The method
The Khamis-Roche method, without the jargon
One of the most widely cited adult-height prediction models in pediatrics — and the one GrowTall uses for its sharpest estimates.
Khamis-Roche is a validated statistical model, published in Pediatrics in 1994, that predicts adult stature from a child's age, sex, height and weight plus biological parental heights — with no bone-age X-ray. GrowTall shows its result as a range.
Where it came from
The method was published by Dr. Harvey Khamis and Dr. Alex Roche in Pediatrics in 1994, developed using data from the Fels Longitudinal Study — one of the longest-running studies of human growth. Its practical achievement: predicting adult stature without skeletal-age imaging, which earlier approaches typically required.
What it uses
- The child's age and sex
- The child's current height
- The child's current weight
- The biological parents' heights
From these, the model outputs a predicted stature with a statistical margin — which is why responsible implementations, including GrowTall, display a corridor (for example 163–180 cm with a predicted marker at 171 cm) rather than a single number.
Why no-X-ray matters
Bone-age methods estimate skeletal maturity from a hand X-ray and can be very informative — in a clinical setting, ordered for a clinical reason. For everyday family tracking, a validated model that runs on numbers you already have is the sensible choice: no radiation, no clinic visit, and results that update every time you measure.
How to read the corridor
Khamis-Roche's output range reflects the model's natural margin of error plus real biological variation. Treat the middle as the central estimate and the edges as the realistic best-case and worst-case. If mid-parental and Khamis-Roche corridors overlap, the overlap is your most defensible guess.
Keep it honest: the model was derived from population data and assumes generally healthy development. It is not a diagnostic tool, and it cannot account for everything — which is exactly why GrowTall never shows it as a guarantee.
Using it in GrowTall
Add parental heights to a profile and keep measuring on a 60–90-day cadence; GrowTall computes the Khamis-Roche range automatically (GrowTall Plus) alongside the mid-parental target and your overall estimated range.
Common questions
Is the Khamis-Roche method accurate?
It is one of the best-validated non-radiographic prediction models in pediatrics, but like every model it has a margin of error of a few centimeters. That is precisely why GrowTall presents it as a range rather than a single height.
At what ages does Khamis-Roche apply?
It was developed for children and adolescents who are still growing. Once growth plates close, adult height is measured rather than predicted.
Where do I find it in the app?
Adult-height estimates, including Khamis-Roche, are part of GrowTall Plus. Add both biological parents' heights in the profile and keep a regular measurement history.
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