Can a 10-year-old girl with a bone age of 13 still grow taller?
My daughter is 10 years old. After a hospital examination, the doctor told me that her bone age is already 13 years old. I'm really worried now, fearing that she might not grow tall enough. Is there still sufficient potential for her to grow taller?
Doctor's answer (1)
In general, a 10-year-old girl with a bone age of 13 years still has potential to grow taller.
Bone age is a method used to assess an individual's physiological maturity by evaluating skeletal development through X-ray imaging. It reflects the developmental status of the bones rather than the chronological age. Normally, bone age corresponds closely to actual age, but in certain situations—such as under the influence of nutritional status, genetic factors, or endocrine disorders—bone age may be either advanced or delayed.
In the case of a 10-year-old girl with a bone age of 13 years, although the bone age is somewhat ahead of the chronological age, this does not mean that the opportunity for further height growth has been lost. Height growth is mainly influenced by genetics and growth hormone, and the closure of the growth plates marks the end of height increase. As long as the growth plates remain open, the girl may still promote height growth through appropriate nutritional support, sufficient sleep, and scientifically guided physical exercise.
In daily life, it is recommended that the girl maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity such as rope skipping, swimming, and playing basketball, all of which can help stimulate bone growth.
