Did I stop growing? What can a teen do to grow taller?

Posted by vamp14 @vamp14, Aug 8, 2021

I’m 14 years old and have been 5’6 for about a few months now and I’m not sure if I should be worried or not. I hit my first growth spurt back in 4th grade when I was 4’9 and grew, by the time I was in 6th grade I was 5’1 . Then 7th grade came and I grew 5 more inches. By the time the pandemic started I was 5’6. I started 8th grade and finished 8th grade (currently about to go to 9th) and still haven’t grown a single inch. The doctor says I have a lot of testosterone and should be exercising more so I did but no signs of growth yet. Is there a certain exercise or medication or any remedies I can take to increase my height or maximize it?

Community Director's note

Learn more with Dr. Siobhan Pittock, pediatric endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in this podcast:
How do kids grow? - Mayo Clinic Press

"The best we can do is take good care of our kids so they grow to their maximum potential: make sure they get plenty of sleep, eat a nutritious diet, and have healthy, realistic expectations."

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the About Kids & Teens Support Group.

@myleghurts101

I'm an 18 year old guy.
Im 5'9.
Mom is 5'6 or 5'7.
17 year old sister is 5'7
My father is 6'2.
6,2 uncle(mom's side)
I'm more concerned with my perportions. I have a bigger head and my wingspan(distance from fingertip to fingertip with stretch out arms)
is 6'3 ( wingspan grew from 6' to 6'3, almost a year ago now)
My torso is really short compared to my legs. Am I likely to grow to be more perportional? I feel and look awkward.
Trying to find answers elsewhere and found resources I've read online claims for the majority of the adults height and wingspan is a 1:1 ratio. Or roughly the same.

Quick Notes[
was adopted
Shy guy and to embarrassed to bring up to my PCP or a,nurse
Have lived a very active and healthy lifestyle.
No known verticle growth throughout high school.
Never smoked, vape, drank alcoholic beverages.

Question: Will my spine grow to fit my imperportionate body?
I love learning so the why or why not would be great too. Thank you, you're awesome. Sorry for the read.

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@myleghurts101
If you are 5’9” at 18, you probably might only grow some.
Regarding your proportions it would be a good idea to ask your PCP. Don’t be embarrassed, it’s a valid concern.

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I’m 5,6 1/2 I’m taller than my dad he is 5,6 my mom is 5,3 1/2 I was 5,5 1/2 last summer and I have small feet for my height and I have had a mustache for 3 years and starting to grow chin hair and all that. I have a weird build . My hands are big my arms are pretty big I have a wider chest and big glutes going down my calf’s are not the big and my ankles are small and small feet But I play sports and eat a lot I’m wondering if I’ll grow taller I’m 14.7 years old

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Hello there! I am 14 year old male. I'm 5'7, my dad is 5'8, and my mom 5'3. In the past 5-6 months I haven't grew at all, not even half an inch, I'm currently 53,5 kg (116 pounds) for the past 5 months, I can't put weight. I sleep 9-10 almost every night, I do cycling, and I eat healthy, I take vitamins (D3, calcium, magnezium). I started my puberty at 12 years old and my height was 5'1.

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How to increase Hight because I am 22 years old

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@sunny0722

How to increase Hight because I am 22 years old

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Welcome @sunny0722, I'm not sure there is a whole lot a young adult like yourself can do to increase their height but I did find an article on the topic that offers some suggestions.

"About 80% of a person’s height depends on their genetics. After a person has reached adulthood, most tricks to increase height — such as good nutrition — will not work.
However, there are ways to appear taller and prevent loss of height, which is common as people age. This article looks at what determines height, how to prevent height loss, and more."
-- Can adults grow taller?: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319504

Have you discussed your height with your doctor to get a medical opinion?

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Im a little concerned as well, for info's sake, i'm 17 (F), my mother is 5'7 and my father is 6'0, i've been 5'5 since i turned 14. I did get my boobs in and my period before most of my friends, and i struggled a bit with an eating disorder when i was 13 but it never got to a dangerous point. i go to the gym regularly, and i have a somewhat healthy diet (though my relationship with food is not so great still after all these years).. i am very insecure about my height.. is it possible to have a growth spurt this late? or am i just stuck at 5'5 for the rest of my life? also- i haven't been to the doctor since early 2024...

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@valkyri3
Welcome to Mayo Connect!
I understand why you are disappointed with your height since both of your parents are taller. Usually a child’s final height falls somewhere between the parents’ heights. However, there are other genetic factors too- heights of grandparents and other family members also play a role.
You mention that your puberty started before most of your friends did. At what age did you have your first period?
Onset of puberty can also be hereditary.
It doesn’t seem likely that you will have a major growth spurt at 17. It would be a good idea to discuss this with your doctor since this is important to you.

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Hello, I'm a 16.5 year old boy. My parents are 6'2 and 5'5 respectively and I am currently 5'8. My twin brother (fraternal) is 6'. I grew four inches from 14.5 to 15.5 and have grown 1.5 inches since. Before that period, I never had a growth spurt. If this isn't enough information, feel free to let me know and I will respond as soon as I am able. Now for the question; Am I done growing?

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@bikingaround

Hello, I'm a 16.5 year old boy. My parents are 6'2 and 5'5 respectively and I am currently 5'8. My twin brother (fraternal) is 6'. I grew four inches from 14.5 to 15.5 and have grown 1.5 inches since. Before that period, I never had a growth spurt. If this isn't enough information, feel free to let me know and I will respond as soon as I am able. Now for the question; Am I done growing?

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bikingaround,
I am a mom of twin daughters, who are 45 yrs old now. They are identical twins. Give your mom a hug from me, I am so glad my girls are adults. Their growing up years were fabulous, terrifying at times, mystifying, inspiring and so very very funny and exhausting. I understand the merry go round she has and will always be on, with you boys.
Do you want to keep growing? Do you want to be as tall as your brother, dad? Do you and /or your brother play basketball, where height is seen as a major factor? Or another reason why your height matters to you?
ShelleyW

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@shelleyw

bikingaround,
I am a mom of twin daughters, who are 45 yrs old now. They are identical twins. Give your mom a hug from me, I am so glad my girls are adults. Their growing up years were fabulous, terrifying at times, mystifying, inspiring and so very very funny and exhausting. I understand the merry go round she has and will always be on, with you boys.
Do you want to keep growing? Do you want to be as tall as your brother, dad? Do you and /or your brother play basketball, where height is seen as a major factor? Or another reason why your height matters to you?
ShelleyW

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Yeah, ideally I'd like to be around the same height or just a little bit taller so I don't feel dwarfed. All the men in my family are tall, my dad at 6'2", uncle at 6'3", and his father at 6'1". My mom's side of the family isn't quite as tall but my uncle on her side is still 5'11". While I don't play basketball, I do play soccer, a sport where height isn't the most important thing, but going ip against a defender who is 4 inches taller than you is a lot harder than beating someone at the same height, assuming their skills are around the same level. All in all, I'm okay with being shorter than everyone, but it would still be nice to grow another inch or two.

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