Growth Spurt in Kids: Signs, Ages and What to Expect

What a growth spurt is

A growth spurt is a short stretch when a child gains height faster than usual. Puberty sets off the big one. NICHD lists a growth spurt as a sign of normal puberty and says children grow rapidly in height during puberty and reach their final adult height after it ends.

The bones are where this happens. The long bones have soft growth zones near their ends, and we explain them in our guide to growth plates. For the nutrient side of the story, see our vitamins for kids guide.

When does a growth spurt happen: girls vs boys

Puberty typically starts between ages 8 and 13 for girls and ages 9 and 14 for boys, according to NICHD. Girls usually reach their fastest growth about two years before boys: around age 11.5 versus 13.5, per MedlinePlus.

	Girls	Boys
Puberty usually starts	Ages 8 to 13	Ages 9 to 14
Fastest growth peaks around	Age 11.5	Age 13.5
Growth slows around	Age 16	Age 18
Average age of fastest growth in one US study	12.1 years	13.7 years

Girls

the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says a girl’s fastest height growth happens between the start of breast growth and about 6 months before her first period. Most girls grow another 1 to 2 inches after the first period, so the spurt is mostly done by then. In the 2015 study, 70.6 percent of girls hit their fastest growth before their first period.

Boys

The boys’ growth spurt peaks around age 13 and a half and slows around age 18, says MedlinePlus. That is later than most parents expect. Our guide on when guys stop growing covers the end of growing in more detail.

Why timing varies

In a 2015 study of 402 US children, the average girl reached her fastest growth at age 12.1 and the average boy at 13.7. The standard deviation was 1.4 years for both. In plain words, a healthy child can sit more than a year on either side of those averages.

How much do kids grow in a growth spurt

The growth spurt is the most dramatic change of puberty, according to a review on puberty and health. Boys typically grow about 30 cm (about 12 inches) over the whole spurt. Girls typically grow 25 to 27 cm (about 10 to 11 inches).

At the fastest point, the children in the 2015 study grew 9.8 cm (about 3.9 inches) a year for girls and 11.3 cm (about 4.4 inches) a year for boys. That is an average of one group. Some kids grow faster and some grow slower, and both can be normal.

Signs of a growth spurt

No single sign proves it. Height measured over time tells you more than any one change. These are the signs with a source behind them.

Appetite

This is the sign with the best support. the AAP says a surge in appetite around age 10 in girls and 12 in boys foreshadows the growth spurt of puberty.

Tight clothes

Children grow rapidly in height during puberty, says NICHD. At home, that can show up as pants and sleeves that suddenly look short. Check a child’s clothes at the start of each season.

Changes in sleep

A 2020 review of sleep and puberty says sleep and wake patterns change a lot during puberty. They include a tendency for later bedtimes and shorter sleep. So a teen who stays up later is following a common pattern. We found no source that says a spurt makes a child need more sleep. Our guide on sleep and growth goes deeper.

Aches

Leg aches are common in kids, but they are not a reliable sign. See the growing pains section below.

Clumsiness

the AAP says there may be a temporary decline in balance skills and body control during the adolescent growth spurt. Teens may look clumsy, and longer limbs change how they throw. Be patient with a teen athlete whose throws suddenly go off target.

Mood changes

We found no source that links mood swings to a spurt. MedlinePlus does say the fast physical changes of adolescence make teens very self-conscious, and that they are sensitive and worried about their own body changes. Listen to a teen who seems down. Talk to a doctor if the mood change lasts or worries you.

Are growing pains a sign of a growth spurt?

Most likely not. A clinical review of growing pains says the peak of growing pains does not match a time of rapid growth. the AAP also says growth is not the cause, and the real cause is unknown.

• The review describes growing pains as pain in both lower legs, usually in the early evening or at night.
• The review says the pain is not caused by activity and does not cause a limp. The AAP notes that some aches may follow hard exercise.
• In one study of 532 children in the Mediterranean region, 130 children ages 4 to 12 had symptoms in the past year.

That means a child can have aches without a spurt, and a spurt without aches.

What kids need to eat during a growth spurt

A review in Acta Biomedica says puberty triggers a growth spurt, which raises nutrition needs. Needs for calories, protein, iron, calcium, zinc and folate all go up. Food is the first place to meet them. Food supports normal growth. It does not promise extra height. Our guide to foods and height explains what the evidence says.

Energy

the AAP gives an average of 2,800 calories a day for teen boys and 2,200 for teen girls. Expect big meals and snacks, and keep fruit, yogurt, nuts and sandwiches in easy reach.

Calcium and vitamin D

Age	Calcium a day	Vitamin D a day
4 to 8	1,000 mg	600 IU (15 mcg)
9 to 18	1,300 mg	600 IU (15 mcg)

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says the calcium amounts for children and teens are based on intakes linked to bone gain. For vitamin D, fortified foods such as milk and breakfast cereals provide most of what Americans get. Fatty fish are among the best sources. the AAP says teens most often fall short on calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin D.

Protein

Most teens do not need to chase protein. the AAP says US adolescents get twice as much protein as they need. Offer a mix of protein foods, such as eggs, beans, fish and meat.

If you are weighing a growth gummy, see our pick below.

When to see a doctor

This stage is normal. These signs are worth a call to your child’s doctor.

What you notice	Why call
Signs of puberty before age 8 in a girl, or before age 9 in a boy	This is early (precocious) puberty. NICHD says it can make a child fall short of full height because growth stops too soon.
No breast growth by age 13, or no period by age 16, in a girl	MedlinePlus lists this as delayed puberty.
Puberty not started by age 14 in a boy	MedlinePlus lists this as delayed puberty.
Slow growth, or puberty that starts but does not move forward	MedlinePlus says to contact a provider.
Severe pain, swelling that does not go down after 24 hours, fever, a limp, redness or warmth, a lump in a muscle that does not go away, or dark urine	The AAP says to call your pediatrician for any of these signs.

Where growth gummies fit

Most growth gummies are a kids’ multivitamin built around bone nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. This post makes no claim that any gummy changes growth or height, and our growth gummies for kids guide shows how to read the label.

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