What are the norms of height and weight in children and when to worry

Miscellaneous / by admin / February 03, 2022

click fraud protection

Worry is justified only in a couple of cases.

Doctors recognizeGrowth chart / Medline Plusthat deviations in children's height or weight from the average values may be an early symptom of some health problems. But in most cases, non-compliance with the reference norm is completely natural and safe.

How tall should the child be

In the mid-2000s, WHO spentWHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) / WHO a great study to establish the boundaries of normal growth for children at different ages. Experts measured the physical parameters of healthy babies, analyzed the results and deduced median values.

Based on the WHO study and taking into account local characteristics, Russian pediatricians presented the growth limits in the form of a table. They indicatedGuidelines "Assessment of the physical development of children and adolescents" / Alfa-Endo in the guidelines "Assessment of the physical development of children and adolescents", developed by the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Endocrinological Research Center".

instagram viewer

Boys growth chart

Age	short stature	Below the average	Average	Above average	Tall stature
Newborn	<46,1	46,1– 47,9	48,0–51, 8	51,9– 53,7	>53,7
6 months	<63,3	63,3– 65,4	65,5– 69,8	69,6– 71,9	>71,9
1 year	<71,0	71,0– 73,3	73,4– 78,1	78,2– 80,5	>80,5
2 years	<81,7	81,7– 84,7	84,8– 90,9	91–93,9	>93,9
3 years	<88,7	88,7– 92,3	92,4– 99,8	99,9– 103,5	>103,5
4 years	<94,9	94,9– 99,0	99,1– 107,5	107,6– 111,7	>111,7
5 years	<100,7	100,7– 105,2	1005,3– 114,6	114,7– 119,2	>119,2
6 years	<106,1	106,1– 110,9	111– 120,9	121– 125,8	>125,8
7 years	<111,2	111,2– 116,3	116,4– 127,0	127,1– 132,3	>132,3
8 years	<116	116–121,5	121,6– 132,9	133– 138,6	>138,6
9 years	<120,5	120,5– 126,5	126,6– 138,6	138,7– 144,6	>144,6
10 years	<125	125– 131,3	131,4– 144,2	144,3– 150,5	>150,5
11 years	<129,7	129,7– 136,3	136,4– 149,8	149,9– 156,6	>156,6
12 years old	<134,9	134,9– 141,9	142– 156,2	156,3– 163,3	>163,3
13 years old	<141,2	141,2– 148,5	148,6– 163,5	163,6– 170,9	>170,9
14 years	<147,8	147,8– 155,4	155,5– 170,9	171– 178,6	>178,6

Growth chart for girls

Age	short stature	Below the average	Average	Above average	Tall stature
Newborn	<45,4	45,4– 47,2	47,3– 51,0	51,1– 52,9	>52,9
6 months	<61,2	61,2– 63,4	63,5– 68,0	68,1– 70,3	>70,4
1 year	<68,9	68,9– 71,3	71,4– 76,6	76,7– 79,2	>79,2
2 years	<80	80–83,1	83,2– 89,6	89,7– 92,9	>92,9
3 years	<87,4	87,4– 91,1	91,2– 98,9	99– 102,7	>102,7
4 years	<94,1	94,1– 98,3	98,4– 107	107,1– 111,3	>111,3
5 years	<99,9	99,9– 104,6	104,7– 114,2	114,3– 118,9	>118,9
6 years	<104,9	104,9– 109,9	110– 120,2	120,3– 125,4	>125,4
7 years	<109,9	109,9– 115,2	115,3– 126,3	126,4– 131,7	>131,7
8 years	<115	115– 120,7	120,8– 132,4	132,5– 138,2	>138,2
9 years	<120,3	120,3– 126,3	126,4– 138,6	138,7– 144,7	>144,7
10 years	<125,8	125,8– 132,1	132,2– 145	145,1– 151,4	>151,4
11 years	<131,7	131,7– 138,2	138,3– 151,6	151,7– 158,3	>158,3
12 years old	<137,6	137,6– 144,3	144,4– 158,1	158,2– 164,9	>164,9
13 years old	<142,5	142,5– 149,3	149,4– 163,3	163,4– 170,3	>170,3
14 years	<145,9	145,9– 152,7	152,8– 166,7	166,8– 173,7	>173,7

What weight should the child have

WHO weight limits for children definesWeight-for-age / WHO as well as growth rates, using median values. In the Russian guidelines "Assessment of the physical development of children and adolescents" the same data are presented in the form of tables.

Boys weight chart

Age	Underweight, kg	Below the average	Average	Above average	Overweight
Newborn	<2,5	2,5–2,8	2,9–3,9	4–4,4	>4,4
6 months	<6,4	6,4–7	7,1–8,8	8,9–9,8	>9,8
1 year	<7,7	7,7–8,5	8,6– 10,8	10,9–12	>12
2 years	<9,7	9,7–10,7	10,8– 13,6	13,7– 15,3	>15,3
3 years	<11,3	11,3– 12,6	12,7– 16,2	16,3– 18,3	>18,3
4 years	<12,7	12,7– 14,3	14,4– 18,6	18,7– 21,2	>21,2
5 years	<14,1	14,1– 15,9	16–21	21,1– 24,2	>24,2
6 years	<15,9	15,9– 17,9	18–23,5	23,6– 27,1	>27,1
7 years	<17,7	17,7– 19,9	20–26,4	26,5– 30,7	>30,7
8 years	<19,5	19,5– 22,0	22,1– 29,5	29,6– 34,7	>34,7
9 years	<21,3	21,3– 24,2	24,3–33	33–39,4	>39,4
10 years	<23,2	23,2– 26,6	26,7–37	37,1–45	>45

Weight table for girls

Age	Underweight	Below the average	Average	Above average	Overweight
Newborn	<2,4	2,4–2,7	2,8–3,7	3,8–4,2	>4,8
6 months	<5,7	5,7–6,4	6,5– 8,2	8,3–9,3	>9,3
1 year	<7	7–7,8	7,9–10,1	10,2– 11,5	>11,5
2 years	<9	9–10,1	10,2–13	13,1– 14,8	14,8
3 years	<10,8	10,8– 12,1	12,2– 15,8	15,9– 18,1	>18,1
4 years	<12,3	12,3– 13,9	14–18,5	18,6– 21,5	>21,5
5 years	<13,7	13,7– 15,7	15,8– 21,2	21,3– 24,9	>24,9
6 years	<15,3	15,3– 17,4	17,5– 23,5	23,6– 27,8	>27,8
7 years	<16,8	16,8 – 19,2	19,3– 26,3	26,4– 31,4	>31,4
8 years	<18,6	18,6– 21,3	21,4– 29,7	29,8– 35,8	>35,8
9 years	<20,8	20,8– 23,9	24–33,6	33,7–41	>41
10 years	<23,3	23,3– 26,9	27 –38,2	38,4– 46,9	>46,9

What to do if the child does not meet the norms of height or weight

First of all, do not worry ahead of time. American pediatricians remindGrowth chart / National Library of Medicine (USA):

Results may be erroneous. This happens if, for example, the child fidgets on the scales or slouches.
One dimension doesn't tell the big picture. Children develop unevenly. Someone may have a growth spurt, someone, on the contrary, is slightly behind. To assess the overall picture, it is necessary to measure height and weight regularly - once a month or at another frequency recommended by the pediatrician. Then it will be possible to draw an individual schedule for the physical development of a particular child. If height and weight, for example, fall into the “below average” cell, but at the same time they steadily increase month after month, with a high probability everything is in order with the baby.
The normal range is very wide. Short stature and low weight do not always indicate any deviations. The same is true in the opposite case.
Indicators in childhood do not predict the future. They are used only to assess the pace of physical development.

Measurements can alert the doctor only when the height or weight of the child has been at the very border of the norm for years, or if the individual development schedule looks declining. For example, weight at six months was at the average level, at nine months it shifted to the lower limit of the norm, and by 12 it became “insufficient”. Such situations are an occasion for a closer examination of the baby.

However, anxiety parents - This is also a good reason to talk with a pediatrician. The doctor will examine the child and find the right words.