How a child grows is influenced by many things. Family genetics, nutrition, other medical diseases or medications can affect growth rates. Children normally grow at regular rates through childhood. Your pediatrician or family doctor can show you on a growth chart how your child has been growing, if the rate has remained steady, and if the growth has been appropriate based on family genetics. Children who are growing at slower rates than their same-age peers or who are smaller than you'd expect based on the height of other family members should be evaluated by a pediatric endocrinologist.
All children have body changes at puberty.
For some children, these changes come early. Signs of sexual maturity in girls include breast development. In boys, the penis and testicles grow larger. Both boys and girls have an increase in their growth, growing suddenly taller. Pubic hair and skin that has become more oily may be present in both boys and girls.