the height..

– Next, record the height measurement along with the date of measurement in a health monitoring notebook or a separate height monitoring chart. Compare the child’s height measurement with the standard by gender and age to assess his/her development..

WHO standard height and weight chart for baby according to age and gender 

– Parents should draw a height chart over time to visually monitor their child’s growth. This should be done every 3 months. Parents should explain to their children the meaning of the height chart so that they can participate in monitoring and evaluating their own growth.

3. Warning signs of slow height growth in children

Below are some warning signs of slow growth in children that parents need to pay attention to in order for early detection and timely intervention measures.

WHO has issued a standard height chart by gender and age to help assess the height status of children. If a child’s height is 2SD lower (SD: standard deviation) than the standard height chart by gender and age, this is a warning sign that the child is developing slowly in height.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Chi Dung – Director of the Center for Endocrinology, Metabolism, Genetics and Molecular Therapy, National Children’s Hospital has issued and analyzed the normal growth chart of children. The average increase when children are provided with all necessary nutritional and hormonal factors is 4 to 7.0 cm per year (after 4 years old to 2-3 years before puberty, around 9 years old). Under 5 years old, the height fluctuation of children is much larger, specifically: 0-1 years old: average increase of 25 cm; 1-2 years old: average growth 12 cm; 2-3 years old: average growth 8.0 cm/year. Therefore, if a child’s height growth rate is slower than normal, less than 5 cm/year, this is a warning sign of slow height development.

Children with symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, poor sleep… may lead to slow growth in height. This is due to many different causes, including nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disorders, underlying diseases, insomnia and fatigue. Since having metabolic disorders or diseases, despite good eating, children’s bodies may still lack essential nutrients for development, resulting in slow height growth.

Children with poor appetite symptoms are at risk of malnutrition and stunted growth.

4. Solutions for slow height growth in children

Children’s slow growth in height can be caused by different reasons, related to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal problems or health conditions. To overcome this, parents need to have effective interventions, such as: improving nutrition, supplementing essential vitamins and minerals, and increasing physical activity. Below are some suggested solutions for children with slow growth in height, depending on the characteristics of each child, then parents can choose accordingly for appropriate application. 

– Supplementing adequate nutrition for children, especially foods rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D plays an important role in the development of children’s height. As calcium is the main component of bones and teeth, allowing bones to be strong and flexible. Foods rich in calcium include: milk and dairy products (cheese, yogurt, etc.), green vegetables (spinach, kale, etc.), beans. Along with that, vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium better. Children need to sunbathe every day to synthesize natural vitamin D in addition to being provided with foods rich in vitamin D such as fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, etc.), egg yolks, mushrooms, etc. Finally, regarding the role of protein, parents somehow know that this is an essential ingredient for the development of muscles and bones.

Foods rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D play an important role in children’s height development.

Understanding the nutritional needs to help children develop optimal height in the first 5 years of life, Nutricare and the Nutricare Medical Nutrition Institute – USA (NMNI-USA) have launched the nutritional product Nutricare Smarta Grow with an improved formula, meeting 100% of the calcium content recommended by the US National Institutes of Health (children from 1 to 2 years old need to supplement 500mg of calcium per day and children from 3 to 5 years old need 600 mg per day). In particular, the product has been clinically proven to help children increase their height after 2 months of use. Specifically, after 2 months of combined use of the nutritional product Nutricare Smarta Grow, children are 1.41cm taller and gain 0.4kg in weight. At the same time, with the trio of calcium, vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 imported directly from the US, along with 52 essential nutrients in the product, children using 2 glasses of standard mixed Nutricare Smarta Grow powdered milk or 3 cartons of 180ml premixed powdered milk each day will be supported to develop optimal height and strong bones. In addition, Nutricare Smarta Grow also enhances DHA, Choline to support brain development; high-quality protein for children to gain healthy weight to catch up with growth; fiber, lysine in the product also supports children’s healthy digestion. With nutrients imported from the United States and reasonable prices, the duo of powdered milk and ready-to-drink powdered milk – Nutricare Smarta Grow is the optimal choice for parents to supplement nutrition to support children’s height, resistance and brain development.

– In addition to supplementing foods rich in calcium, protein and vitamin D, parents also need to let their children participate in regular physical activities such as playing sports, outdoor activities… to stimulate the development of children’s bones, joints and muscles. However, physical activities need to be appropriate to the age, ability and interests of the child. Children from 0 to 2 years old should exercise at least 30 minutes a day with activities such as crawling, creeping, walking with parents. For older children, they need at least 60 minutes of physical activities a day through exercise, outdoor activities and suitable sports such as swimming, cycling, jumping,… In particular, children should participate in physical activities with friends or family to increase joy and motivate them.

Children participate in physical activities with friends

– Sleep plays an extremely important role in the physical and mental development of children, especially in promoting height growth. In a study monitoring the height growth of children aged 3 to 18 years old by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), it was shown that children who got enough sleep (at least 9 hours per night) were on average 5cm taller than children who did not get enough sleep. The reason is that while sleeping, especially when entering deep sleep, the child’s body secretes growth hormone (GH). This is a key factor in stimulating the height growth process. This hormone is secreted the most at night, from 22:00 pm to 02:00 am. Therefore, enough sleep and deep sleep during this time frame ensures optimization of GH production, thereby supporting children to grow in height most effectively.

Sleep plays an extremely important role in the process of children’s height development

– In particular, parents should note that each child has a different nutritional diet, so it is very important to receive advice from health experts to ensure a suitable and effective height development plan. At the same time, seeing a doctor regularly and immediately upon any unusual signs is extremely important to ensure the health and comprehensive development of children.

Parents should take their children to see a doctor regularly

Conclusion: Monitoring and assessment of  height is extremely important for parents to understand their children’s development status and have timely interventions if necessary. Combine monitoring height with comprehensive health care for children to comprehensively bring them both physical and mental development. Finally, children’s health is the most valuable asset of parents, spend time taking care of your children’s health in the best way so that they have a solid foundation for the future.