What are the age norms of growth for boys and girls according to WHO data

Growth standards in children – data from the World Health Organization

Physical development of the child – this is one of the main indicators that allow you to determine his potential strengths, early detect the appearance of various diseases that can later disrupt the normal course of his life. This category includes several morphological features, including height. Doctors use tables of children's height and weight norms for a more qualitative assessment of this indicator.

Why does the doctor measure and weigh the child

Anthropometric data indirectly indicate the influence of various internal and external factors on the child's development and the state of his health. Yes, insufficient body weight gain indicates:

inferior in quantity and quality of nutrition,
presence of rickets,
anemia,
state of immunodeficiency,
various endocrine diseases.

In case of growth retardation, a frequent diagnostic finding is reduced production of somatotropic hormone – a substance that regulates the growth and development of the musculoskeletal system.

For such control, in 2006, the World Health Organization updated special tables that indicate the growth and weight standards for boys and girls by age. They use not only clear numbers, but also normal limits. This is due to the fact that many children are on artificial feeding. Such babies gain weight and grow much faster than ""naturalists""; and it would be wrong to indicate the same numbers for these two groups.

Children grow unevenly. On average, the body length of a newborn born on time and without developmental pathologies is 48–51.8 cm for boys and 47.3–51 cm for girls. Subsequently, during the first year of life, children grow quite quickly, gaining an average of 25 cm. Later, the growth rate steadily declines. After a few years, a period of uniform growth occurs, when the child adds 5–7 cm per year.

There are 1–2 jumps, during which the rate of increase in body length by 1–2 years increases dramatically. Experts associate this with the onset of puberty. This is a normal process, if it is not accompanied by any signs of discomfort in the body – a visit to the doctor is not required.

The child also gains a lot of weight in the first year. Starting from the second year of life, weight gain occurs more slowly, stabilizing up to 17–18 years. Everything that happens with body weight and height at an older age is related to the peculiarities of a person's life.

All indicators exceeding the limits specified below are considered deviations. The pediatrician must carefully study each such case, identify the causes of the deviation and take all measures to return the child's health to normal.

What to do if the child is not growing well

It sometimes happens that despite proper and complete nutrition, good care and a healthy lifestyle, the child does not gain enough height or weight. First of all, parents should get rid of subjective assessment. The site https://dobrobut.com/ recommends not to be nervous in advance, but to contact a specialist–pediatrician. He will compare the indicators obtained during the measurement with the tables of weight gain and height norms and evaluate the situation.

If it turns out that the child is really lagging behind in physical development, the pediatrician will have to study the history, find out everything about the daily routine and diet (consultation of a nutritionist may be necessary), look at the child and prescribe certain diagnostic manipulations .

The most common cause of stunting is late puberty. The child should be observed by a doctor until the hormonal processes start in full force. Endocrine growth retardation is also possible, then the endocrinologist will detect a lack of certain hormones and prescribe appropriate treatment. In case of inadequate nutrition for age and level of physical activity, parents will receive recommendations on how to change the child's diet. Finally, it is possible that a boy or a girl is simply not destined to become tall due to hereditary characteristics (the parents themselves are short).

There are almost always causes for growth retardation, and almost all of them can be eliminated. It is enough just to contact a specialist in time.