Many parents are worried about the growth in height of their child in their growing years. In this article, we provide ways that parents can adopt to boost the height of their child.

1. Get adequate sleep

When your child sleeps, growth hormones are developed. As such, sleep is really important for the physical and mental development of the child. Children aged 3 to 5 years old would need 11 to 13 hours of sleep each night. Hence, it is crucial to put your child to sleep early. Setting a regular timing for your child to sleep would work. Setting a routine before sleep would also condition your child to sleep after carrying out the routine and lessen the need for you to persuade him to sleep. For example, your child will expect to sleep right after he or she brushes his or her teeth.

Children from 5 to 10 years old require 10 to 11 hours of sleep. On the other hand, pre-teens and teenagers from 10 to 17 years old would need 8 and a half to 9 and a half hours of sleep each night.

2. Ensure adequate nutrition

It is essential that your child has a proper diet. Sufficient protein can help his or her body to grow. You child should also get enough vitamins and minerals daily.

Protein

Protein is responsible for building, developing and maintaining body muscles and tissues. Protein deficiency can lead to stunted or abnormal growth. Therefore, you should ensure that your child is taking in enough proteins. Foods rich in protein are soy milk, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, lean meats, fish and poultry, beans, tofu, grains like bread and pasta, and nuts and seeds. To encourage your child to eat more of these foods, you can make these basic ingredients as tasty and interesting as possible for your child to take interest and like these foods.

Minerals:

Some minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, iodine, manganese and fluoride can enhance growth in children and teenagers.

Calcium

Calcium is the building block for strong bones and teeth. It also produces energy, contributes to the release of hormones and maintains your child’s immune system. Bone growth is also most active during childhood and adolescence. Beyond 18 years of age for girls and 20 years for boys, bone growth would stop as they have reached their maximum strength and density. Hence, it is important to give your child enough calcium in the growing years so as to ensure good bone health in his or her later years of life.

Foods rich in calcium include milk, cheese, yogurt, whole grain bread, sardines, almonds, nuts, sesame seeds and broccoli.

In order to aid the absorption of calcium by your child’s body, it is important to take in three nutrients along with it - vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin K2.

1) Vitamin D

Vitamin D facilitate the absorption of calcium by the body, hence a deficiency of it can lead to weak bones and stunted growth. The more direct source of vitamin D would be the exposure to sunlight. Other foods that provide vitamin D are fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon,  cheese, egg yolks and foods fortified with vitamin D like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk and cereals.

2) Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 is also responsible for the activation of the bone protein hormone called osteocalcin, which binds calcium to the bone, maximising the bone building process. Children have a large ratio of inactive to active osteocalcin, and thus require to take in high levels of vitamin K2.

Foods that are high in vitamin K2 includes natto, fermented soy, goose liver, cheese, egg yolks, dark chicken meat and butter.

3) Magnesium

Magnesium carries calcium to the rest of the body, and also help to balance excessively high levels of calcium in the body.

Foods which contain magnesium include green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, fruits like fig, avocado, banana and raspberries, nuts and seeds and legumes such as black beans, chickpeas and kidney beans. Vegetables such as peas, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, artichokes, asparagus, brussels sprouts are also rich in magnesium. Other foods include seafood like salmon, mackerel and tuna, whole grains such as brown rice and oats, raw cacao, dark chocolate, tofu and baked beans.

Iron

Iron also helps red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Foods that are high in iron are shellfish, spinach, liver and other organ meats, legumes, red meat, pumpkin seeds, quinoa and turkey.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for children as it helps them to get better sleep, provides energy, helps in DNA formation, ensures good heart health by maintaining blood pressure and aids in the absorption of the other important nutrients by the body. Most importantly, It is effective in building stronger bones and teeth, healthy muscles and nerves. It also helps in carrying calcium and potassium to the rest of the body, and participates in protein synthesis. Foods rich in magnesium are soy milk, roasted cashew, bran cereal, almond butter, roasted peanuts, spinach, black beans, whole wheat bread, avocado, raisins, milk, banana, peas, brown rice and edamame.

Your child may not be having enough magnesium if he or she is having blurred vision, twitches, low energy levels, anxiety and nervousness, insomnia, problems in his or her bones and teeth or constipation.

Vitamins:

Apart from Vitamin D, other vitamins A, B1, B2, C, F, riboflavin, ascorbic acid are also important for good growth in children.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that contributes to the production of collagen. The vitamin also helps the body to heal and recover from wounds. Additionally, it aids in the absorption of iron by the system, which is beneficial for growth.

Vitamin C can be derived from vegetables and fruits such as cantaloupe, citrus fruits like orange and grapefruit, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and watermelon.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B2, riboflavin, generates energy with food in the body, which then benefits the muscles, nerves and the heart. Vitamin B3, or niacin, also produces energy, and maintain the health of the skin, nervous system and digestive system. Vitamin B12, cobalamin, facilitate the usage of folic acid and carbohydrates consumed to influence growth.

Rich sources of various B vitamins include whole grains such as brown rice, barley and millet, meat like red meat, poultry and fish, eggs and dairy products like milk and cheese, soybean and legumes. Other foods high in vitamin B include seeds and nuts like sunflower seeds and almonds, dark leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach and kai lan, and fruits such as citrus fruits, avocados and bananas.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A aids in the growth of bones, cells and tissues in the body, such as those in the hair, nails and skin. It maintains good vision and improves the immune system. The vitamin promotes the production of white blood cells, which fight bacteria in a child's body. Vitamin A also helps to construct the linings of the eyes, urinary, intestinals and respiratory tracts.

Foods rich in this vitamin are milk, red meat and liver, cheese, kale, apricots, carrot juice, sweet potatoes, mango and spinach.

3. Exercise daily

Your child needs at least one hour of exercise every day. Exercising boosts the production of the growth hormone. In addition, it can maintain the overall health of your child. Exercising daily also prevents your child from becoming overweight, help him or her to build stronger muscles and bones and limit excess body fat. Children can do strength-building exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups, flexibility exercises such as yoga or aerobic activities such as hiking, running, riding a bike or rollerblading.