Growth charts, based on sex and age, should be found in every child’s medical chart in their pediatrician’s office. Calculated since the day they were born, and each subsequent visit to the doctor, this chart gives a comprehensive guideline for growth rates through the teenage years.
It is important — critical — that children stay on “their own personal growth curve.” If there is a consistent drop, the pediatrician should be concerned about medical issues such as failure to thrive, growth hormone deficiencies, thyroid disease, or an eating disorder, to name a few. If there is a consistent rise, again, this brings up issues such as overweight/obesity or thyroid disease, among others.
These charts are not intended to be the only tool for evaluating growth; they are a piece of a puzzle in a clinical and professional setting for determining adequate growth and development.
Learn how to read the growth chart/grid, and follow your child’s growth in weight and height changes. When looking at one of the growth charts keep in mind:
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The “lowest” point on the grid is the 5th percentile, whereas the “highest” point on the grid is the 95th percentile. For example, if there were 100 children placed in “height” order, from the shortest to the tallest, once your child is placed on his growth grid, and he is at the 25th percentile, he will be the 25th in line, therefore, on the shorter end of the spectrum. The same concept applies to the weight charts.
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The healthy goal is first and foremost, to follow “their own curve”; however, ideally they will be somewhere in the “average” range—just above or below the 50th percentile.
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A few things to consider: genetic influence of parents’ stature and weight, periodic growth spurts, and activity versus caloric intake— which may need to be adjusted once your son makes the soccer team!
Source: Centers for Disease Control—National Center for Health Statistics— growth charts compiled using U.S. children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), latest revision in 2000.
Source: Centers for Disease Control—National Center for Health Statistics— growth charts compiled using U.S. children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), latest revision in 2000.
Source: Centers for Disease Control—National Center for Health Statistics— growth charts compiled using U.S. children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), latest revision in 2000.
Source: Centers for Disease Control—National Center for Health Statistics— growth charts compiled using U.S. children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), latest revision in 2000.
BMI Charts
New to the medical chart, a BMI growth chart has been created as the most commonly used approach to determining if children are overweight. This chart can be used after the age of two years old.
To calculate BMI manually use the following equation: (weight in pounds x 703) / height in inches
To calculate BMI electronically go to: www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi.
BMI categories:18.5 or less = underweight 18.5 – 24.9 = normal weight 25 – 29.9 = overweight 30 or greater = obese
Source: Centers for Disease Control—National Center for Health Statistics— growth charts compiled using U.S. children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), latest revision in 2000.
Source: Centers for Disease Control—National Center for Health Statistics— growth charts compiled using U.S. children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), latest revision in 2000.
