[balita-anda] article -->Growth charts: Understanding the results

[Endra Wimajanti]

What do my child's growth chart measurements mean? They are a general indicator of how your child is developing physically. By comparing your baby's measurements to national averages for children of the same age and sex, and to measurements from previous checkups, the doctor can determine whether he is following an overall growth pattern. Don't get too hung up on your child's results. The National Center for Health Statistics' growth charts (the ones currently used in the United States) are badly in need of an update. They were created in 1976 solely on the basis of data from formula-fed Caucasian children. (Breast-fed babies tend to be slightly leaner than their formula-fed cousins.) Word has it that the charts are currently being revised to accurately reflect children of all ethnicities, as well as those who are formula-fed or breastfed exclusively, but so far the center hasn't released any new ones. We'll keep you posted. How does my baby compare to others? It's easiest to explain this by example. If your one-month-old baby is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 80th for height, for instance, that means 50 percent of the one-month-old babies in the United States weigh more than he does, and 50 percent weigh less. Similarly, 20 percent of babies are taller, and 80 percent are shorter. To chart your baby's growth at home, try the growth chart calculator. My baby is only in the 25th percentile. Isn't that small? If your baby has always hovered around the 25th percentile in both height and weight, your doctor won't be concerned that 75 percent of babies are bigger than he is. What's important to remember is that your doctor is watching how your baby grows, not how much. Babies tend to go through rapid growth spurts, during which they might put on half a pound or grow two inches in a month. Other months they may gain only an ounce or two and grow a mere half an inch. Your doctor will look for an overall pattern, not at individual peaks and valleys. When should I worry? If your baby's percentile changes suddenly. For instance, if he has consistently been in the 50th percentile for weight and then drops down into the 15th, your doctor will want to figure out why. She'll ask you if your baby's been ill or has changed his eating patterns. If your baby's recovering from an illness, you probably have no reason to worry, as lack of appetite is a common symptom of many illnesses. If your baby hasn't been sick but his growth is slowing, your practitioner may suggest increasing feedings. You may be asked to come in for more frequent visits to make sure that your baby starts gaining weight again and isn't failing to thrive. Generally, doctors will also look more closely at babies who fall in the extreme percentile ranges — above 95 percent and below 5 percent — in any area. Some reasons for extreme measurements (such as having tall or short parents) are harmless, but others, such as obesity or hydrocephalus --water on the brain — are more serious and require further evaluation and treatment. How much does birth weight determine future growth? Birth weight seems to matter less than you might think. At birth, the average North American newborn weighs seven pounds, seven ounces, and is 20 inches long. But studies have shown that it's genetics, not newborn weight, that determines adult size. In other words, if both you and your partner are tall and thin, chances are your baby will be that way as an adult. That said, small babies can grow up to be large-boned and muscular, and a baby born weighing more than nine pounds can end up on the petite side.