DOES HEIGHT REALLY MATTER?

A child’s height is not linked to ability and the real issue is the level of comfort kids feel about their physical stature, experts say. But in extreme cases, is it safe to give children growth hormones? |

One of the most emotional issues, among many cultural beliefs about success and happiness, is the height of a child. Primarily, there are three aspects that revolve around height: the social construct, the emotional aspects and medical aspects.

At one point in our evolution, height was an important feature of attractiveness because it was a sign of good nutrition and physical health, according to David Sandberg, a paediatric psychologist at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, who has spent 18 years looking at the psychosocial aspects of short stature.

Sandberg’s research shows stereotypes about the disadvantages of being short do not hold up. There are very strong stereotypes associated with height, some based on outdated preferences explained by anthropology.

“All children want is to fit in and be accepted,” said Dr Daniela Salazar, Clinical Psychologist at The LightHouse Arabia in Dubai. But when a child is picked on due to height issues, fitting in can be more of a challenge.

For children who are short, being compared to their taller peers can have an impact on their personality, which could also linger on into adulthood.

People consciously or subconsciously tend to associate physical qualities and abilities with social value and judgement, Dr Salazar said.

“Tall people tend to be attributed qualities and abilities in proportion to their stature and size. These types of perceptions have been seen in some studies as a hereditary reaction pattern, which has been experienced or acquired during childhood and has become stereotyped as children grow older,” she explained. This type of attributional phenomenon is a powerful influence in the development of a child’s personality, especially in the development of self-perception, self-esteem, and most importantly, how they relate to others.

COMMON STEREOTYPE

Dr Salazar referred to several studies that have shown that children as early as five years of age can have common stereotype/personality traits associated with other people’s body types and even behaviours.

For example, it is common to see “stronger and taller” body types displaying bullying behaviours over “smaller and thinner” ones. It has also been suggested that short children have been “conditioned to behave in a socially immature manner and that the stereotype of the anxious, introverted personality sometimes is associated with being short,” Dr Salazar said.

Different everyday practices such as lining up children by height at school, only reinforces such stereotypes, she said. This makes short children feel singled out, said Dr Salazar.

CONCERNS ABOUT HEIGHT

It has been seen that children tend to become more concerned about their height around sixth grade — or when they are around 10-11 yearsold. “The real issue is not the height, but the level of comfort kids feel about their stature in comparison to their friends and classmates,” said Dr Salazar.

She said psychosocial aspects of people with short stature include poor academic performance, in some cases failure to develop social skills due to bullying at school, and low self-esteem. Some also face difficulty coping with the physical environment.

DOES HEIGHT IN GIRLS MATTER LESS?

Culture is a large factor when it comes to expectations for girls and boys. “Even if we think about how we talk about girls and boys. Comments like ‘she is cute’ or ‘she is petite’ are positive remarks regarding girls, whereas these comments associated with boys are not taken in the same positive way,” Dr Salazar said.

These types of perceptions have been seen in some studies as a hereditary reaction pattern ... experienced or acquired during childhood.” Dr Daniela Salazar | Clinical Psychologist