Height / Question
Published: February 25, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I'm a 14-year-old female who is 63 inches tall. I am average right now on those stupid growth charts, but compared to everyone at my school I'm sort of short. I hope to be 67 inches tall. I'm curious if it's likely for me to reach that height. (I got my period about 9 months ago). My mom's side of the family is short to average, but my dad's side of the family is quite tall-even the women. I've been "late" with most of my growing milestones such as losing my teeth, getting my period, etc. Please help me and tell me if it's possible to get to my desired height?
Signed: Hoping To Grow
Dear Hoping To Grow,
You are not alone. Most teens your age are not really satisfied with their height. Your height is really a guessing game and only Mother Nature can give you an accurate guess! Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will grow to be 67 inches tall, but given that your growing milestones have all come late, it is still possible that you will grow 1 or 2 more inches. Once a girl has begun her period, her height will not change much. It is now time for the rest of her body to fill out and develop.
This is not true for everyone. Each person has his or her own time clock and yours may not have finished growing yet. You mentioned that your mom's side is short and your dad's is tall, so you might just end up being a happy medium. It may seem right now that all your peers are taller, but in actuality this world is full of "average" people, that is why it is referred to as average! Eventually you will come to feel comfortable with your height.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
In the 
