Final answer:
Children experience a growth spurt during adolescence, with girls starting around 9 to 11 years old and boys starting around 12 to 16 years old. Girls generally complete their growth by about age 15, while boys continue to grow for a longer period and end up taller on average.
Step-by-step explanation:
Growth Spurts in Children
Children can expect a slight growth "bump," known as the adolescent growth spurt (AGS), around age 9 to 11 for girls and somewhat later for boys, typically around age 12 to 16. For girls, this growth spurt coincides with the start of puberty, which includes the development of breast tissue and the growth of axillary and pubic hair. This period of rapid height increase can last two years or more, during which girls may grow up to 3 inches per year. However, they generally reach their adult height by about age 15.
For boys, the increase in the rate of growth usually starts to accelerate relatively early in puberty, driven by testosterone. The peak growth for boys can occur later during the adolescent years and growth in height during this period can be significant. At the peak of their growth spurt, boys tend to grow faster than girls and their period of rapid growth also lasts longer. By the end of puberty, boys are, on average, about 10 centimeters (or 4 inches) taller than girls.