Child Growth Assessment

Child Growth Calculator Is Myth:
Regular Growth Assessment A Must

Regular child growth assessment is essential for interpreting child's growth potential. Unfortunately, there is no specific and quick child growth calculator as parents would very much desire.

There are many indicators of growth in children and each has to be closely monitored for an early diagnosis of growth disorders.

Parents can barely wait to see their children grow in to young attractive adults. Yet regular monitoring of the growth parameters of their child does not even cross their mind.

Only for first 2 yrs, child health provider regularly records child’s head circumference, height and weight on a growth chart. Later it's usually forgotten until the need hits.

Can parents themselves monitor their child's growth?

Yes, and it is simple: Only if one is aware how to do it.
Just maintain growth charts for height, weight and head circumference.

Accurately measure your child’s weight, height and head circumference regularly at 30 days interval. These serial measurements should also be regularly plotted on growth charts specific for child's age and sex.

On the growth charts, child’s measurements get compared with international percentile norms. These charts are also known as percentile growth charts that give the graphic representation of the child’s growth pattern.

They form a great asset for children’s growth assessment, and a great tool in the hands of child health provider to rule out any underlying chronic sickness in the child. Please note that a single measurement has no diagnostic value.

Download age-sex specific growth chart for your child's growth assessment.
Record all the three parameters on the growth chart on a specific date of every month and in case of mounting concern bring it to the notice of your pediatrician.

Growth charts also work as growth calculators. If your child is healthy and is growing at a uniform curve, then you can predict her height and weight at any desired age.

Body Mass Index: commonly known as BMI

BMI for age and sex is one more form of growth and health assessment in children. It gives a good and a simple measure of body fat content.

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Body Ratios

Upper Segment : Lower Segment (US/LS)

Body is divided into two portions.

The upper segment (U) and the lower segment (L).

Upper segment to lower segment ratio (U/L) varies with the growth of a child.

Its inappropriate value for the age indicates growth disorder.

Normal Expected US : LS

Age

At birth

3 years

>7 years

18 years

US : LS

1.7:1

1.3:1

1:1

0.9:1

U/L ratio is 1.7 at birth and by age of 7 years it reaches the value of 1:1.

If a child at 3 years yet shows infantile value of US to LS ratio then a health evaluation should be sought.

An altered US:LS ratio may be the only initial manifestation of an underlying disorder.

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Causes of altered US : LS

US : LS

Slow Growth With
Normal US:LS

High US:LS
(i.e. US>LS)

Low US:LS
(i.e. US<LS)

Causes

Delayed puberty
Hypopitutarism
Constitutional Dwarfism
Nutritional Dwarfism

Hypothyroidism
Chondrodystrophy
Achondroplasia
Turner's Syndrome
Ellis-van Creveld Syndrome

Hurler's Syndrome
Morquio Syndrome
Marfan Syndrome
Hypogonadism

Arms Span

Arm span is measured from finger tips on one side to finger tips of the other side with both hands horizontally extended perpendicular to the body.

Normal expected arms span varies with age.

In children: Arms span is approximately 1 centimeter less than child's height.

In teenagers: Arms span is equal to child's height

In adults: Arms span is about 5 centimeters more than the height of the individual.

Arms span is usually evaluated for anthropometrical profiling of athletes, especially for the sports in which reach is important, such as rowing, boxing and basketball.