Growth charts are a great diagnostic tool if they are used and understood correctly. Just glancing at the charts without any understanding, can make them a bit tricky and cause some unnecessary anxiety for parents. Keep in mind that growth charts are not the only thing used when determining if your child is healthy. There are two different growth charts typically used. For children under 2, it is recommended to use WHO (World Health Organization) charts. For those older than 2, it is recommended to use CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) charts. Your child’s measurements are plotted on three different graphs: length to age, weight to age, and length to weight (BMI). You can print charts for your child from the CDC.

When you are looking at the chart length for age this is what the percentages tell you:

• <10%. When looking at 100 kids the same age as your child, about 90 of the kids would be taller than your kid. (Your kid is short.)
• 10-25% When looking at 100 kids the same age as your child, about 75 kids will be taller than your kid.
• 25-75% Your child is average in height.
• 75-90% When looking at 100 kids the same age as your child, your child is taller than at least 75 of them.
• >90% Your child is tall. When looking at 100 kids your child is taller than 90 of them.

Weight for age is a little trickier. Usually health care workers just look at weight for age for trends. For healthy children you don’t want to see a big decline or a big increase over time. You want to see consistency. This growth chart does not let you know if children are underweight or overweight. This is one of the biggest mistakes made with growth charts.

Weight to Length Ratio or BMI chart. This chart lets us know if your child is a healthy weight compared to their height. Here are what the percentages mean:

• <10% Your child is considered underweight.
• 10-25% Your child is thin, but considered healthy.
• 25-75% Your child is a healthy weight.
• 75-90% Your child is at risk for being overweight.
• >90% Your child is overweight.

No parent ever wants to hear anything besides their child is perfect! (Me either!) That makes it difficult for doctors to have a candid conversation with parents about their child’s weight. Some doctors will sugarcoat the facts, some are blunt, and some avoid the issue all together. I am a firm believer in information is power. As much as I don’t want to hear that my child is too thin or too fat, I would rather find out that my kid has a problem now when it is easier to fix. If your doctor hasn’t discussed your child’s weight with you before, bring it up and ask them. Don’t assume that if there was a problem they would tell you. Please remember that children should never go on a diet! If you find that your child is on the hefty side of the growth chart, try to think of small ways the whole family could eat a little healthier instead of singling out a child.

I try to record my child’s height and weight every 3 months so I can see his progress over time. This gives me more information than just an annual check. Most parents do not recognize when their child is overweight. This makes it important to have a discussion with your doctor. So make a note during your child’s next doctor visit to ask about your child’s weight.