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Dr Girl/Dr Dejour Q&A
Dear Dr Dejour,
My daughter is going to be sixteen in one month; she is 5'1". Will she get taller? At what age do girls stop growing?
Signed Worry Wart.
Dear Madame Worry Wart,
The growth spurt is part of puberty and usually follows a predictable pattern. This is the time of maximal growth rate. It is usually ending when menstruation starts, about two years after breast development starts. So, if your daughter has periods and adult secondary sexual characteristics (breasts and pubic hair), then her growth rate will be slowing. She will continue to grow until about 18 years of age, but will be almost her adult height now. If, on the other hand, she has not had a period, it would be time to see an adolescent gynaecologist for investigation of delayed puberty. Similarly, some chronic medical conditions (you¹d know if she had one) can delay growth.
If she is a healthy sixteen year old with normal pubertal development, she is probably not going to get much taller.
Sincerely,
Dr Dejour
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