Growth Chart

The first two years of growth for an infant are crucial for healthy development. At this early stage, you must monitor various aspects of growth such as weight, height and head circumference for any child. Your health expert can assist you in measuring these. An infant growth chart indicates the growth of your infant with age. It is a common practice to compare your infant to other babies but it can be an inaccurate standard. Understanding the medical range of normal growth is important to know that your baby is healthy. Once you know the normal range, you can also be cautious of any growth issues that you may have to address.

Infant Growth Chart

An infant growth chart measures the weight of your infant with their age. This growth is different for both boys and girls. The growth of a baby is measured by their height, weight and the circumference of their head. Then these figures are placed on a chart. The measurements of weight, height and circumference are marked on the vertical axis and the age is marked on the horizontal axis. This chart will be a part of your child's health record. A copy of this chart can be with your doctor and healthcare assistant.

The Weight-Age Percentile

Your infant's growth between the ages of 0-2 years is crucial. This growth rate is compared to the World Health Organisation standards. Infants are born with different weights and sizes. Hence, an absolute number cannot be applied to every infant. While observing the growth rate, percentiles are used instead of absolute values. A percentile compares the weight of your infant at a certain age to that of other babies in the world at the same age. For example, a baby in the 50th percentile of its weight will be twice as heavy as its counterparts at the same age. Similarly, an infant on the 90th percentile of its weight will be 90% heavier than other infants of the same age.

Growth Chart for Boys vs Girls

The growth patterns for boys are different than for girls. If you observe the weight-age chart for both sexes, you will observe that a girl child's growth increases visibly after 6 months while growth in boys remains steady from the first month to the twenty-fourth. This difference in growth pattern is evident in the growth charts of the two sexes. The growth chart for a boy is a straight upward gradient while the growth chart for a girl is curved. The curve in a girl's growth chart usually corresponds to the sixth month of the growth cycle.

How to measure the growth of your infant?

Here are some simple steps that you can follow to measure the growth of your child at home and map it on a growth chart:

To measure height:

1. Place your baby in a lying-down position on a soft surface such as a bed, and make sure he/she is comfortable.
2. Stretch a measuring tape across your infant's body, starting from the head to the heels. Take assistance to ensure that the legs are straight.
3. Note down the length accurately to 0.1 cm.

To measure weight:

1. If you have a baby scale, use it to measure the accurate weight of your baby.
2. If you do not have a baby scale, undress your baby(no diaper), lift him/her in your arms and get on a weighing scale together.
3. Measure your weight and your child's weight together.
4. Then measure your weight without your baby. Make sure you don't change anything else like wear an extra piece of clothing or take one off because this might hamper the final value.
5. Subtract the two weights and jot them down.

To measure the circumference of the head:

1. Wrap a measuring tape around your baby's head from the area above the eyebrows and above the ear at the place where the circumference is the largest.
2. Make sure your baby is not moving while you measure his/her head.
3. Take the measurement thrice to eliminate any inaccuracy and note the measurement nearest to 0.1 cm.

Precautions

A spike in growth does not necessarily mean that there is a problem. Babies generally lose weight in the first week after birth but regain it in the next two weeks. Some variations in weight are normal and you need not consult a doctor unless it is accompanied by symptoms like vomiting or constipation. If your baby is facing repetitive digestive issues and losing weight because of it, you must contact your doctor immediately. Containing infection in young infants is very difficult because heavy medication cannot be given.

Keep in touch with your doctor for these 24 months and don't worry much about your baby growing differently than other babies. The growth of each child is unique and as long as your growth chart is with you, you've got it all covered.

Request an appointment at Apollo Cradle, Amritsar - Abadi Court Road. Call 1860-500-1066 to book an appointment.