More about height.

What determines how tall you will be?

Height is influenced by many genes, not one “tall gene.” Nutrition and other environmental conditions also contribute. Parents’ heights provide useful context, but a child does not have to end up exactly halfway between them. Siblings can inherit different combinations of traits. MedlinePlus: how genetics influences height ↗

When do boys and girls stop growing?

There is no single birthday on which everyone stops growing. Puberty includes a growth spurt, and the timing varies. The growth plates in bones drive increases in height; as growth-plate activity winds down and the plates fuse, bones stop lengthening. Age alone cannot show exactly how much growth is left. NICHD: puberty ↗ · NICHD: growth plates ↗

A late growth spurt is not a guarantee of an unusually tall adult height. A clinician can consider growth history, physical development and, when appropriate, bone age. Self-identifying as an early or late bloomer is not the same as assessing skeletal maturity.

Explore growth by age and sex →

How tall will my child be?

A child height predictor gives an estimate, not a fixed destination. Parent-based formulas offer broad family context. Other equations use a child’s age, height and weight as well as parental height. The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that bone-age assessment can also help clinicians estimate remaining growth. AAP: predicting a child’s adult height ↗

HeightMe uses the Khamis–Roche equation for ages 4 to 17 years 6 months. Its growth-timing scenarios and optional history adjustment are experimental additions. A more detailed form does not automatically mean a more accurate prediction. The growth curve is illustrative, and an estimate should never replace a growth assessment.

For babies or parents planning ahead, try the parents-only child height estimate. No child measurements are needed.

How to measure height at home

1. Remove shoes and bulky hair accessories. Use a hard, level floor and a flat wall without a baseboard if possible.
2. Stand straight with feet flat and together, looking ahead. Ask someone to help position a flat object at a right angle to the wall, resting on the top of the head.
3. Mark the meeting point and measure from the floor. Record the date, units and measurement rather than relying on memory.

Use a consistent setup when tracking growth. Small differences between measurements can come from technique, so repeat an unexpected reading before treating it as a change in growth. CDC: measuring height and weight ↗

What does a height percentile mean?

A height percentile compares a measurement with a reference group. Around the 75th percentile means roughly three quarters of that reference group are shorter. It is not a score, an ideal height, or the percentage of adult height already reached.

Age, sex and the reference population matter. HeightMe identifies the source used for each result and its supported age range. A country average alone cannot tell you an individual’s percentile; the distribution of heights is needed too. Different references can give different answers for the same height. CDC: understanding growth charts ↗

Can stretching or exercise make you taller as an adult?

Once bone growth has ended, a change in posture is different from increased bone length. Stretching and sport should not be presented as ways to reopen growth plates or guarantee extra adult height. Growth-plate maturation is the biological limit behind those claims. NICHD: cessation of bone growth ↗

Is being short or tall a health problem?

Height alone is not a diagnosis. Many shorter children are healthy, and being taller than classmates can also reflect ordinary variation. A healthcare professional looks at the pattern over time, family background and other signs. If growth slows unexpectedly or puberty seems unusually early or late, bring your questions and measurement history to a clinician. AAP: when to check growth ↗