The School Child 83 



to be a slackening in growth before the approach 

 of puberty, usually between the tenth and 

 eleventh years. Boys grow quicker in height 

 than girls till between ten and eleven years, 

 when girls become taller until about fourteen 

 at which time boys again take the lead. Girls 

 gain in weight up to ten years in about the same 

 ratio as boys, but they then are apt to increase 

 more rapidly than boys up to about the fifteenth 

 year, when the boys attain a quicker rate and 

 are then permanently heavier. There also 

 tends to be some variation in growth in differ- 

 ent seasons. There is usually more rapid in- 

 crease in height during summer and in weight 

 through the fall and spring months. This may 

 be explained by the fact that summer is vaca- 

 tion time with possibilities of abundant 

 outdoor air and plenty of pleasant exer- 

 cise. 



Whenever there is a rapid increase in height, 

 the child is apt to grow thin and anemic, as the 

 making of bone quickly uses up the red cor- 

 puscles of the blood. These children become 

 nervous and irritable, requiring extra care at 



