Pages

Monday, June 24, 2013

Weight & Height Charts for Children

Weight & Height Charts for Children

Parents want to know if their child is tall for his age. Weight and height charts for children answer that question, in addition to providing other information. These charts are used by pediatric physicians and parents to assess a child's development. Tracking weight and height over a period of time provides data that translate into percentiles. These numbers allow for comparisons with children of the same age.

Charts

    The first growth charts in the United States were published in 1977 by the National Center for Health Statistics. They were used until The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed weight and height charts for children, publishing them on May 30, 2000. According to KidsHealth, these charts are used more than other charts. The charts are divided by age and sex. One set lists criteria for newborns through 36 months, while another ranges from age 2 to 20 years. Each has a separate chart for boys and girls. These charts are grouped into three sets, each with its own percentiles. Besides weight and height, the CDC provides charts for head circumference for newborns through 36 months and body mass index for ages 2 through 20, with separate charts for boys and girls.

Comparison of Charts

    Two reasons for the new charts in 2000 were the improvement in statistical procedures from 1977 and the availability of more comprehensive data. The data come from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which collects height and weight information on Americans. Many of the differences were reflected in the infants' chart due to more information about breast-fed babies. This information was based upon data indicating that fewer infants were being formula fed. According to the CDC, the biggest change is in the head circumference charts. The new charts also contain information on body mass index for older children, which had not been present in the earlier charts.

Infants

    Separate weight and height charts exist for newborns through 36 months. The height chart for this age group goes by length-for-age, reflecting the typical measurement of a newborn as length, not height. These charts reflect the rapid growth during the first three years of life. Those years can be the most formative and thus in need of tracking. Children receive more medical checkups during their first three years, and weight and length become part of a child's permanent medical records.

Percentiles

    One trend among the charts is the widening effect from the lowest to the highest percentile as children age. For example, the 3rd percentile weight for a boy at birth is slightly less than 5.5 lbs., while the 97th percentile is right at 10 lbs., making a difference of 4.5 lbs. By the time a boy reaches 36 months, the 3rd percentile weight is up to 26 lbs., while the 97th percentile rises to 39 lbs., a difference of 13 lbs. When boys reach age 11, the 3rd percentile is 58 lbs. and the 97th percentile is 124 lbs., a difference of 66 lbs.

0 comments:

Post a Comment