When a child reaches 8 years old, achieving the standard height not only reflects a healthy lifestyle but also serves as the foundation for the next growth spurt. So, what should parents do if their child hasn’t reached the expected height for this age? In this article, we will analyze four effective and safe ways to increase height for 8-year-old children quickly.
What is the standard height for an 8-year-old child?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) height-for-age standards, the average height for both boys and girls at the age of 8 is around 47 – 51 inches (120 – 130cm). This result indicates the effectiveness of the care plan applied by parents for the child. Continuing to maintain these methods can help the child reach the standard height in the following age stages.
In the case where an 8-year-old child is shorter than the minimum height of 47 inches (120cm), parents should make changes to the child’s care plan. Adjusting the nutritional intake in each meal, encouraging physical activity, and ensuring sufficient sleep are essential factors to improve height.
Corresponding to the height mentioned above, an 8-year-old child should maintain a weight range of approximately 50 – 57 pounds (23 – 26kg). The proportional relationship between weight and height contributes to a well-balanced physique and supports the child’s overall healthy development.
How many inches does an 8-year-old child grow per month?
The rate of height growth for an 8-year-old child is usually uneven and depends on various factors such as genetics, nutrition, physical activity, and health. On average, an 8-year-old child can grow about 2 – 3 inches (5 – 8 centimeters) in height per year, which is approximately 0.17 – 0.25 inches (0.4 -o.7 centimeters) per month.
However, this is just an average number and may vary for each child. If parents are concerned about the specific height development of their child, it is recommended to seek information from a doctor or nutrition expert for a more accurate assessment.
Guide to Increase Height for 8-Year-Old Children
The age of 8 is crucial for a child’s height growth. By combining balanced nutrition, physical activity, and a healthy lifestyle, parents can help their 8-year-old child achieve maximum growth rate. Below are useful guidelines for increasing height in 8-year-old children that parents should know.
Physical Exercise
When a child develops a daily habit of physical activity, the chances of achieving the standard height increase by 20%. Exercise enhances bone and joint flexibility, stimulates growth hormones production, thereby promoting maximum height growth in children.
Physical Exercise.
So, what types of physical exercises can parents have their 8-year-old child do to increase height?
- Jumping Rope: Jumping rope is an excellent exercise to boost a child’s height development. Continuous jumping and stretching movements stimulate the bones and promote cartilage formation. To make exercise more enjoyable for the child, parents can create a group activity with their friends.
- Swimming: Among the sports that increase height for 8-year-olds, swimming is considered the most impactful. It not only provides overall body stimulation but also doesn’t exert pressure on the bones and joints. This condition naturally aids in the child’s height development.
- Basketball: When playing basketball, the child needs to perform high jumps, continuous running, and stretching. These movements significantly impact the upper body, promoting height development and body balance. That’s why most schools include this sport in their curriculum.
- Cardio and HIIT Training: These are two high-intensity workout forms that have a powerful effect on bone and joint development. Cardio and HIIT involve continuous running, jumping, and high-frequency movements. The body experiences constant impact and stimulation, leading to increased growth hormones.
In addition to the mentioned exercises, parents can explore and combine various other types of physical activities for their child. Some ideal combinations include rhythmic gymnastics, yoga, pilates, stretching, etc.
Parents should also remind their child to perform muscle stretching exercises before and after workouts to optimize the effectiveness. Additionally, maintaining consistent daily exercise time and taking 1 – 2 rest days per week will help the 8-year-old child achieve their desired height from regular physical activity.
Nutrition
At 8 years old, children are in a rapid growth phase and need sufficient nutrition to maximize height growth. Nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamin D contribute to bone and muscle development, provide energy, and enhance nervous system function. Sufficient intake of these nutrients creates favorable conditions for overall development and better height during this crucial phase.
So, what should parents feed their 8-year-old child to ensure optimal bone development?
- Green vegetables: Vegetables like broccoli, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, and other leafy greens are rich sources of fiber, vitamins, and essential minerals crucial for height development.
- Fruits: Oranges, tangerines, pineapples, bananas, apples, grapes, watermelons, cucumbers, etc., are abundant in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, promoting overall health. Additionally, certain fruits provide calcium and collagen, which are essential for maximum height growth.
- Meat and fish: Poultry, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, crab, scallops, etc., are protein sources that aid in muscle building and height growth and should be included in the child’s diet.
- Milk and dairy products: Fresh milk, yogurt, condensed milk, cheese, and other dairy products provide calcium and vitamin D, crucial for bone development and natural height increase.
Milk and dairy products.
- Cereals and cereal products: Including rice, wheat, wheat flour, bread, noodles, vermicelli, corn, and oats in the diet provides energy for physical activities, learning, and playing, making the child more energetic.
- Legumes and seeds: Incorporating soybeans, black beans, green beans, red beans, peanuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, etc., into the main meals supplies necessary protein, fiber, and essential minerals for the child’s height development.
Lastly, don’t forget to ensure the child drinks at least 2 liters of water each day to facilitate efficient metabolism, enabling the young body to absorb maximum nutrients from daily meals.
Lifestyle
To maximize the height growth of an 8-year-old child, focusing solely on nutrition and exercise is not enough; establishing a balanced lifestyle is equally important. A well-structured lifestyle includes time for rest, physical activity, and meals. Parents should work with their child to create a daily schedule to ensure no activities are missed and time is managed efficiently.
The recommended daily schedule for an 8-year-old child includes the following:
- Physical activity time: At least 3 hours of physical activity each day, including about 1 hour of sports play. The child’s physical activity time can be divided into 15 minutes in the morning after waking up and 45 minutes in the afternoon.
- Rest time: An 8-year-old child should have 8 to 11 hours of sleep at night. This means parents should ensure their child goes to bed early. Adequate rest time brings numerous benefits for height growth and overall health.
- Regarding rest time during physical activity, the child should have 1 to 2 days without exercise (only rest) to allow muscles and joints to recover, thus enhancing the effectiveness of the workout.
- Mealtime: Parents should ensure their 8-year-old child eats regular meals. If the child skips a meal at the scheduled time, they should wait until the next mealtime. This not only teaches the child to value meals but also ensures uninterrupted nutrient intake from their meals.
In addition to the crucial timeframes mentioned above, parents should also allocate time for their child to relax mentally and minimize stress from studying.
Should 8-year-old children drink milk to increase height?
Milk is an essential source of calcium for bone development and height growth in children. 8-year-old children can continue drinking milk to meet their calcium, vitamin D, and other important nutrient needs for overall development.
Cow’s milk, nut milk, and goat’s milk are all ideal choices for 8-year-olds to supplement their nutrition. Additionally, children can consume some dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, etc. To receive nutrients without gaining excessive weight or becoming obese, 8-year-olds should only drink about 750ml of milk per day.
However, relying solely on milk will not allow children to reach their maximum height potential. Instead, it is recommended to combine milk with other nutrients from various foods in their daily diet to support better growth.
Should 8-year-old children take height growth supplements?
Height growth supplements are actually various types of vitamins and minerals formulated in the form of tablets or chewable pills for supplementation. Using height growth supplements is a way to compensate for the nutrients that the body may not be getting enough of.
The nutrients commonly found in height growth supplements include calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, collagen, and other minerals and vitamins that support bone and joint development, as well as overall health. What’s special about these supplements is that they are formulated using modern technology, have high bioavailability, rapid absorption, and deliver maximum effectiveness.
Read more: Foods That Stunt Children’s Growth
What should an 8-year-old avoid to promote height growth?
When aiming to promote height growth for an 8-year-old, besides adopting good activities and habits, it’s also essential to steer clear of factors that could potentially affect their height development.
So, what should an 8-year-old avoid?
- Tobacco: Tobacco and secondhand smoke can harm overall health and impact a child’s height development. Avoid exposure to tobacco smoke and ensure a smoke-free environment around the child.
- Alcohol and stimulants: Stimulants like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs can negatively affect the growth and development process, leading to adverse effects on the nervous and muscular systems.
- Unhealthy food: An imbalanced diet lacking essential nutrients can hinder potential height growth. Avoid fast food, high-fat and high-sugar foods, and limit the consumption of sugary and carbonated beverages during the child’s growth period.
- Lack of sleep: Sufficient and quality sleep is crucial for growth and development. An 8-year-old should have about 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased growth hormone production and hinder height development.
- Stress: A stressful and high-pressure environment can negatively impact a child’s overall development, including height growth. It’s essential for parents to create a comfortable and supportive environment to promote comprehensive development.
Additionally, if there are any concerns about the child’s height development, it’s advisable to consult a pediatrician or nutrition expert for specific and accurate advice.
At 8 years old, children experience rapid height growth compared to previous stages. By establishing an appropriate plan, they can create conditions for maximum growth. Combining nutrition, physical activity, rest habits, and using supportive foods will yield surprising results. Wishing parents success in helping their 8-year-old achieve the standard height and weight.
Hi everyone, I’m Tony Scotti, an expert in the field of height increase with many years of experience researching and applying height increase methods, and have achieved promising results. I have created increase height blog as a personal blog to share knowledge and experience about what I have learned during the process of improving my own height.
