Growing is an essential part of childhood. Children's most dramatic growth phases occur during fetal development, the first few years of life, and at the onset of puberty. The rate at which a child grows is an individual process, based partly on heredity, gender, and environmental factors such as nutrition. However, growth can be affected and, sometimes, stopped by many disorders and diseases, including the following:
- hormone deficiencies
- nutritional deficiencies
- intestinal disorders
- kidney, lung, and heart diseases
- bone disorders
- diabetes or other blood sugar disorders
- any severe form of a disease
- severe stress or emotional trauma
Growth problems can cause a child to feel self-conscious. Special attention needs to be paid to boosting a child's self-esteem when facing a growth problem and pointing out the child's other abilities, regardless of size.
