Patient's question:
Medical Description: My son is 15 years old and only 160cm tall. Both of his parents are short, measuring 153cm and 163cm respectively. Over the past two days, I had him undergo a checkup with the following results:Bone age assessment: Left wrist ulna and radius bones have not fully healed.
Micronutrient test: Zinc 8.82 umol/L, low.
IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) test: Normal.
Growth hormone test: 0.098 ng/ml, low.
Is there a problem? How can it be improved?
History of previous treatment and effectiveness: No treatment has been done.
What kind of help do you want: Please let me know if there is a problem and how it can be improved.
Doctor's answer:
The development of height is primarily determined by the growth of long bones, and the growth of long bones depends on whether the epiphyseal plate is completely closed. If it is completely closed, the possibility of further development is relatively small. At the age of 15, it is generally not closed, but there may be cases of premature closure. It is recommended that you first check whether the epiphyseal plate is completely closed. In terms of diet, focus on calcium-rich foods such as lean meat, cartilage, eggs, dairy products, and shellfish with shells. Additionally, increase activities involving running and jumping, and spend more time outdoors in the sun to boost the skin's natural synthesis of Vitamin D, which promotes calcium absorption and utilization.