Causes of Stunted Growth in Children

Normally, between age one and puberty, physical growth is approximately 2 inches per year. Then, when you reach puberty, it increases to 4 inches per year. You usually stop growing in height between 18 and 20 years for most people. However, deficiency in certain nutrients doesn’t only affect mental development in children but also physical growth.

The three hormones involved in growth are human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and thyroid. Any problems with the production of these hormones in the body can lead to stunted growth. First, let’s understand what stunted growth means.

What Is Stunted Growth?

Stunted growth means impaired growth and development, which can be triggered by certain factors. Growth problems affect physical and mental growth and can prevent a child from attaining full cognitive potential in adulthood. Stunted growth in children can cause both short-term and long-term consequences. These include impaired cognitive performance, increased risk of adult morbidity, and poor economic outcomes.

How Do You Know Your Child Has Stunted Growth?

You may think your child is developing well physically, but there might be indicators contrary to that belief. Here are some ways that show your child has stunted growth:

• Drastic decrease in size
• Experiencing developmental delays below age
• Higher susceptibility to infectious diseases
• Intellectual difficulty later in life and difficulty showing improvement

Causes of Stunted Growth in Children

The following are some causes of stunted growth in children:

• Growth hormone deficiency: This could be due to genetic mutations or acquired after birth. It occurs when the pituitary gland doesn’t secrete the hormone somatropin in adequate amounts, which induces growth. Also, a deficiency in zinc and vitamin D can lead to a deficiency in growth hormone. Zinc is vital for many chemical processes that happen in your body and contributes to normal sexual function and physical development. Vitamin D, on the other hand, affects bone growth rate in childhood, which affects height and overall health.
• Lack of sleep: Growth hormone works while you’re sleeping, unknown to some people. This is why children are required to sleep for longer hours compared to adults. Lack of sleep doesn’t only suppress growth hormones but also affects other hormones that play a role in the growth and development of children.
• Obesity: The more fat you have in your body, the less the growth hormone will be activated. Thus, body fat plays a pivotal role in the amount of growth hormone that is activated and utilized by the body.
• Maternal issues and fetal factors: Poor nutrition during pregnancy coupled with pregnancy complications can affect the infant later on in life. Also, infants born prematurely and have low birth weight have a higher risk of having stunted growth.
• Malnutrition: This is one of the most clear causes of stunted growth. It is not enough to feed your child, but you should ensure they get the key nutrients for all-round development. You can get a helping hand by incorporating NATURE’SFIELD HEALTHY YOU KIDS into their daily routine.

How to Improve Physical and Mental Development in Your Child

Reducing the risk of stunted growth in your child requires applying measures to improve their nutrition, environment, and sleep. This is achievable by using NATURE’SFIELD HEALTY YOU KIDS, which boosts mental and physical development in children and ensures your child has all the essential nutrients needed.

Seeing your children grow up strong and healthy is a great feeling for a parent. It gives you a great sense of achievement on a job well done. Do all you can to have your child live a normal, happy, and healthy life.