Taking the confusion out of reading a growth chart (2024)

Taking the confusion out of reading a growth chart (1)

Have you ever taken your child to the pediatrician and looked at the growth chart and thought, “That looks like the controls to an aircraft I don’t know how to fly”?

There’s no shortage of potentially confusing information when it comes to your child’s health. But understanding your child’s growth patterns doesn’t have to be one of the confusing parts. Asma Khan, DO, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, breaks down how to take the confusion out of reading a growth chart.

Choosing your chart

First things first: Find the right chart. Start by checking out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for a variety of growth charts.

If you live in the United States, you’ll likely be looking at charts for the 5th and 95th percentile. This chart is widely used by pediatricians.

Second, decide whether you need a chart for a boy or girl.

“Girls and boys have different growth charts because they grow in different patterns and at different rates,” Dr. Khan said.

Then, choose the chart that aligns with the age range of your child.

“In children birth to 36 months, we measure weight, height and head circumference. In children age 2 years and older, we look at height, weight and body mass index (BMI),” Dr. Khan said.

After that, choose what measurement you want to find.

Do you want to know your child’s weight and length percentiles? Choose the length-for-age and weight-for-age chart. Do you want to know your child’s percentile for head circumference? Choose the head circumference-for-age chart.

Finally, you’re left with some basic preferences. There are English, French and Spanish options. You also get to choose whether to view the chart in color or black and white.

Reading the lines

Now you’re ready to find your child’s measurements.

Taking the confusion out of reading a growth chart (2)

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Age is at the top and bottom of the chart, and length and weight are along the left and right sides. The curved lines show the percentile numbers, or patterns of growth.

The percentile number means that your child’s growth exceeds that percentage of other children their age. If your child is in the 75th percentile for weight, that means that your child weighs more than 75% of children the same age.

It doesn’t matter whether your child measures at a low or high percentile. It only matters that your child is following the curved lines, which indicates that your child is growing in a healthy way over time.

To find your child’s growth percentile, follow these simple steps described by Dr. Khan.

  • Step 1: Find your child’s age at the bottom of the grid. Draw a vertical line (up and down) at this point.
  • Step 2: Find your child’s weight on either the right or left side of the grid. Draw a horizontal line (side to side) at this point.
  • Step 3: Draw a dot where the two lines intersect.
  • Step 4: Find the curve that is closest to that dot. Follow the line of the curve up. Go all the way to the end. The number at the end of the curve is your child’s percentile rank for weight. Your answer will be at the end of that curve.
  • Repeat: Find your child’s length on either side of the grid. Draw a horizontal line (side to side) at this point. Find the intersection of your child’s length and age.

Knowing what’s healthy

“Being in a high or a low percentile doesn’t necessarily mean that a child is healthier or has a growth or weight problem,” Dr. Khan said.

The percentile number is not the most important thing your child’s pediatrician is looking for. They just want to know that your child is growing at a healthy rate.

“There is no ideal percentile. Healthy children come in all shapes and sizes, and a baby who is in the 5th percentile can be just as healthy as a baby who is in the 95th percentile,” Dr. Khan said.

The pediatrician is the leading source for tracking your child’s health and growth. If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s weight or height, your child’s pediatrician will have all the answers.

Last Updated: January 7, 2022

Taking the confusion out of reading a growth chart (2024)

FAQs

What is the most important thing to remember when reading growth charts? ›

Reading the lines

The curved lines show the percentile numbers, or patterns of growth. The percentile number means that your child's growth exceeds that percentage of other children their age. If your child is in the 75th percentile for weight, that means that your child weighs more than 75% of children the same age.

How to understand a growth chart? ›

They are based on measurements taken from many children. The centile lines show how one child compares with other children of the same age and sex. Weights and heights that are anywhere within the centile lines are considered normal. There are no centile lines between birth and two weeks.

How accurate are growth charts? ›

In routine clinical practice, height is assessed by using normative data based on growth charts and operationalized through percentiles. However, the cross-sectional nature of existing growth curves causes low accuracy in the prediction of final height, particularly during puberty.

When to worry about growth charts? ›

For example: If height and weight have both been on the 60th percentile line until a child is 5 years old, and then the height drops to the 30th percentile at age 6, that might suggest a growth problem because the child is not following his or her usual growth pattern.

Does baby height percentile mean they will be tall? ›

But try not to get too hung up on your baby's growth chart – it's not the last word on how your baby is doing. There's a wide range of normal, and your baby's measurements don't mean they'll be short or tall, or fat or skinny, as an adult.

Is the 2nd percentile good or bad? ›

Infants and children with a weight-for-length that is less than the 2nd percentile are classified as low weight-for-length. Infants and children with a length-for-age that is less than the 2nd percentile are classified as having short stature.

Is the 5th percentile good or bad? ›

Any number between the 5th percentile and the 95th is considered "normal." Whether the measurements are high or low, they should follow a consistent curve on the growth chart over the first year.

What growth percentile is concerning? ›

A normal rate of growth means the child's growth points closely follow a percentile line on the chart. We usually don't worry about insufficient (or excessive) growth until a child's growth rate has crossed at least two percentile lines (e.g., from above the 90th percentile to below the 50th).

What are the limitations of growth charts? ›

While often assumed to provide information on whether or not children are growing “normally”, or according to the “usual” pace of other children, growth charts cannot actually assess the process of growing. Growth unfolds across time at the individual level.

What should parents worry with regards to growth charts? ›

Some changes to your child's growth chart may worry your provider more than others: When one of your child's measurements stays below the 10th percentile or above the 90th percentile for their age. If the head is growing too slowly or too quickly when measured over time.

What is the most accurate growth predictor? ›

The Khamis-Roche method is considered to be one of the more accurate height prediction methods that do not require the measurement of bone age. It is based on the child's stature, weight, and the average stature of the two parents.

Why is my baby not growing on the growth chart? ›

CAUSES OF FALTERING GROWTH

Postnatal factors, such as nutritional or environmental problems, endocrinopathy or chronic disease may affect growth. In toddlers, growth failure is often the result of inadequate caloric intake but may also be the first sign of disease in an otherwise asymptomatic child.

At what age does growth peak? ›

Peak height velocity — your child's biggest, fastest growth spurt — typically lasts 24 to 36 months. And while it's difficult to say just how much your child will grow during this time, you can count on most of it happening, for girls, between 10 and 14 years, and, for boys, between 12 and 16 years.

What is considered a tall baby at birth? ›

The average length of full-term babies at birth is 50 cm (20 in.). The normal range is 45.7 to 56 cm (18 to 22 in.). In the first month, babies typically grow 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in.). Your baby's head will grow at its fastest rate during the first 4 months after birth than at any other time.

What is the most important part of reading a chart? ›

The most important part of reading a chart is identifying the variables. Variables are the information in the chart that can change, depending on where you're looking.

What is the importance of growth charts? ›

Introduction. The growth charts consist of a series of percentile curves that illustrate the distribution of selected body measurements in U.S. children. Pediatric growth charts have been used by pediatricians, nurses, and parents to track the growth of infants, children, and adolescents in the United States since 1977 ...

What is the most important measure of growth? ›

The most common measure of economic growth is real GDP. This is the total value of all goods and services produced in an economy, with that value adjusted to remove the effects of inflation.

What is the most important thing about a chart? ›

Charts are often used to ease understanding of large quantities of data and the relationships between parts of the data. Charts can usually be read more quickly than the raw data. They are used in a wide variety of fields, and can be created by hand (often on graph paper) or by computer using a charting application.

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