This is an archive article published on August 1, 2022

Can you predict your child’s height?

If a 10-year-old child wants to know how tall he or she is going to be, it is now possible to gauge that by performing an accurate bone age analysis. Using complex computerised models and algorithms, you can predict the final height with fair accuracy, says Dr Vaman Khadilkar, senior paediatric endocrinologist and lead researcher of the study

4 min readPuneUpdated: Aug 2, 2022 12:20 PM IST

Skeletal maturity or bone age assessment is a powerful tool to predict the final adult height that will be achieved by a normal child. (Photo: Illustrationa/Representational)

In a first, Pune-based researchers have established the normal pattern of bone age advancement in children that can now help doctors predict how tall they can grow.

In a new study published in the Journal of Paediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, doctors from the Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute (HCJMRI), have shown how bone density and age analysis can plot future growth of the child. “For instance, if a 10-year-old child wants to know how tall he or she is going to be, it is now possible to perform accurate bone age analysis. Using complex computerised models and algorithms, it is possible to predict the final height with a fair accuracy,” says Dr Vaman Khadilkar, senior paediatric endocrinologist and lead researcher of the study.

Skeletal maturity or bone age assessment has been a part of medical investigations in children with a suspected hormonal disorder. It is also a powerful tool to predict the final adult height that will be achieved by a normal child. “This is particularly important in children who are opting for careers that require a certain adult height, for example military service, police service, the entertainment and modelling industry. The success or failure of a child to get to these specific career goals depends on the final height they are likely to achieve as adults,” says Dr Khadilkar, who has also been the convener, Growth Charts Committee of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics.

Bone age assessment is a method of assessing skeletal maturity or skeletal age of a child. The chronological age of a child, as counted in months and years, is not always the same as the skeletal age and differs slightly in normal children and those with a medical condition. In normal children, the difference between bone age and chronological age is usually two years during childhood and puberty, says Dr Anuradha Khadilkar, Deputy Director of HCJMRI.

Bone age assessment can be done from a simple wrist and X-ray of the left hand. No special equipment is needed although the hand should be positioned in a certain way. Once the X-ray is done, the bone age is ascertained using the Tanner – Whitehouse or Greulich Pyle method or Gilsanz and Ratib methods. This is followed by a computerised assessment of the final height the child can grow to, using complex prediction equations.

All these methods have primarily been developed using Caucasian population and Dr Khadilkar is trying to develop an India-specific module. The study included 804 pre-school/school-going children. Anthropometric measurements and pubertal assessments were performed using standard protocols and were converted to age and sex standardized scores using Indian references while the bone age was estimated by Tanner-Whitehouse method that was considered statistically significant. “There are no Indian studies comparing bone age with chronological age using the Tanner-Whitehouse method which is more applicable to Asians,” Dr Khadilkar adds.

Study researchers observed that the highest increase in bone age in both girls and boys was during puberty. “We found that height age and bone age were tightly correlated with chronological age. The difference between height age, weight age, chronological age and bone age was within a one-year range. The increase in BMI was associated with an increase in bone and height age. During pubertal years, the height age showed a greater increase in comparison with the chronological and bone age in boys. In girls, the bone age increased more as compared to the height age,” explains Dr Khadilkar.

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Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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