Here are Children are unique in the manner in which they grow and develop, and each child may grow at a slightly different pace. There are a variety of factors affecting a child’s height and weight such as genetics, nutrition, physical activity, medical issues, hormone and lifestyle. Each family has its own unique growth pattern, which obviously determines the growth of the child. Growth is evaluated with the help of a height and weight chart for children. Doctors use a normal height and weight chart for children in order to monitor and ensure their healthy development. Health issues that may hamper growth of the child are...
... also identified by means of this height and weight chart. These growth charts are used in routine checkups and enable doctors to determine how a child compares with other children of the same age and gender in terms of height and weight. They also help to track patterns in the child’s height and weight over a period of time. For instance, if a child has been displaying the same growth pattern until two years of age and then suddenly starts displaying a reduced growth rate, he may be suffering from a health problem.
However, if a height and weight chart for children by age indicates a different growth pattern, it is not necessarily indicative of a problem. The doctor interprets these charts while also considering the child’s overall health, genetics and environment. He will also look for other signs that may indicate a health problem. The doctor will inquire about and take into consideration certain factors like whether the child was born prematurely, when the child attained puberty and if the child has achieved other development milestones.
The average height and weight chart for children is different for girls and boys. This is because of the difference in growth patterns and rates between the genders. There is also a separate set of charts used in case of babies, which indicates growth patterns of infants between birth and 36 months. Growth charts are also different for children with conditions such as Down’s syndrome as their growth and development patterns differ. Babies up to the age of 36 months are measured according to length, weight and head circumference. Head circumference is an important measurement in babies as it indicates the rate of brain development. Older children are measured according to height, weight and body mass index.
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