"About Children's Growth"

HEIGHT / WEIGHT CHART

Average height and weight of boys at different ages

AGE	WEIGHT (kg)	HEIGHT (cm)
Birth	3.3	50.5
3 months	6.0	61.1
6 months	7.8	67.8
9 months	9.2	72.3
1 year	10.2	76.1
2 years	12.3	85.6
3 years	14.6	94.9
4 years	16.7	102.9
5 years	18.7	109.9
6 years	20.7	116.1
7 years	22.9	121.7
8 years	25.3	127.0
9 years	28.1	132.2
10 years	31.4	137.5
11 years	32.2	140.0
12 years	37.0	147.0
13 years	40.9	153.0
14 years	47.0	160.0
15 years	52.6	166.0
16 years	58.0	171.0
17 years	62.7	175.0
18 years	65.0	177.0

(Source: Nutrient Requirements and Recommended Dietary Allowances for Indians, I.C.M.R. 1990.)

Average height and weight of girls at different ages

AGE	WEIGHT (kg)	HEIGHT (cm)
Birth	3.2	49.9
3 months	5.4	60.2
6 months	7.2	66.6
9 months	8.6	71.1
1 year	9.5	75.0
2 years	11.8	84.5
3 years	14.1	93.9
4 years	16.0	101.6
5 years	17.7	108.4
6 years	19.5	114.6
7 years	21.8	120.6
8 years	24.8	126.4
9 years	28.5	132.2
10 years	32.5	138.3
11 years	33.7	142.0
12 years	38.7	148.0
13 years	44.0	150.0
14 years	48.0	155.0
15 years	51.5	161.0
16 years	53.0	162.0
17 years	54.0	163.0
18 years	54.4	164.0

Height & Weight Pattern in the Growing Baby Expected weight gain You need to understand the importance of the role of weight gain, and therefore of your baby's expected or ideal weight. The baby's birth weight is the starting point for growth. Whatever be the birth weight, the growth rate in all the babies is approximately the same. The overall growth pattern depends on the proper food and adequate care of the baby. However illness, starvation, serious neglect or emotional disturbances would make his weight gain dip downwards. Height or length of the baby matters too Weight gain is not the only way to assess a baby's growth. Children are not meant to get fatter and fatter, but bigger overall. Getting taller is also included in the growth pattern of the baby. The baby's length will change much more slowly than the weight. Whatever be the baby's length at birth, approximately 2 cm (3/4") will be gained each month or just over 5 cm (2") in 3 months. Just as there is expected weight gain for a baby of any age, related to the birth weight, so there is a expected length at any age, related to the birth-length. There is a consistent relationship of weight and height in the normal growth pattern of the child.

Exception to normal growth patterns

a.	Pre-term babies : They are very slow to get started on their feeding, and therefore their growing. The weight tends to remain in low position for a long time
b.	Small - for date babies : They make startling growth during their earlier weeks, but on the whole they tend to occupy still a low position on the normal growth graph
c.	Babies who are ill immediately after birth or in the first weeks : These babies fail to start gaining weight or may actually loose some. Excellent care may lead to a spurt of "catch-up growth", so that the baby's personal growth curve shifts upwards towards the normal
d.	Babies who are bottle-fed from birth : These babies may loose no weight in the first days. They may gain very fast in the first days. They may gain very fast from the beginning, which also depends upon the formula food given. An even greater rise occurs in the babies weight when solids are added in addition to the over-concentrated milk. A baby who is gaining weight faster than nature intended, will not gain length to match it. There is a obvious disparity in the height gain compared to the weight. This cue should make you realise that the baby is starting to get obese rather than simply growing larger