How to calculate my child’s likely height

The prediction of a child’s height depends on several factors and may be related to the parents’ genes, daily eating habits, physical activity, sleep hours and health situations, that is, the presence of some condition that may limit growth. of child.

Therefore, to calculate the child’s estimated height, a simple mathematical formula can be used, which takes into account the height of the mother and father, in addition to the child’s gender.

Another way to know how tall a child will be in adulthood is by doubling their height, around 2 years of age, since, around 24-30 months of age, half of their final height is reached.

Height Prediction Calculator

To make the calculations easier, enter your details below and find out how tall your child will be:

It is important to keep in mind that the results provided by the formulas represent an estimate, so that in adult life the person may be taller or shorter. To ensure that the child’s growth and development is occurring normally, it is recommended that the pediatrician be consulted periodically.

It is also important to take into account that these formulas are based only on the parents’ height. There are more complex formulas that include measuring knee or leg height, for example, whose measurements and calculations must be carried out by a nutritionist or pediatrician and can provide more accurate results.

How to calculate height manually

According to the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics, children’s height can be predicted using the following formula:

• For girls: (mother’s height in centimeters) + (father’s height in centimeters – 13) /2
• For boys: (mother’s height in centimeters) + (father’s height in centimeters + 13) /2

It is important to highlight that the results correspond to predictions and do not necessarily correspond to reality. Furthermore, the results may vary by plus or minus 5 centimeters.

Another way to know how tall your child will be in adulthood is to multiply the height they are at 2 years old by 2. For example, if you are 86 cm at age 2, you should be 172 cm at age 21, which is when a person stops growing.

This height estimate for children is used by many pediatricians and is known as target height, but only considers the height of the parents. However, there are other factors that can affect height, such as genetics, diet, health, sleep quality, development and posture.

What to do to make your child taller

So that the child can grow healthy and be taller, simple strategies can be adopted, such as:

1. Have a healthy diet

All vitamins and minerals are important for a child’s growth, however, those that are directly related to this process are:

• Vitamin Das it increases the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestine and facilitates the entry of these minerals into the bones, which are essential for their formation;
• Calcium, phosphorus and magnesiumas they are essential minerals for building and maintaining healthy bones;
• Complex B vitaminsas they regulate several cellular and metabolic processes, including growth, development and oxidation, especially vitamins B6, B8 and B12, which are mainly related to growth and whose deficiency can interfere with this process.

Therefore, having a healthy and balanced diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and proteins, favors the development and growth of children, as this way the body obtains the nutrients necessary for produce growth hormone.

2. Sleep adequately

Growth hormone is released during sleep and, therefore, getting a good night’s sleep can promote growth. See how many hours of sleep it is recommended to sleep per day.

3. Practice physical activity

Getting your child to practice physical activity can also be useful for them to have stronger muscles and bones, as well as good body posture, which also influences their growth.

When is short stature a health problem

If the pediatrician finds that the child is experiencing growth restriction, has dwarfism or some other syndrome characterized by short stature, treatment with growth hormone (GH) may be recommended, which is administered in the form of an injection. , once a day.

Learn more about the effects of growth hormone.