Added calcium, why is the baby still short?

TS-BS. Dao Thi Yen Phi – Former Head of the Department of Nutrition, Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University – answered:

The firstwhen talk about height of children, the first and almost only thing that mothers remember is calcium supplements. While in fact a child grows in height, ie the tubular bones, leg bones, axial bones, and backbone lengthen, it is necessary to grow the whole length of the skeleton. Calcium isn’t the only nutrient that builds bones.

To build a skeleton, the body needs nearly 40 different nutrients, not just calcium. The nutrients must be in balance, in harmony with each other, the quantity must be suitable for the developmental stages of the child. Calcium supplements alone are not effective in increasing the height of the baby.

Second, Your child appears to have foot pain, this is quite a dangerous sign. Sore feet can be related to joint pain, muscle pain due to growth, ie the baby’s growth is too fast while the supply is not enough. nutrition not enough to support that growth, leading to painful symptoms.

The body needs nearly 40 different nutrients to build bones and grow taller illustration: shutterstock

Therefore, the mother should take the baby to the doctor to assess the current situation, thereby giving the best plan to help the baby grow. Because this is the time we can take advantage of to help the baby develop optimal height during the adult height development period.

TuesdayAt the age of the baby, the combination of both aerobic and swimming is very good for height growth, but it is important to note the appropriate amount of exercise. Your baby’s foot pain can be a sign of overload.

Therefore, when children participate in exercise, it is necessary to pay attention to the duration and frequency of practice. At this age, the frequency should be maintained 3-5 times a week, the exercise duration is about 30 minutes, should not last more than 90 minutes because it will cause stress to the baby’s body, leading to many risks for the baby’s health. health.

If the baby only goes swimming, it is not good for height growth. Because in the underwater environment, gravity acts on the body differently than horizontally, so it is good for muscle activity. Therefore, it is advisable for your baby to alternate sports, for example 1-2 swimming sessions a week combined with 1-2 aerobic sessions will be appropriate for the baby’s age.