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What does a Growth Chart say about my child?
Growth charts are essential tools needed to accurately monitor your child’s growth for both height and weight. They help you understand your child's height (or weight) over time as they age and show you a comparison to other (same sex and age) children. You must be careful not to focus too much importance on just one measurement. Instead, it is much more important to watch the pattern over time because it lets you know how your child is progressing. Your child's pattern is THE important indicator of whether he/she is growing normally rather than just one measurement.
What length of time is needed so see my child's growth pattern?
The longer the time (years) the better you can see how your child has progressed. However, our families have found that most physicians want at least 12 months (measuring at the beginning and end of that year) to establish a growth pattern. The more records you have available, the better.
Children’s heights and weights should be routinely measured during visits to the pediatrician or other healthcare professional’s office. Therefore, if you want historical numbers, you might want to get copies of their records. You can add that information to your child’s growth chart you are developing now. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you get measurement records from other sources- you MUST be careful! If they measured your child incorrectly it could make a huge difference in your child's growth pattern. For example, if your child was measured with his/her shoes on, or with "items" in their hair, or without making them stretch fully and pressed against the measuring device- any of these factors could make a large difference in an accurate measurement. So be careful not to become alarmed if you see something "odd". Rather begin to evaluate it yourself to make sure- and check with your child's medical professionals.
INTERPRETING/ Understanding THE GROWTH CHART (using height as the example)
A growth chart shows how a child's height compares to other children the exact same age and sex. After the age of 2, most children maintain fairly steady growth throughout their childhood, following close to the same percentile they had at the age of 2. Children over 2 years of age who move away from their established growth curve should be thoroughly evaluated by a doctor, no matter how tall they are.
How do I figure out what percentile my child is in?
On each growth chart there is a series of lines swirving from the lower left and climbing up to the right side of the chart. These lines help people follow along (so to speak) so that you can see where your child falls on a growth curve. Those swirling areas are the "averages" for childrens growth throughout years. Following those lines to the right- will lead you to numbers which tell you the percentile of your child's growth. Click here to see an example.
What do percentiles mean?
Percentiles are the most commonly used markers to determine the size and growth patterns for children. Percentiles rank a child by showing what percent of kids would be smaller or taller than your child. If your child is in the 5th percentile, 95 out of 100 children the same sex and age, would be taller than your child. If you child is in the 70th percentile, he or she is taller than 70 out of 100 children the same age and sex.
Please keep in mind that your child's percentile doesn't necessarily indicate how well they are growing. A child at the 5th percentile can be growing just as well as a child at the 95th percentile. It is more important to look at your child's growth over time. If he/she has always been at the 5th percentile, then he/she is likely growing normally. It would be concerning if your child had previously been at the 50th or 75th percentile and had now fallen down to the 25th or lower percentile.
It is not uncommon for children under the age of 2 to change percentiles. However, after this age, children should follow their growth curves fairly closely. Again, discuss any concerns with your Pediatrician.
Keep in mind that many factors influence how children grow, including their genetic potential (how tall their parents and other family members are), underlying medical problems (such as congenital heart disease, kidney disease, syndromes, etc.), and their overall nutrition plays a big role in every child's growth and development.
If you are concerned about your child's height or weight, talk with their Pediatrician. Continue to watch their growth annually or more frequently if you see your child falling below a normal pattern. It is important to make sure your child is not crossing percentiles in an upward swing. This can also represent a problem.
If you have trouble understanding this information, please call our office. We will be glad to help.
The phone number is (708) 383-0808 . Available Central Time from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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