Check out your child’s potential
height by using our height calculator
During the first 2 years of life, linear growth is rapid but slows down thereafter.2
As a child approaches puberty, there is a brief dip in growth followed
by a major growth
spurt.3
During childhood, growth occurs at a relatively steady pace. Most children grow at the following rates 1:
• 5‒6 cm per year for children 2‒6 years
• At least 4 cm per year for children 6‒12 years
Linear growth is completed when the bone ends fuse. 3 Final height is achieved usually by 18 years of age. 1
During childhood, growth occurs at a relatively steady pace. Most children grow at the following rates1:
• 5‒6 cm per year for children 2‒6 years
• At least 4 cm per year for children 6‒12 years
Linear growth is completed when the bone ends fuse.3 Final height is achieved usually by 18 years of age.1
One way to check how well your child is growing is by tracking his or her height using a growth chart. Growth charts are marked by lines called centiles or percentiles and give an idea of how well your child is growing compared with his or her peers.3
For infants and children up to 2 years old, length is measured lying down.2 This will be routinely done by a trained nurse during your child’s well-child and immunisation visits to the clinic. Remember to bring the Child Health Record for these visits!
For children older than 2 years old, height is measured standing up. The child should stand without shoes against a wall where a measuring tape is attached.
The child’s head, shoulders, buttocks, and heels should be touching the wall.3
For children older than 2 years old, height is measured standing up. The child should stand without shoes against a wall where a measuring tape is attached. The child’s head, shoulders, buttocks, and heels should be touching the wall.3
Growth takes time. Repeated measurements at regular intervals, preferably every 3‒4 months for children <2 years old and every 6‒12 months for older children, are needed to give a clear picture of your child’s growth pattern.1
Figure 1. How to measure height accurately at home4
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① Have your child stand against the wall, arms at the side, legs straight and shoulders relaxed.
② Place a flat object (a ruler or hard-cover book) at a right angle with the wall. Lower it until it firmly rests the top of your child’s head.
③ Gentle but firm traction upwards was applied by the measurer under the mastoid processes to help the child stretch.
④ Lightly mark the wall with a pencil at the point where the ruler or book meets your child’s head.
⑤ Use a measuring tape to measure the distance from the floor to where you marked the wall.
⑥ Read your child’s height to the last completed 0.1 cm. Do not round up!
Growth charts for children 0 to 2 years old
Hong Kong Growth Study (HKGS) 2020
Growth charts for children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years old
The normal height for children ranges between the 3rd and 97th percentile.5
If your child’s height is at the 50th percentile, he or she is right in the middle of the normal range.
If a child’s height is at the 85th percentile, it means that he or she is taller than 85% of children of the same age and sex.
If a child’s height is at the 15th percentile, it means that he or she is taller than 15% of children of the same age and sex.
Having a child who is in the high or low percentile does not mean he or she is more or less healthy than other children. Rather, a healthy child will show consistent growth along a given percentile line or “curve”.6
If your child’s height for their age tracks along the same curve on the growth chart, this is considered normal growth.
Even if your child’s height for their age is beneath the lowest percentile for age, his or her growth is still normal as long as it follows along the same curve on the chart.
Deviations from normal growth may be an early sign of a medical problem and should be discussed with your doctor. Prompt diagnosis and treatment the underlying cause provides the best chance to normalize growth and to achieve his or her full potential adult height.6
Poor growth occurs when a child’s growth curve flattens or moves away from its expected path to below the lowest percentile.
Poor growth can also occur when there is a drop in height measurements across two or more major percentiles, even if the curve is still within the normal range on the growth chart.
It is normal for infants to move up or down the percentiles of the growth curve due to catch-up or lag-down growth. After the age of 2 and until the onset of puberty, growth should be a relatively stable process. The crossing of growth percentiles during this age period may require further evaluation.3
One way to estimate how tall a child will be when fully grown is to look at the heights of both parents. Use the calculator below to work out your child's potential height.3
Please note that the Child’s Estimated Height is also commonly called the Child’s Target Height. Target Height calculations only consider the mid-parental height and the child's gender.
However, it is crucial to understand that the Target Height is just an estimation and may not accurately predict a child's actual height. Other factors such as genetics, nutrition, overall health, and environmental factors can also influence a child's growth and final height.
For a more comprehensive understanding and personalised assessment of a child's growth potential, please consult a healthcare professional. They can provide further information and guidance based on the child's individual circumstances and factors that may affect their height.
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