Book 10, Question 16
Why Do You Get Taller in Spurts?
You get taller in spurts because your long bones grow in bursts, not at a steady speed! Growth plates at the ends of your bones add length. Sometimes they work fast, and sometimes they take it slow.
More fun facts
- Hormones trigger growth spurts, telling your body to get taller.
- At their fastest, boys can grow as much as 9 centimeters a year and girls about 8 centimeters a year.
- Girls usually finish their growth spurt earlier than boys.
- Many kids grow up earlier or later than average, and that is perfectly normal.
- Better food and living conditions help explain why some groups of people are taller than others.
Questions kids ask
When do people stop growing taller?
Girls usually finish around age 18 and boys around age 20.