Growth charts are used to compare your child's height, weight, and head size against children of the same age. Show
Growth charts can help both you and your health care provider follow your child as they grow. These charts may provide an early warning that your child has a medical problem. Growth charts were developed from information gained by measuring and weighing thousands of children. From these numbers, the national average weight and height for each age and gender were established. The lines or curves on growth charts tell how many other children in the United States weigh a certain amount at a certain age. For example, the weight on the 50th percentile line means that one half of the children in the United States weigh more than that number and one half of the children weigh less. WHAT GROWTH CHARTS MEASURE Your child's provider will measure the following during each well-child visit:
Beginning at age 2, a child's body mass index (BMI) can be calculated. Height and weight are used to figure out the BMI. A BMI measurement can estimate a child's body fat. Each of your child's measurements is placed on the growth chart. These measurements are then compared with the standard (normal) range for children of the same sex and age. The same chart will be used as your child grows older. HOW TO UNDERSTAND A GROWTH CHART Many parents worry if they learn that their child's height, weight, or head size is smaller than those of most other children the same age. They worry about whether their child will do well in school, or be able to keep up in sports. Learning a few important facts can make it easier for parents to understand what different measurements mean:
Some changes to your child's growth chart may worry your provider more than others:
Abnormal growth on the growth charts is only a sign of a possible problem. Your provider will determine whether it is an actual medical problem, or whether your child's growth just needs to be watched carefully. Bamba V, Kelly A. Assessment of growth. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 27. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, National Center for Health Statistics. CDC growth charts. www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/cdc_charts.htm. Updated December 7, 2016. Accessed April 6, 2021. Cooke DW, DiVall SA, Radovick S. Normal and aberrant growth in children. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 25. La Charite J. Nutrition and growth. In: Kleinman K, Mcdaniel L, Molloy M, eds. The Harriet Lane Handbook. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 21. Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Topic Resources During the preschool and school years, growth in height and weight is steady. Children tend to grow a similar amount each year until the next major growth spurt occurs in early adolescence. Children who are beginning to walk have an endearing physique, with the belly sticking forward and the back curved. They may also appear to be quite bow-legged. By 3 years of age, muscle tone increases and the proportion of body fat decreases, so the body begins to look leaner and more muscular. Most children are physically able to control their bowels and bladder at this time. Doctors report how children are growing in relation to other children their age and monitor the children's weight gain compared to their height. From birth until 2 years of age, doctors record all growth parameters in a chart by using standard growth charts from the World Health Organization (WHO). After age 2, doctors record growth parameters by using growth charts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Length in children who are too young to stand is measured while children lie on their back on a suitable device, such as a measuring table (called a stadiometer). Height in children who can stand is measured using a vertical measuring scale. In general, length in normal-term infants increases about 30% by age 5 months and more than 50% by age 12 months. Infants typically grow about 10 inches (25 centimeters) during the first year, and height at 5 years is about double the birth length. In boys, half the adult height is attained by about age 2. In girls, height at 19 months is about half the adult height. Weight and Length Charts for Infants from Birth to 24 Months of AgeDuring the first year of life, an infant's weight and length are charted at each doctor's visit to make sure that growth is proceeding at a steady rate. Percentiles are a way of comparing infants of the same age. For an infant at the 10th percentile for weight, 10% of infants weigh less and 90% weigh more. For an infant at the 90th percentile, 90% of infants weigh less and 10% weigh more. For an infant at the 50th percentile, 50% of infants weigh less and 50% weigh more. Of more significance than the actual percentile is any significant change in percentile between doctor's visits. (Adapted from WHO Child Growth Standards. Available at www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.) Height and Weight Charts for Boys and Girls 2 to 10 Years of AgeAdapted from The National Center for Health Statistics in collaboration with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2000). Available at www.cdc.gov/growthcharts. Head circumference is measurement around the largest area of a child's head. Doctors place the tape measure above the eyebrows and ears and around the back of the head. This measurement is important because the size of the head reflects the size of the brain, and this measurement lets doctors know whether the child's brain is growing at a normal rate. Head circumference is routinely measured until children are 3 years old. At birth, the brain is 25% of its future adult size, and head circumference is about 14 inches (about 35 centimeters). By 1 year of age, the brain is 75% of its adult size. By 3 years of age, the brain is 80% of its adult size. By 7 years of age, the brain is 90% of its adult size. Lower front teeth usually begin to appear by the age of 5 to 9 months. Upper front teeth usually begin to appear by 8 to 12 months. On average, infants have 6 teeth by age 12 months, 12 teeth by 18 months, 16 teeth by 2 years, and all 20 of their baby (deciduous) teeth by 2½ years. Baby teeth are replaced by permanent (adult) teeth between the ages of 5 years and 13 years. Permanent teeth tend to appear earlier in girls.  The following are English-language resources that may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of these resources.
CLICK HERE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL VERSION Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved. What is the importance of weighing a child?Weight gain is the most important sign that a child is healthy and is growing and developing well. A health check-up can also detect if a child is gaining weight too fast for his or her age. This requires examining a child's weight in relation to his or her height, which can determine if the child is overweight.
Why is it important to take the height and weight measurement of children?Measuring height and weight accurately is important when monitoring an infant or child's health. Height and weight measurements are used to calculate your body mass index, or BMI, a measure of healthy versus unhealthy weight. They are also important when tracking a child's growth.
What are some important things to remember when weighing a child?Weighing Infants and Children. Ensure the scale is on a flat, hard, even surface. ... . Explain all procedures to the parent/carer.. Infants should be weighed unclothed. ... . Make sure the scale display reads '0' prior to use.. All weights and measures should be checked for accuracy and calibrated regularly.. Why is accurate weighing important?Every ingredient that is used for manufacturing a pharmaceutical product must be weighed accurately so that the recipe isn't compromised, which would affect the quality of the end product. Here are some best weighing practices that every pharmaceutical company should implement.
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