Growth chart

Growth chart

A growth chart is used by pediatricians and other health care providers to follow a child's growth over time. Growth charts have been constructed by observing the growth of large numbers of normal children over time. The height, weight, and head circumference of a child can be compared to the expected parameters of children of the same age and sex to determine whether the child is growing appropriately. Growth charts can also be used to predict the expected adult height and weight of a child because, in general, children maintain a fairly constant growth curve. When a child deviates from his or her previously established growth curve, investigation into the cause is generally warranted. For instance, a decrease in the growth velocity may indicate the onset of a chronic illness such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Growth charts can also be compiled with a portion of the population deemed to have been raised in more or less ideal environments, such as nutrition that conforms to pediatric guidelines, and no maternal smoking. Charts from these sources end up with slightly taller but thinner averages [http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/Technical_report.pdf] .

Growth charts are different for boys and girls, due in part to pubertal differences and disparity in final adult height. In addition, children with diseases such as Down syndrome and Turner syndrome follow distinct growth curves which deviate significantly from normal children. As such, growth charts have been created to describe the expected growth patterns of several genetic diseases.

Due to differences in normal growth rates between breastfed and formula fed babies, there are currently separate charts for breastfed babies which are based on normal growth patterns of exclusively breastfed babies.

Links

* http://www.who.int/childgrowth/en/A growth chart is used by pediatricians and other health care providers to follow a child's growth over time. Growth charts have been constructed by observing the growth of large numbers of normal children over time. The height, weight, and head circumference of a child can be compared to the expected parameters of children of the same age and sex to determine whether the child is growing appropriately. Growth charts can also be used to predict the expected adult height and weight of a child because, in general, children maintain a fairly constant growth curve. When a child deviates from his or her previously established growth curve, investigation into the cause is generally warranted. For instance, a decrease in the growth velocity may indicate the onset of a chronic illness such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Growth charts can also be compiled with a portion of the population deemed to have been raised in more or less ideal environments, such as nutrition that conforms to pediatric guidelines, and no maternal smoking. Charts from these sources end up with slightly taller but thinner averages 1.

Growth charts are different for boys and girls, due in part to pubertal differences and disparity in final adult height. In addition, children with diseases such as Down syndrome and Turner syndrome follow distinct growth curves which deviate significantly from normal children. As such, growth charts have been created to describe the expected growth patterns of several genetic diseases.

Due to differences in normal growth rates between breastfed and formula fed babies, there are currently separate charts for breastfed babies which are based on normal growth patterns of exclusively breastfed babies.

References

* [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/background.htm CDC information on growth charts]
* [http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/technical_report/en/index.html WHO information on growth charts]
* [http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/growthcharts2/f/breastfeeding.htm Growth Charts and Breastfeeding Babies]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • growth chart — a graphic representation of the normal progressive changes in selected measurements, such as weight, height, or head circumference, used as a tool for assessing growth in children; charts are composed of several percentile curves showing the… …   Medical dictionary

  • Growth failure — is a medical term for a pattern of a child s growth which is poorer than normal for age, sex, stage of maturation, and genetic height expectation. Growth failure usually has an abnormal cause or causes. Many short children are growing normally… …   Wikipedia

  • Tanner growth chart — See under chart …   Medical dictionary

  • Growth-share matrix — The BCG matrix (aka B.C.G. analysis, BCG matrix, Boston Box, Boston Matrix, Boston Consulting Group analysis) is a chart that had been created by Bruce Henderson for the Boston Consulting Group in 1970 to help corporations with analyzing their… …   Wikipedia

  • chart — 1. A recording of clinical data relating to a patient s case. 2. SYN: curve (2). 3. In optics, symbols of graduated size for measuring visual acuity, or test types for determining far or near vision. See …   Medical dictionary

  • growth — noun 1 increase in sth ADJECTIVE ▪ considerable, exponential, significant, strong ▪ the exponential growth in world population ▪ high ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • Classical theory of growth and stagnation — Classical economics refers to work done by a group of economists in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The theories developed mainly focused on the way market economies functioned. Classical Economics study mainly concentrates on the… …   Wikipedia

  • bar chart — bar charts N COUNT A bar chart is a graph which uses parallel rectangular shapes to represent changes in the size, value, or rate of something or to compare the amount of something relating to a number of different countries or groups. [mainly… …   English dictionary

  • centile chart — a graph with lines showing average measurements of height, weight, and head circumference compared with age and sex, against which a child s physical development can be assessed. The lines of growth on the graph are called centiles, and the… …   Medical dictionary

  • centile chart — a graph with lines showing average measurements of height, weight, and head circumference compared with age and sex, against which the physical development of a child or fetus can be assessed. The lines of growth on the graph are called centiles …   The new mediacal dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”