Uk-Who Growth Charts 0-4 Years Page 2
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1
2Plotting and interpreting measurements
after 12 months of age, this may be a sign that they are
Measurement Record
The chart is a guide to how your child is growing. It
overweight. Your health visitor may want to assess this
Your health visitor or doctor should fill in these boxes when they weigh your child and then plot the measurements on the appropriate centile charts.
compares your child’s length and height with other children
further.
of the same age. It also shows how quickly your child is
What is a normal rate of weight gain?
growing.
Date of Birth
Birth Weight
Gestation
●
Weight gain in the early days varies a lot from baby to baby
kg
wks
Your baby’s charts shows weight in kilograms and height in
so there are no lines on the chart for 0
2 weeks. By 2 weeks
–
Date
Age
Wt (kg)
Wt (lb)
Other
Name or
Date
Age
Wt (kg)
Wt (lb)
Other
Name or
centimetres. If you want to change these measurements
of age most babies weight will be on a centile close to their
Measurements
Initials
Measurements
Initials
into pounds/ounces and feet/inches you can use the
birth centile.
conversion chart in this record or ask your health visitor to
It is unlikely that your baby’s weight will exactly follow a
convert them.
single centile line, particularly in the first year. It is most
Someone who has been appropriately trained should
likely to track within one centile space (i.e. the gap between
complete the growth chart. If your baby was born
two centile lines).
prematurely (less than 37 weeks), the weight will be plotted
Children may lose weight during an illness but their weight
on the preterm chart, until your baby reaches the estimated
will usually go back to their usual centile within
delivery date (EDD) plus 2 weeks (42 weeks). After this, his
2
–
3 weeks. However, if your baby’s weight remains down by
or her weight will be plotted on the 0
–
1 year weight chart
two or more centile spaces, they should be assessed by your
but with an allowance to take account of prematurity. This
health visitor and their length should also be measured.
should continue until at least 1 year of age.
Length and height
Normal weight and height
Under the age of 2 years, a child’s length is measured lying
The curves on the chart are called centile lines. These show
down. When your child reaches 2 years of age their height
the range of weights and heights (or lengths) of most
will be measured instead. When standing up, the spine is
children. If your child’s height is on the 25th centile, for
squashed a little, which will mean that your child’s height is
example, this means that if you lined up 100 children of the
slightly less than their length. However, their height will be
same age in height order, your child would be number 25;
on the same centile as their length and your child should
75 children would be taller than your child. It is quite normal
continue to grow approximately along the same centile.
for a child’s weight or height to be anywhere within the
Healthy children may be on a different length/height centile
centile lines on the chart.
from the weight centile, although the two are usually
When are children unusually big or small?
similar.
There is not an exact point at which it can be said that a
To get an idea of how tall your child may be as an adult, plot
child’s weight or height is definitely abnormal. However,
their height and follow the centile line to the scale at the
only four in every thousand healthy children are at or below
side of the 2
–
4 years height chart. Four out of five healthy
the 0.4th centile. A paediatrician usually assesses these
children have an adult height that is within 6cm above or
children to make sure that there are no problems. Being
below this value. So, if, for example, your child’s height is on
very small can sometimes indicate a medical or health
the 25th centile, the average adult height for a girl for this
problem.
centile is 161cm and for a boy is 174 cm. A girl’s adult
Babies on the top weight or length centile are usually
height is therefore likely to be between 155cm and 167cm
healthy. If your child’s weight goes above the top centile
and a boy’s adult height between 168cm and 180cm.
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