Fox Doctor | Children cannot be blindly supplemented with calcium if they are not tall! Have you caught the four major misunderstandings of calcium supplementation?

Produced | Hunan Children’s Hospital

Author | Xu Ningan, Deputy Chief Physician, Children’s Health Center, Hunan Children’s Hospital

Editor | Hu Xin

Being short is a matter of life for a baby. Whether it is looking for a job or a partner, there are requirements for height. If it is not up to the standard, then you can only sing a song “Cool”.

Sometimes shortness is also linked to some diseases, so is the child short? The following height standards can be used for comparison:

(The height reference standard of 0-3 years old baby)

In contrast, my baby is really small! How to do? I heard that calcium must be supplemented for long people. Milk, calcium tablets and dozens of popular health products will come together. I don’t believe my baby is still short!

Wait a minute! Does calcium supplementation alone help children grow taller? If it’s so simple and rude, let’s first understand the secret of growing taller~

1. Bone is mainly composed of protein and minerals (such as calcium and phosphorus), just like building a house requires steel and concrete, and the growth of bones requires sufficient protein with Minerals In order to build normal bones, without enough raw materials, even the best engineers can’t build high-rise buildings! Therefore, parents have to ensure their children’s intake of protein and calcium. It is best to have a glass of milk every morning and evening, with a good combination of staple food, meat, fruits and vegetables in each meal, and balanced nutrition to grow taller.

1. There is a special part of the brain called pituitary , Don’t look at its size, it’s only the size of a pea, but it can be very useful. It can secrete many hormones. One of them is growth hormone, an important substance that promotes bone growth. Without it, our bones can grow. It will become slow, and the height will naturally not reach the standard. This hormone is secreted more when you are asleep than when you are awake, and more secreted after exercise than when you are at rest . Therefore, to ensure that there is sufficient growth hormone in the body, it is necessary to ensure adequate sleep and appropriate exercise, especially stretching exercises such as swimming and skipping rope.

2. There is another very important factor that affects height, that is Genetic There is a kind of dwarf called “family dwarf”, which is the reason. However, children under 5 years of age are not significantly affected by genetic factors. Malnutrition It has a greater impact on physical growth, especially within 2 years of age. Poor eating not only affects the growth, but also leads to iron-deficiency anemia, low immunity, endocrine dysfunction, and even affects mental development.

3. Of course, there are some Special disease It can also lead to shortness, such as hypothyroidism, precocious puberty, chromosomal diseases, etc., which may be difficult for parents to judge. If the parent finds that the child’s height is less than 2 standard deviations from the normal height, they should take the child to the hospital in time. The assessment is performed by a specialist, and if necessary, some special tests may be required, such as growth hormone provocation test, bone age assessment, etc., to clarify the cause of the child’s shortness.

   Parents should understand that calcium is only a mineral required for bone growth. Calcium deficiency will indeed affect growth, but blindly supplementing calcium will not promote growth.

   At present, the main ingredients of increased health products on the market are calcium, lysine and gamma-aminobutyric acid, which can be ingested in food. If the baby can eat a nutritious diet every day, no additional supplements are needed. Excessive calcium intake is likely to form calcium zinc phosphate compounds in the intestines, which is not only difficult to absorb, but may also reduce the absorption of protein and fat, which is not conducive to the growth of the baby.

   If the child is indeed diagnosed as short stature, we should treat it according to the specific situation. If it is caused by eating too little, parents should improve the feeding method to promote the growth of the child. Generally speaking, animal foods (such as meat, poultry, and dairy products) are more conducive to the growth of the child; if it is because of growth Hormone deficiency can be treated with growth hormone under the guidance of a doctor; if it is caused by hypothyroidism, oral thyroxine supplementation is required. Every parent hopes that their children can be “superior to others”, but they must choose the right method instead of blindly supplementing calcium or eating health care products. I hope this article will let you get the secret of growing taller and help your child grow up healthily.