Normal Growth:
Accurate measurement of Height, weight, and head circumference in children is very important in assessing the growth development of children.
Growth Velocity and Other Growth Characteristics by Age:
INFANCY | CHILDHOOD | ADOLESCENCE |
Birth-12 mo: 24 cm/yr 12-24 mo: 10 cm/yr 24-36 mo: 8 cm/yr
| 6 cm/yr Slowly decelerates before pubertal onset Height typically does not cross percentile lines | Sigmoid-shaped growth Adolescent growth spurt accounts for about 15% of adult height Peak height velocity Girls: 8 cm/yr Boys: 10 cm/yr |
Extracted from the Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics
For children less than 2 years old we check their head circumference regularly.
Growth charts for all children can be found at the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.
Early detection of growth discrepancies in head circumference can lead to the determination of disease that can be addressed and corrected, and if done in a timely manner, the outcome will definitely be better.
The delay in height can lead to a diagnosis of delayed stature and to a hormonal problem.
A low weight, or an exaggerated increase in weight compared to the age of the child could lead to specific diagnosis, and each disease has its own assessment and treatment.