Short stature丨Pediatric guide
"Sleep" vs. "Grow Taller"
Sleep is known to refresh and relieve fatigue. Adequate sleep, a balanced diet and proper exercise are the three health standards recognized by the international community. So, how much does sleep affect a child's height? and how do you "sleep" out of a tall person?
1. The importance of sleep
Studies have shown that a child's height is 70% determined by the genetics of the parents and 30% by nurture. The three most important factors among the 30% external factors are: healthy sleep, balanced diet, and scientific exercise. Among them, the effect of sleep on height ranks first.
About 1/3 of a person's life is spent sleeping, and although it is said that it is human instinct to sleep, a good sleep is not for everyone. Studies have shown that the incidence of sleep problems in infants and young children under the age of 2 in mainland China is as high as 65.9%, which is mainly manifested in: difficulty falling asleep, frequent night awakenings, and sleep rhythm disorders.
Babies with long-term lack of sleep are prone to delay in growth and development, decreased resistance, decreased learning ability Xi, and even various behavioral and emotional problems, and the most intuitive impact is that children are easy to grow tall. Only having adequate and high-quality sleep can effectively promote the secretion of growth hormone and the deposition of calcium in bones, thereby promoting the growth of children.
2. How the child should sleep
Growth hormone is secreted by the human pituitary gland and can directly act on tissue cells throughout the body, promote the synthesis of proteins in tissues, increase the volume and number of cells, and promote the growth of the body. It can also promote the proliferation of epiphyseal chondrocytes in long bones, accelerate the growth of bone and cartilage, and make children grow taller.
1. Secretion of growth hormone
Generally speaking, the secretion of growth hormone at night is more than that during the day, about 3~5 times that of the day, and there are two peak secretion periods: 21:00~1:00 the next day (especially around 22:00) and 5:00~7:00 in the morning.
The secretion and release of growth hormone are related to the state of sleep, and the secretion generally begins 45~90 minutes after falling asleep, and the peak secretion reaches in 70 minutes on average. Therefore, parents must let their children go to bed at 21:00.
2. How long should my child sleep?
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has published a report on the optimal sleep time for children and adolescents:
Children of different ages get different amounts of sleep each day. Parents can refer to the sleep duration in the table above to control their children's sleep duration, it is worth noting that sleep duration will also vary individually, and not all children must strictly follow the above standards.
3. How to have a good night's sleep?
1. Sleep environment
The temperature is maintained at 20~25 degrees, the humidity is maintained at 60~70%, and the air circulation is kept fresh. It is easier to fall asleep at night in a low-light environment, and if your child is afraid of the dark, turn on a small light in the bedroom and turn off the light when your child falls asleep.
2. Sleep Xi
Gradually cultivate the good Xi of sleeping in a small bed alone for your baby, and try not to sleep in the same bed with adults. Insist on going to bed on time every day. The difference between holidays and weekdays should be less than 1 hour, so as to form a regular work and rest.
When the baby is sleepy, it is not advisable to shake or cuddle to sleep, it is best to let the child fall asleep alone in the small bed; when there is crying, parents can wait patiently for a few minutes, it is not appropriate to hold or pat immediately, most babies cry a few times will naturally turn into the next round of sleep cycle.
If your baby is crying heavily, you can use a soft voice to soothe or pat him and gradually extend the waiting time to help him learn to fall asleep on his own and sleep continuously throughout the night.
3. Bedtime activity
Children can have some activities before going to bed, but the activities should not be intense, otherwise it is not suitable to fall asleep. At this time, parents can tell soothing stories or listen to soft music for their children, etc., and the time should be controlled to 20~30 minutes.
It should be noted that children watching electronic products before going to bed can easily affect the sleep time and quality, resulting in delayed bedtime, longer sleep onset, and shorter sleep time at night, so it is necessary to avoid children looking at electronic products before bedtime.
Warm tips from Guangzhou Angel Children's Hospital
Children's short stature is only a symptom, and it may be caused by deeper and more complex reasons, and if you don't intervene in time, it will not only lead to your child's short stature, but also may affect your child's healthy growth. If it is found that the child is "growing slowly and not growing for a long time", parents should bring the child to the children's specialized hospital for examination and intervention in time, and the earlier the intervention, the better the effect.