Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Carolyn on 18/04/2008 17:19:58

Title: Growth Spurts. Do We Grow At Differing Rates Dependent On Time Of Year ?
Post by: Carolyn on 18/04/2008 17:19:58

*Mods feel free to change topic title to something more suitable


I mentioned to a friend that Nic had been sick all week with a sore throat, headache and no energy, but he never ran a fever.  He missed two days of school and when he did go he came home and went to sleep.  My friend suggested that he may be going through a growth spurt because spring and summer is when kids grow the most.

Is this true?  Are there certain times of year when kids grow more, and are there symptoms of the impending growth spurt?

Title: Growth Spurts. Do We Grow At Differing Rates Dependent On Time Of Year ?
Post by: neilep on 21/04/2008 01:26:16

I've been recording my kids heights since they could stand and I just spent the last few minutes looking at their height markings.


The problem I have is that I have not recorded heights at regular intervals eg: monthly......so my data is flawed in that respect but...I can say that I see no obvious indication of growth spurts at any specific time of year. There are substantial spurts recorded but over the course of the last four years (for the eldest three) they are clearly sporadic as far as time of year is concerned.

I hope Nic is better.

....To answer your last question as to what symptoms there may be to indicate growth spurt activity....I would have thought an increase in height might just give it away !! [;D]......I don't know...I'm guessing here !!  [;D]


Lets hope a passing growth spurt expert pops in to answer.

Title: Growth Spurts. Do We Grow At Differing Rates Dependent On Time Of Year ?
Post by: Carolyn on 21/04/2008 01:55:16

Thanks for changing the title Neil.

Also thanks for your input...including your smart a** answer to the second question. [:D]

D'OH!  Why didn't I think of going back to my wall of growth and checking the dates?  His & Ashley's growth spurts are also both sporadic.  What I have noticed is that when he is about to shoot up he develops a voracious appetite....he will eat more than twice as much as his dad & I and he starts slimming down.  Soooooo....guess I'm about to have to buy new clothes AGAIN because he's once again eating us out of house and home and I noticed tonight his jeans are getting baggy.

I've never noticed these changes with Ash.

OK...so I sort of answered my own question but I still want to know are there other physical symptoms other than an increase in height and if so, do boys differ from girls?