Growth charts

Growth charts are used to plot your child's growth, and then members of the medical profession can track your child's growth and compare it to other children across the country. These charts are a standard part of every regular check up. There are different charts for boys and for girls as they grow differently, and this is normal. Here are a list of charts to give you an idea, but only measurements taken by medical professionals should be used, as ones done at home can some times be inaccurate and be miss leading. Also charts may vary slightly, so these ones are just to give a general idea and you should take the recommended guidelines from your local medical profession.

Birth to 36 months (3 years)

Girls length-for-age and weight-for-age percentiles

Boys length-for-age and weight-for-age percentiles

Girls head circumference-for-age and weight-for-length percentiles

Boys head circumference-for-age and weight-for-length percentiles

Ages 2 to 20 years

Boys stature-for-weight and weight-for-age percentiles

Girls stature-for-weight and weight-for-age percentiles

Boys weight-for-stature percentiles

Girls weight-for-stature percentiles

Understanding growth charts

When you look at the growth charts, you will see there are seven lines that curve following the same pattern. Every line represents a different percentile. On each line there are numbers: 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th. The 50th percentile line represents the average child, but children can like adults differ considerably and it is normal for children to find there own line on the percentile chart above or below the average, and this is of no concern. using these or similar chart the doctor can determine whether you child is growing as expected.