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Dr. Roy Benaroch
Your Children's Health
Healthy Begins Here
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When do girls stop growing?
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Shai660 posted:
Hello my daughter is worried she has stopped growing. Right now she is 5'6" and she would like to know when does girls stop growing because we have heard from many many people that girls stop growing at the age of 16 or 18, or it's either two years after their period or that it is genetic. I am 5'2" and i recieved my period at age 12 but didnt stop growing until 16 years old and my husband is 5'8". Does my daughter still have a chance to be around 5'9"?
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phoenix31674 responded:
Height is genetic. The odds of her making it to 5'9" will also depend on the height of you and your husband's parents and siblings, but odds are that based on the heights you gave, she's not likely to grow much more than where she is now - especially if she started her period more than a couple of years ago. It's one of the reasons doctors are concerned about girls starting puberty early because it can restrict growth.

5'6" is still taller than the average female. It's really quite a decent height for a woman, but I know of no way to predict if someone has stopped growing. Just quickly searching the net there were stories of girls who stopped growing at 13, others who stopped for a while but then added an inch or so in their late teens.
 
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Roy Benaroch, MD replied to phoenix31674's response:
Phoenix is correct-- just based on her parents' heights, it's very unlikely that a biologic daughter of yours would reach 5'9". Why is that so important to her? It may not be healthy for her to be so fixated on her height.

Women stop growing within a year or so of when their periods become regular. Often a first period is followed by several months or even a year or two of irregular, spotty cycles (during these there's no ovulation to control the cycle.) Once regular ovulation begins, growth plates will soon close, and there's no more growth.
 
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fiannakyn replied to Roy Benaroch, MD's response:
5'6" is the PERFECT height. Most manufactures make thing to fit the avarage height of 5'7" The avarage height for women is about 5'4" (or is it 5'2"?) and the average height for men is about 5'8" really.

If she stays at this height or just adds an inch, she will never have to stress over finding "Talls" or buying shirts that are too big accross so they dont expose her mid drift, she also wont intimindate the boys she wants to date cause she's taller than them. I could go for days on the merrits of being 5'6".

Personaly I'm 5' 7"ish. I hit about 5'6" at about 15 or 16 and added the other inch over several more years.

Something that might help her height (or at least her health and self view) is to ALWAYS practice good posture. Sit and stand straight, do core stregnthening exercizes to make her back stronger which will help stand taller. it may only add a 1/4 inch, but the good posture will make her feel taller, which will make her act taller, and others will react as if she was taller.
Vicky- starting Fostercare training on March 28th after TTC for 10 years. Lurking for research for when we do have a placement.
 
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Shai660 replied to Roy Benaroch, MD's response:
Well my daughter is pursuing a career in modeling and we are pretty sure she hasn't stopped growing yet, she grew 5 inches ever since. we knew someone who had her period at 10 years old and didn't stop growing until 16 years but she wasn't very tall. Yes it is true, my daughter is considered very tall for a 14 year old and for an Asian girl too
 
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Shai660 replied to phoenix31674's response:
My father, my mother, and four brothers are very tall and on my husbands side everyone is very tall. My younger daughter is taller than me now and she is 12 and my son is taller than most 1st graders
 
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amandasibayan replied to Roy Benaroch, MD's response:
What if your period never becomes regular? Is there still a specific age you will stop growing?
 
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Roy Benaroch, MD replied to amandasibayan's response:
There will be a specific age, but it may be hard to guess without looking at the growth charts. Sometimes an xray can be helpful to see if the growth plates are closed.


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