The ideal height of a toddler for ages 1

Monitoring the development of the ideal height of children under five is useful to find out whether the child's growth is appropriate or not. Approximately, how tall are children aged 1-5 years according to the growth chart? The following is the full explanation.

What is the ideal height for children aged 1-5 years?

Every child has a different ideal height, depending on age, weight, and genetic factors.

After knowing your child's ideal weight range, you also need to know your little one's height according to their age.

To make it easier, here is a table of height for children aged 1-5 years according to the 2020 Ministry of Health Regulation:

If your little one's height does not match this table from the Ministry of Health, you can consult a doctor.

The importance of monitoring the height growth of children under five

The Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) explained that the indicator of a child's height will determine the child's nutritional status, whether it includes excess nutrition, good nutrition, lack of nutrition, or even malnutrition.

Therefore, paying attention to your little one's height can prevent stunting, which is a nutritional problem.

Stunting is a condition when the child's body is short due to failure to thrive and chronic nutritional deficiencies for a long time.

To ensure your toddler's development and growth is on the chart, take your little one to the posyandu or pediatrician regularly.

The reason is, calculating the ideal height of a child is quite difficult if calculated alone without the help of health workers.

Doctors or other health workers will usually measure the toddler's height in addition to weighing his body.

From there, the doctor will take into account whether your child's growth is ideal for his age or not.

Usually this progress will be recorded on the card towards health (KMS).

That way, it makes it easier for the doctor to see how your child is doing over time.

Factors that affect the ideal height of the child

Toddler height cannot be generalized. Then, looking at the different height conditions, what are the factors that influence it?

Here are some things that affect a child's height, as reported by Healthy Children:

Family and genetic factors

Family factors and genetic factors affect the child's height.

When your little one's height is shorter or taller than friends his age, the doctor will ask about the track record in your family.

In addition, the doctor may also ask if you have had problems with growth and development as a child or not.

You will also be asked what age you are at puberty as this also affects the growth of your child's body.

When viewed from genetic factors, children with special needs such as Down syndrome, Noona syndrome, or Turner syndrome tend to have shorter body postures.

Meanwhile, Marfan syndrome causes children to be taller.

Nutrition and nutrition

The nutrients from the food consumed can determine the development of your little one's height.

Indeed, thin children tend to be shorter than their age, even to the point of experiencing stunting.

However, this can also occur in obese children. This is caused by feeding with insufficient nutrition even though the portions are large.

Hormone

Hormonal imbalances, such as low thyroid or growth hormone levels, can cause your little one's height to move more slowly than children his or her age.

The effect is, there are toddlers who are shorter or very tall. Check with your doctor if your little one's height is too short or tall because it is very possible that he has growth hormone problems.

Certain health conditions

Children who have several chronic diseases are at higher risk of having a lower body length.

Apart from health conditions, the use of chronic corticosteroid drugs can slow down a child's growth.

How to increase the child's height

Overcoming toddler height which is less depending on the problems experienced by your little one.

If your child is not tall enough not because of disease, there is no special treatment that needs to be done.

You only need to do a few ways to increase the child's height, such as:

Provide healthy food

Healthy food is not only good for body weight, but also for height.

To increase the child's height, your little one needs to get used to eating fresh fruit, vegetables, protein, fat, and foods containing milk.

Conversely, reduce the variety of foods that are only high in calories but less nutritious, such as fast food.

Enough sleep

When a child sleeps, he is not only resting, but also experiences an important phase in his development.

This is because the child's growth hormone works best when he is sleeping.

Children aged 1-2 years need 11-14 hours of sleep, while toddlers aged 2-5 years need 10-13 hours of sleep.

You can also get your child into the habit of taking a nap, at least 1-3 hours so that your little one's development including height growth continues to run well.