FAQs That Will Help Determine
If Your Child Is Growing Well

Published Date: 10^th February 2018

Even the most vigilant parents often miss out on little things when it comes to their child’s growth. It is important that you pay close attention so that you can detect whether they are growing normally. If you notice any abnormality in your child’s growth, you can aid it with proper diet, exercise and supplements. 

You probably have a lot of questions at this point. So, here we answer some of the most frequently asked questions that parents have about their child’s growth: 

What Do My Child’s Height And
Weight Tell Me About His/Her Growth?1

Like most parents, you also probably ascertain your child’s growth based on his/her height and the rate of growth. While height and weight individually are important determinants of growth, they aren’t enough. You also need to keep track of your child’s height-weight proportion, called Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI tells you whether your child’s height is proportional to his/her weight and whether his/her BMI is in the normal range.

How Important Is Muscle And Bone Growth?

Development of muscles and bones makes up a major part of a child’s growth. The increase in height and weight are only possible if his/her muscles strengthen and bones increase in length. Growth plates - an area of tissue at both ends of the long bones – are only found in children and adolescents as they provide the necessary support for the bones to grow.²

How Do I Know
If My Child Is Growing Well?3

There are various ways to track your child’s growth like measuring his/her height and weight, and BMI. Experts recommend that you track your child’s growth from time to time:

4 to 8-year-old

Height and weight should be measured every 6 months during this period. Their BMI should be assessed annually from the age of 6 onward. 

9 to 18-year-old

Height, weight and BMI should be measured and monitored on a yearly basis till the end of adolescence.

You can use a calculator like Horlicks Growth+ calculator which tells you whether your child is growing normally based on age, gender, height and weight. As for BMI, if your child’s BMI is more than 85th percentile in his/her age and gender range, he/she is overweight. If his/her BMI is more than 95th percentile, he/she is obese.⁴

Is It Possible That The Growth Rate
Of My Child Might Not Be
The Same As His/Her Peers?5

Yes, it is possible that the growth rate of your child may not be the same as his/her peers. A lot of things affect and contribute to your child’s growth – nutrition, exercise, genetics and environmental factors. If a parent is short, there is a higher chance that the child might be relatively short too.6 Similarly, not getting proper diet and exercise can also arrest your child’s growth.

Gender also plays an important role in your child’s growth. Girls generally mature earlier than boys and gain more fat tissue, while boys gain more muscle tissue.

What Can I Do To Help My Child Grow Well?

As a parent, you can ensure that your child receives all the nutrition and exercise that he/she needs for proper growth. Include food items like Green Vegetables, Dairy Products, Nuts etc. that provide them with nutrients like Calcium, Protein, Zinc, Iron and Magnesium. 

More often than not, a child doesn’t get all the necessary nutrients from the meals, but health drinks such as Horlicks Growth+ can help a lot. Horlicks Growth+ has been designed and tested by worldrenowned paediatricians after 15 years of intensive research#. Its superior ingredients – 30% more growth activators^ and 2 times more protein$ – can help your child grow 3 times in just 90 days.*

As a parent, it is important that you pay attention to all these signs of growth so that if you find any abnormality, you can treat it and see your child grow well.