Kids are endlessly compared to their parents and other family members. “She looks just like you!” says the cashier at the grocery store, or maybe grandma points out, “He has his father’s nose.” One area in which there seems to be endless speculation is height — and how short or tall the little one will end up being. Because there are a variety of factors in play, including ethnic background, environmental influences and the possibility of unexpected illness or injury, it’s impossible to accurately predict a child’s exact adult height 1. However, there is a simple formula for calculating his estimated height.
Convert each parent’s height into inches or centimeters. For example, if mom is 5 feet 6 inches, tall, her height is 66 inches, or 167.64 centimeters.
Add both parents’ heights together.
Subtract five inches or 13 centimeters from the combined heights if the child is a girl. For a boy, add 5 inches or 13 centimeters to the sum.
Divide the resulting number by two. Your child’s adult height will likely fall within 4 inches or 10 centimeters of that number.
Tips
For a quick, albeit less accurate, calculation, simply double your child’s height at age 2 to estimate his adult height. For example, a child who is 32 inches at age 2 may grow to be a 5-foot-4-inch adult.
Warnings
There are several online calculators that can help predict your child’s height using both parents’ heights and the height and weight of the child. However, these calculators work best if the child is over age 4. Before age 4, children grow at an uneven rate, and using their toddler height and weight could skew the results.