| To answer the question of how to get taller, first | | | | Other "how to get taller" questions involve finding the |
| ask the age of the short person in question. People | | | | causes or problems keeping a child from growing. In |
| older than their late teens (at the latest mid | | | | developing countries, malnutrition causes short |
| twenties) have no getting taller options, because we | | | | stature. In the US, cases of malnutrition might more |
| don't grow after that age. The reason we stop | | | | likely result from deliberate diet choices. Young girls |
| growing has to do with the epiphyseal plate, which | | | | (and occasional boys) who diet extremely enough to |
| determines our bone length and therefore our height. | | | | stop growing need to see a psychologist who |
| This plate consists of bone-growing cartilage located | | | | specializes in eating disorders. Successful treatment |
| at each end of a child's long bones. As a child reaches | | | | usually requires family participation. Short overweight |
| puberty, the epiphyseal cartilage starts to ossify, | | | | children may need testing for other medical problems. |
| becoming bone itself and ceasing to grow new bone | | | | If the short child eats well, but shows disproportion |
| length. If the short person still claims a growing age, | | | | or unusual features, test for genetic or chromosome |
| then ask questions about growth potential and | | | | problems, such as Down's or Turner's Syndromes. |
| possible medical problems. | | | | The proportionate child with a slow rate of growth |
| Children of short adults probably will not grow much | | | | and delayed puberty could harbor a problem such as |
| taller than their parents. If their growth rate (speed) | | | | Growth Hormone (GH) deficiency. Test for GH levels, |
| stays normal and their body & limbs remain | | | | pituitary function, pituitary tumor, and bone age. |
| proportionate, then short stature may be their normal | | | | Hormone treatment for GH deficiency can pose |
| destiny. If their rate of growth slows as they near | | | | tricky difficulties in balancing the various hormones |
| puberty, check for older relatives who may have | | | | that trigger and oppose the release of GH. In the |
| experienced a constitutional delay in growth, but | | | | rare case of a pituitary tumor requiring |
| attained normal height later than most. | | | | chemotherapy, wait at least a year after chemo |
| If a short child's bone age (tested with an X-ray) lags | | | | before treating with GH, to reduce the risk of a |
| behind the chronological age, that teen still has | | | | recurring tumor. |
| growing potential which will probably actualize later, | | | | With all the worrisome & not-so-worrisome |
| possibly with a later onset of puberty. If a lag in | | | | possible answers, asking about getting taller can lead |
| growth and puberty onset distresses a teen, an | | | | to many more questions about growth potential, |
| endocrinologist might help with testosterone | | | | family growth rate, and possible medical problems. |
| injections to start puberty sooner. This "how to get | | | | Family physicians can help navigate the growing maze |
| taller" solution merely hastens the growth and | | | | of information needed for answering the question of |
| development that would occur on its own eventually. | | | | how to get taller. |