Why Does Anxiety Hinder Children's Growth?

Why Does Anxiety Hinder children's Growth?

An investigation by the Yale Child Health Research Center in the United States has revealed that frequent reprimanding, scolding, and even discrimination, intimidation, and physical punishment by parents and teachers may affect children's height to varying degrees. At the base of the human brain lies an organization known as the hypothalamus, which responds to various faint signals from the neural network to stimulate and promote the secretion of growth hormones. If the nervous system becomes excessively tense and suppressed, it can lead to reduced secretion of growth hormones in children, resulting in poor development or even stunted growth.

A recent report from the New York State Institute of Psychology in the United States suggests that girls living in a state of constant tension and anxiety might experience compromised height growth. This study found that anxious girls tend to be about 5 centimeters shorter on average than girls who feel happy. Their final height generally doesn't exceed 1.57 meters.

Since these girls with anxiety and tension do not naturally have shorter stature, psychologists speculate that emotions are likely inhibiting the normal secretion of growth hormones. Curiously, this study found that anxious emotions do not lead to smaller stature in boys. This could be related to the different physiological responses to stress between boys and girls.

This study also revealed a direct link between two types of anxious emotions and height growth. One is referred to as "separation anxiety," where girls are afraid of being separated from their parents. They constantly cling to their parents or pretend to be ill to avoid going to school. Some even refuse to sleep in separate beds or rooms from their parents. These children usually exhibit shy and timid personalities, lack self-confidence, fear that other children won't like them, and incessantly worry about not being as good as other children, showcasing unhealthy psychological phenomena. Statistics show that at least 5% of girls in the United States suffer from psychological disorders related to anxiety that affects their height growth.

When parents notice tendencies of anxiety in their children, seeking help from a psychological expert is advised. The goal is to analyze and identify the reasons behind the anxiety. For instance, tension in parent-child relationships, family poverty, the child's perception of unattractiveness, poor academic performance in school, among other factors. Any anxiety caused by these reasons can be addressed through psychological intervention to promote height growth.

We recommend that parents measure their children's height every two months. If a child's growth rate is notably slow, consulting a doctor promptly is essential. Generally, if infants and toddlers (below 3 years old) grow less than 7 centimeters a year, children (ages 3 to pre-adolescence) grow less than 4-5 centimeters a year, and adolescents grow less than 5.5-6.5 centimeters during puberty, all while having parents with normal heights, it's advisable to take the child to a reputable hospital's pediatric growth and development clinic for examination. We also want to remind parents not to excessively focus on their child's height growth. Constantly nagging about a child's height can inadvertently burden them with psychological pressure, leading to mental tension and affecting their growth and development.