Signs a Child Needs Growth Herbal Medicine｜Slower Than Peers

Hello, this is Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, a place where kind hearts reside.

There are specific children who need growth herbal medicine. Growth Herbal Medicine, Part 2

: “Director, should my child also take growth herbal medicine?” This is the most common question parents ask during growth consultations in the clinic. However, I do not immediately recommend growth herbal medicine for all children.

This is because growth herbal medicine is not simply a remedy for short children, but rather a management approach that assesses the physical and metabolic conditions that make smooth growth difficult, and creates an environment where the child can grow. Therefore, consultations begin not with how much taller a child can become, but by checking if the child’s body is ready to grow well.

Growth Herbal Medicine, When to Consider It

can it be considered? Children who need growth herbal medicine consultations at Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic in Dongcheon-dong, Suji-gu, generally show the following common characteristics: •Children who don’t eat well or have weak digestion •Children whose growth rate is noticeably slower than their peers •Children who frequently suffer from minor illnesses like colds and rhinitis •Children who occasionally get nosebleeds •Children who cannot sleep deeply and toss and turn frequently •Children whose growth rhythm is disrupted due to precocious puberty or childhood obesity

In such cases, even if nutritional intake and lifestyle management seem sufficient, the body often cannot convert them into growth. Therefore, in growth herbal medicine treatment, we first examine the child’s digestion, sleep, physical strength, and immune status, rather than just their height. The goal of growth Korean medicine treatment is not to forcibly increase height.

Creating a bodily environment where the child can grow – this is the core of growth management. Only when the body’s basic condition is restored can the secretion and action of growth hormones naturally follow.

Child’s height growth, when and how should we observe it?

Parents often ask, “Is it not too late to start now?” “Does my child really need growth management?” A child’s growth is difficult to assess based solely on height numbers. •Current growth rate •Child’s physical strength and organ function •Lifestyle habits such as sleep and diet. We must consider the child’s constitution and current condition together.

Therefore, growth management begins not by asking ‘how many more centimeters can the child grow?’, but by checking if the child’s body is ready to grow well.

There are two important periods in a child’s growth

. Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, Dongcheon-dong, Suji-gu.

First rapid growth phase (birth ~ up to 3 years old)

. On average, a child is born about 50cm tall and grows to about 75cm by their first birthday.

This is a very rapid period, with about 25cm of growth in one year. The quality of sleep, digestive and absorptive capacity, and the ability to recover without frequent minor illnesses, all developed during this period, form the foundation for lifelong growth.

Second rapid growth phase (puberty)

. The pubertal rapid growth phase often begins around age 10 for girls and around age 12 for boys.

During this period, growth hormones and sex hormones work together, leading to rapid height growth, but it is known to account for only about 15% of total growth. In other words, height is not determined solely by pubertal growth, and the growth environment and body condition prior to puberty are very important.

Personalized Growth Korean medicine treatment, When is it needed?

Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, Dongcheon-dong, Suji-gu. Considering the growth curve, puberty, the second rapid growth phase, accounts for about 15% of height growth. Therefore, if one only expects height growth during this period, it could mean that 85% of total height growth has already passed. If you desire height growth, it is important to begin management and Korean medicine treatment before puberty.

In particular, a continuous process of managing the child’s health and growth environment is necessary from the first rapid growth phase (birth to 3 years old) up to the second rapid growth phase (puberty).

Body Conditions Often Seen in Children with Growth Delays.

① Children with weak Lung Qi (肺氣) •Frequent colds •Persistent coughs and runny noses •Slow recovery. Children who frequently suffer from minor illnesses may experience slower growth because their body’s energy is used for recovery before growth.

② Children with weak Spleen Qi (脾氣) •Small appetite and picky eating •Unstable bowel movements •Prolonged loss of appetite. Approximately 60% of growth delays are primarily caused by poor appetite. Growth occurs when food is well absorbed and utilized. If digestive function is weak, even excellent nutrition can hardly lead to growth.

③ Children with a tendency towards obesity (肥滿) •Low activity level •Easily fatigued •Slow height growth compared to weight gain. In cases where weight increases but height growth is slow, not only weight control but also the recovery of physical strength and activity levels to allow movement become important points in growth management. Furthermore, as weight gain can sometimes be accompanied by a tendency towards precocious puberty, precocious puberty also becomes a target for consideration and management during the growth management process.

④ Children with night crying (夜啼) or sleep disorders (睡眠障礙) •Difficulty falling asleep •Frequent waking. Growth hormone is most actively secreted during deep sleep. Therefore, the sleep environment is one of the most important factors in growth management.

Growth Korean medicine treatment is not a ‘height-only treatment’.

Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, Dongcheon-dong, Suji-gu. The goal of growth Korean medicine treatment is not simply to add a few centimeters to height. It is to create a state where the child eats well, sleeps well, recovers well, and can move their body comfortably, thereby helping to achieve overall balance in the child’s body so that growth can proceed naturally. That is the original purpose of growth management.

Examining the child’s current body condition, and creating a physical environment where they can grow based on their immune function and recovery ability – this is the direction that growth Korean medicine treatment aims for. If you need a more detailed consultation about your child’s growth, please feel free to contact us anytime.

In the next post, 👉 we will explain the differences between growth injections and growth herbal medicine. https://m.blog.naver.com/sunyujae21/224122500940 We hope you will join Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, which shares valuable information for a healthy life. Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic in Suji-gu pursues evidence-based medicine and integrative medicine.

This post was written directly by the medical staff of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic to provide medical information, in compliance with Article 56(2) and Article 57(3) of the Medical Service Act. The duration and outcome of treatment may vary from person to person, so please consult a qualified practitioner before beginning treatment.