How
to increase children's growth
(FACTORS
INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF BOYS AND GIRLS)
The growth of babies, children, and adolescents is one of the aspects that worry parents the most and generate the most visits to pediatric consultations. Growth and development are influenced by the interaction of various factors that end up determining height and weight in adulthood.
Genetic Factors:
The final height that the child reaches will largely depend on his genes. Genes
that a person inherits from their parents contribute to growth. As long as
there are no external factors that prevent it, the child will grow what his
genetic potential allows. Scientists estimate that there are between seven and
twenty specific genes that contribute to the development of a person with a
growth rate. average. Different offspring of the same pair of parents can be
very different in height, weight, and appearance due to the effect of different
genetic combinations. Genetic factors play a very important role in the growth
and development of an individual, as after birth it continues with the same
genetic load (chromosomes and genes) as at the time of conception.
Nutritional
Factors:
A balanced diet allows developing to the maximum the genetic potential of the
child. In the first six months, the best food is breast milk. Adequate
nutrition in quality and quantity plays a very important role in controlling
growth. In other words, a child who is malnourished grows and develops poorly,
which will have negative consequences for his future. There are numerous
observations that highlight the relationship between nutrition or quality of
diet and growth.
Studies conducted in Chile and other countries have shown significant differences in the weight and height of different ethnic groups, up to 8 and 10 centimeters in the final size.
This is due to the fact that to ensure the minimum functioning of the body, without having to resort to reservations, a child's daily energy intake is 1300 to 1800 calories per day, depending on age, and 2000 to 2700 calories per day, in adolescents.
The child's body reserves between 25 and 30% of these calories for growth. This amount of calories is supplied to the body depending on the daily food it receives, so it is essential to keep in mind the quality of this food and not just the quantity.
Hormonal Factors:
The
human growth hormone is produced naturally by the pituitary gland and is
responsible for the growth and development of children.
The normal growth in children and adolescents depends on the proper secretion of this hormone. During adulthood, growth hormone is essential for efficient metabolism. People with pituitary tumors often experience abnormal secretion of this hormone.
For example, an excess of growth hormone produces gigantism in middle-aged adults and children who are still developing. Other hormones such as thyroxine, insulin, or testosterone also influence children’s growth.
Socioeconomic
Factors:
Studies
show that children with a lower socioeconomic level or with a larger number of
siblings have a tendency to grow more slowly than middle- or upper-class
children and single children or those with few siblings.
What is thought in these cases is that children of lower status and those who have more siblings have more difficulty enjoying adequate nutrition, or worse access to vaccines, new drugs, early detection of diseases and syndromes that influence the size, or the possibility of correcting hormonal, metabolic alterations.
Environmental
Factors such as Pollution:
Researchers
at Albany University in New York have studied the relationships of human growth
with pollution, and have concluded that physical development patterns are
negatively affected by pollutants, especially during the prenatal period.
An example is heavy metals such as lead, which
like noise and stress, are related to low weight at birth.
Although
the study shows that exposure to pollutants has adverse effects, there are
insufficient data to determine how specifically these variants are able to
alter physiological development.
Physical
Exercise:
Babies
should be encouraged to move from the earliest stages of life, as exercise
tones their muscles, oxygenates the tissues, and promotes growth.
As
they grow older, walks and outings in the park will take on a lot of importance
within their day to day lives. From early childhood (between 6-7 and 12 years
old), despite gymnastics classes and other extracurricular activities, children
reduce their activity in favor of television and video games.
Attention
must be paid to this factor, as inactivity and sedentary lifestyle are the main
causes of overweight and childhood obesity.
Sound
Hours:
Night
rest is an essential factor for the proper growth of children. According to
endocrines, between 70% and 80% of growth hormone is secreted during the hours
of sleep. If the child is not very low in weight and we have to be very strict
with their prey, it is not advisable to wake him up at night to eat, as
sleeping helps him to grow.
Also,
if we wake him up, we would interfere with his sleep patterns. During the first
year, the baby self-regulates, so that if he is hungry, he will wake up.
Psychosocial
Factors:
Different
studies have shown that children who have suffered severe emotional deficiencies
(abandonment, abuse, neglect, etc.) grow less than other children their age.
These children have been subjected to stress or anxiety and secrete largely
amounts of somatostatin, a hormone that inhibits the release of growth hormone.
The
psychosocial factors have a great influence on the balance of emotional,
intellectual development, and somatic growth.
However, it is very difficult to separate the consequences of effective deficiency from disorders that depend on malnutrition, as a psychosocial referral is often associated with nutritional deficiencies and chronic infections, and a set of factors that negatively affect the child population. of developing countries and marginal areas of developed ones.
Today
it seems proven that social derivation is capable of causing a decrease in
growth and development due to a growth horn deficiency that is corrected
spontaneously when separating affected children from the hostile family
environment.
Physical
and Psychomotor Development for up to two Years:
After
birth, growth continues rapidly during the first two or three years of life. On
average, a baby is about 49 cm tall (49 cm girls and 50 cm boys, considering
normally the range between 45 cm and 53 cm,
a year has passed to about 74 cm, at two years, 84 cm, and at three, 93
cm In relation to weight, the baby weighs an average of 3.5 kg (3.5 in the case
of children and 3,250 kg girls, although the degree of oscillation of this is
quite wide, considering within the range between 2,500 and 4,000 g. A year
makes about 9.4 kg, two years ago it was 12 kg, and at the age of three, 13.7
kg From that moment on, the increase in weight and height became much slower.
Achieving
psychomotor development allows for later physical and psychological
development. Many of the milestones of intellectual development take place with
more difficulty, some are not even achieved if the child cannot explore the
environment.
In order to be able to carry out this exploration, motor development is essential.
This development follows the laws, mentioned above, cephalocaudal and
proximodistal; and can be divided into two general categories:
The
mastery of large body movements (control over locomotion and posture. It
involves control over the movements of the arms, legs, torso, and head that
allow us locomotion. But it also allows us control over a number of postures
common to our species, such as standing, sitting, and so on.
The
Most Suitable Sports for Different age Groups:
Young children choose sports that have more
balanced requirements for the human body, such as swimming, judo, etc., to lay
a solid foundation for all-around physical fitness.
During adolescence, you can choose fine
motorsports, such as table tennis, badminton, basketball, etc. These items can
enhance the physical fitness of teenagers, make thinking quick, exercise
endurance and explosive power, stimulate bones, promote growth, and prevent
myopia.
Before
5 years old: ball games. "Ball" is a moving object, which can stimulate
vision, exercise response-ability, promote the body's control of fine
movements, and improve body coordination. For infants and young children in a
period of rapid growth and development, ball games are more comprehensive
exercises.
Before
12 years old: sprinting. You can practice 50-meter short-distance running
before the age of 12, and 400-meter or 800-meter running after the age of 12.
Exercise should emphasize fun, and you can run in a serpentine run or a relay
run.
