Human Growth and Puberty – Life Stages, Growth Spurt and Growth Charts
BiologyHuman & Animal PhysiologyAges 16–17
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A timeline of life stages from zygote to old age with median height, mass and growth-velocity curves for girls and boys, showing the pubertal growth spurt two to three years earlier in girls. A puberty screen links GnRH, FSH, LH, oestrogen, testosterone and growth hormone to the body changes and their typical ages, and a WHO height-for-age chart lets you set food and infections and watch a child become stunted.
Lesson: Human growth and development; puberty and adolescence; child growth monitoring and stunting
What it shows
Humans grow fastest before birth and in infancy, then steadily through childhood. Puberty adds a growth spurt, which comes two to three years earlier in girls than in boys, so girls are briefly taller at 11–13 years. Puberty starts when the hypothalamus releases more GnRH; the pituitary gland answers with FSH and LH, which make the ovaries or testes produce oestrogen or testosterone, and growth hormone rises too. In young children, too little food and repeated infections slow growth, and a height below −2 SD on the WHO chart is called stunting. The curves are rounded medians; individuals differ.
How to use
On Life stages move Age or tap the band of stages, and switch the Graph between Height, Mass and Growth velocity to compare girls and boys. On Puberty choose the Sex, move Age and Puberty timing, and read the hormone graph and the table of body changes. On Growth chart set Food (energy and protein) and Infections, press Run and watch the child's z-score.
Parameters you can change
- Screen Life stages, Puberty, Growth chart
- Age 0–80 years
- Graph Height, Mass, Growth velocity
- Age range 0–20 years, Whole life
- Sex (puberty and growth chart) Girl, Boy
- Age on the puberty screen 6–20 years
- Puberty timing (earlier − / later +) -2–2 years
- Food (energy and protein, % of need) 50–110 %
- Infections per year 0–12 per year
Questions to explore
- Why are girls often taller than boys at about 12 years, but shorter as adults?
- Which hormone starts puberty, and how does it reach the ovaries or testes?
- Why does poor food between 6 and 24 months cause stunting that is hard to reverse?
