Children do so much growing during their formative years, and the variations are so wide that it's hard to tell sometimes if your child's weight and growth is normal. Some standard measurements and calculations, however, give a range of data that show where he fits in among his peers, and whether there's a reason to be concerned.
Purpose
Weight charts, height charts, head circumference charts and BMI charts--collectively known as "growth charts"--are used to measure a child's size, and compare her growth to what's normal for her age and gender. These charts are based on standards set by the National Center for Health Statistics and were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Weight charts that show proper growth are used from the time a baby is born until the child is 3 years old. In addition, starting at age 2, a child's BMI, or Body Mass Index, is calculated and plotted. BMI is related to the amount of body fat a child has, and is a good indicator of potential problems such as obesity.
Types
Boys and girls have separate growth charts, because they are different sizes and grow at different rates. There is also one set of charts that's used for babies and toddlers up to 36 months old, and another set of charts used for children between 2 and 20 years old. If your child has Down syndrome, there's a special set of growth charts for her, too.
For birth to 3 years, the standard charts include boys' and girls' length and weight for age, head circumference for age, and weight for length. The reason it's called "length" instead of "height" for this age group is because the measurement is done lying down. For ages 2 to 20, the standard charts are stature and weight for age, and weight for stature.
Because of these variations in growth charts, a child will never be measured and plotted simply for weight; other areas of growth are always calculated too, which give a better indication of what that weight really means.
Features
The percentile your child is in shows how his weight and measurements compare to other children of the same age and gender. This is plotted on a curve, and shows a visual representation of where your child fits in, and how steady his rate of growth has been. For instance, if your son is at the 70th percentile for weight, that means he weighs more than 70 percent of boys his age.
Children that are at the 85th percentile or more for BMI are considered overweight, and at the 95th percentile they're obese. However, since BMI is not just a measurement of body fat, there are instances where a child with a high BMI does not have too much body fat.
Effects
Growth charts give an early indication that there might be a problem, but the numbers on their own are not a reason to panic. Your child's doctor will compare her various measurements and let you know if there are any concerns, or if there's anything you can do to help increase or decrease your child's weight if necessary.
Considerations
Not enough weight gain can indicate an illness, neglect or failure to thrive. If your child's weight and height are not changing at the same rate, that might be something to look at; for instance, if her weight is at the 80th percentile and her height is at the 30th percentile. Also, if your child has been gaining weight on a steady curve and that suddenly changes, it may be cause for concern. However, during infancy or puberty, this could just indicate a normal growth spurt.
Too much weight gain, or a high BMI, on the other hand, can indicate a potential for overweight or obesity.
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