Which statement about growth timing is true?

• A. Growth occurs only in early childhood
• B. Growth occurs in a steady, unbroken line
• C. Growth occurs in spurts after periods of slight slow growth
• D. Growth stops after adolescence

Answer: (C)

Growth timing is not a smooth, constant rise. It comes in bursts: there are slower periods between growth spurts, especially during childhood, and a pronounced growth spurt during puberty. This pattern is why the statement that growth occurs in spurts after periods of slight slow growth is the best description. It reflects how height and body size accelerate after quiet periods, rather than growing in a steady line or only during a single early window. Growth doesn’t simply stop after adolescence; the big height increases are completed by late adolescence, with smaller changes tapering off afterward, which further supports why the spurts-after-slow-growth explanation fits best.