Grow problems are experienced in many places, characterized by people failing to develop properly. People grow at different rates. Some get tall when they are still young while others take some time to do so, and this is normal. Growth problems can be a cause of alarm when a kid grows slowly or faster than others of the same age.
You can tell a kid who is growing normally. Doctors have charts that measure the height of kids to establish if they are growing in the normal way. Doctors start observing the growth of kids from a tender age. Every baby must be weighed and measured when they go for check up. The doctors always refer to the standard growth chart to tell if your kid is growing properly.
Some people inherit genes from their parents which can hinder their growth. If the kid’s parents are not very short, then you can have a doctor check up the baby for any underlying problems.
Here are some other causes of growth problems in kids:
1. A chronic disease can affect the growth of a kid and stunt their growth. The diseases may include cardiac and kidney problems. Other illnesses like sickle cell anemia can result to growth problems in kids. Not all kids get affected by these diseases; but if your kid has growth problems and suffers from any of these, it could be the cause.
2. Pregnancy complications: Smoking or taking of alcohol during pregnancy can cause complications that can affect the growth of your baby. You should avoid taking any of these during pregnancy to ensure normal growth of your baby. The development of the fetus is slow and the baby is born too small. Some may get bigger as they grow while others remain small for the rest of their lives. The problem is called intrauterine growth retardation. It can also be caused by other infections during pregnancy or a genetic disease. It is wise for a pregnant woman to have regular check ups to ensure that the baby is healthy even before birth.
3. Failure to thrive: A baby may fail to gain weight after birth. The doctors refer this as failure to thrive. The main cause of this is lack of enough food. You can have the baby checked up if it is not feeding well. Treating the cause of loss of appetite can make the baby grow normally.
4. Genetic conditions: Kids can fail to develop properly if they have some genetic conditions. Girls can have one X chromosome which makes them grow slowly. A normal girl should have two X chromosome to grow without any problems. The condition is known as Turner syndrome. There is also the Marfan syndrome that makes kids grow very tall. The arms and legs develop abnormally. Kids suffering from this condition also develop heart and kidney problems.
Most of these growth problems can be treated. This ensures that kids grow normally like the others. It is the best thing that can happen to kids with growth abnormities.
