Angela Onwuzoo Numerous myths and misconceptions about the growth in height of girls who begin menstruation early have always created significant anxiety among parents. In as much as girls start puberty at different times and genetics largely determines growth patterns, paediatricians say most girls will stop growing in height about two and a half years after they begin to menstruate. The child health specialists noted that a girl’s largest growth spurt is typically just before she starts her period.
According to them, a girl may grow slightly after she starts menstruating, but her major growth spurt is finished before the first period. The start of the menstrual period, known as menarche, happens on average around age 12, which child health experts describe as a milestone event of pubertal development in girls since it represents the onset of the female reproductive capacity. The paediatric endocrinologists stated that on average, a girl’s first period is two years after breast development begins.
They explained that if breast development starts earlier, she may start her period earlier and if breast development is late, she may start her period later. The United Nations Children’s Fund says menstruation is a normal and healthy part of life for most women, adding that on average, women menstruate for about seven years during their lifetime. UNICEF states that a lack of information about menstruation leads to damaging misconceptions and discrimination, which can cause g.