At what age do boys stop growing and developing?
Disease description:
My son has always been shorter than children of the same age since childhood. He is now 16 years old, but his height is only 168 cm. I would like to know at what age boys stop growing and developing physically.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
The age at which boys stop growing and developing is not fixed, but can generally be summarized by the following key points:
1. Cessation of height growth: Boys typically stop significant height growth around ages 16 to 18. This period coincides with the closure of the growth plates (epiphyseal closure), indicating that skeletal growth is essentially complete. However, individual differences exist, and some boys may continue growing until age 20 or even later.
2. Sexual maturation: Puberty in boys usually begins between ages 11 and 12 and lasts until around 18 to 20 years of age. During this time, sexual organs gradually mature and secondary sexual characteristics develop. The end of puberty signifies the completion of sexual development.
3. Overall physical development: In addition to height and sexual development, other organs and body systems also continue to mature after puberty. By approximately age 20, a boy's overall physical development is generally considered complete.
However, the exact timing varies significantly among individuals.
