The body of a child can be likened to a high-rise building under construction, with each stage of development corresponding to a floor being built. When early puberty occurs, it’s like rushing the construction process by using accelerants. While it may complete a few floors faster, in the long run, the entire project is at risk of being cut short, affecting the overall height and development.
While early puberty may result in initial rapid growth in children, it also causes bone ossification to occur earlier, limiting their future growth potential. Typically, bone age and chronological age should correspond. However, when the growth process is abnormally accelerated, bone age can outpace actual age, shortening the growth period.
For instance, a 9-year-old child with a bone age of 9 can expect to keep growing for approximately 8-10 more years, much like a marathon runner pacing themselves for the long haul. On the other hand, if a 9-year-old child has a bone age of 12, their growth potential is reduced to about 4-5 years, akin to a sprinter who burns out quickly.
Many parents mistakenly believe that their child’s height advantage over peers guarantees an ideal adult height. In reality, if bone age advances too rapidly compared to height, children may miss out on crucial growth stages, ultimately limiting their final height. While a child with normal development may gain about 5 cm per year for a decade, a child experiencing early puberty might gain 8 cm annually but only for five years, resulting in a shorter final height than their actual potential.
According to the Health Education and Promotion Association of China, approximately 530,000 children in the country are facing the issue of early puberty. Experts also warn that four common family habits can inadvertently increase this risk, negatively impacting children’s development.
Four Common Habits That Can Increase the Risk of Early Puberty, According to Experts
Using Plastic for Food Storage and Reheating
Many parents habitually store food in the refrigerator and reheat it in the microwave without removing the plastic wrapping. When exposed to high temperatures, plastic can release chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates, which act as environmental estrogens and can trigger early puberty in children.
To reduce this risk, parents should opt for glass or ceramic containers when reheating food and minimize the use of plastic cups for hot beverages, favoring stainless steel or safe paper cups instead.
Late Bedtimes and Excessive Screen Time
Research in China indicates that prolonged use of electronic devices can influence children’s hormone cycles, including growth hormones and androgens like estrogen. When children stay up late to watch videos, play video games, or use their phones, their biological rhythms are disrupted, interrupting the natural hormone production process and accelerating bodily development.
Furthermore, excessive screen time reduces physical activity, leading to fat accumulation. Adipose tissue in the body can produce estrogen, and an increase in this hormone can stimulate early puberty. Additionally, children’s exposure to inappropriate online content can impact their psychology, affecting their natural development.
Therefore, parents should set boundaries on screen time and encourage children to engage in outdoor sports and play to help balance hormones and maintain natural development.
Encourage Outdoor Activities and Sports to Help Balance Hormones and Natural Development
Overindulging in Fast Food
The habit of using fast food as a reward or to pacify children can have serious long-term consequences. These foods are high in calories, fat, and sugar but lack essential vitamins and minerals. Regular consumption of fast food can disrupt the body’s endocrine system, stimulating estrogen production and affecting normal development.
Proper nutrition is like providing a high-quality fuel for a car, ensuring efficient and long-lasting performance. However, if we fill our bodies with low-quality food, the growth plates may fuse earlier, reducing the potential for height gain.
Instead of relying on fast food, parents should cultivate the habit of preparing healthy meals at home, ensuring a balanced diet, and encouraging children to consume plenty of green vegetables and fruits to meet their nutritional needs.
Drinking Milk Tea Instead of Water
Many children have developed the habit of drinking milk tea instead of water, which is a contributing factor to endocrine disorders. A cup of milk tea contains a high amount of sugar, equivalent to consuming 10 sugar cubes, and provides energy comparable to a full meal.
When this excess sugar is stored in the body, it gets converted into fat, leading to weight gain and obesity. Adipose tissue produces aromatase, an enzyme that accelerates the conversion of testosterone into estrogen, increasing the likelihood of early puberty.
Parents should limit their children’s consumption of sugary drinks and encourage them to opt for water, natural fruit juices, or herbal teas without artificial sweeteners.
Early puberty not only impacts height but also carries negative consequences for overall health and children’s psychology. By adjusting dietary and lifestyle habits and minimizing exposure to hormone-stimulating factors in the environment, parents can support their children’s natural development and help them achieve their optimal height as adults.
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Parents should actively guide their children in embracing exercise, adequate nutrition, and sleep to promote optimal growth and development. It is essential to instill these healthy habits from a young age to ensure they thrive and reach their full potential. By encouraging an active lifestyle, a balanced diet, and sufficient rest, parents can help their children grow taller and foster a foundation for a lifetime of wellness.
