Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Normal Growth
Normal growth is one of the best indicators of good health
and nutrition. Normal heights and weights, however, are
difficult to define. Short parents tend to have short
children. Tall parents tend to have tall children. For any
given height, an ideal weight can be determined from a
growth chart. An infant with failure to thrive is
underweight for his height. An obese child is overweight
for his height.
Your physician will weigh and measure your child on each
visit and plot these numbers on a standard growth chart.
Your child's growth rate over time reveals the most about
his or her physical health.
The following facts and figures may answer some of your
questions about normal growth.
AVERAGE NEWBORN (FULL-TERM)
Weight: 7 pounds, 5 ounces (normal range: 6 to 10 pounds)
Length: 20 inches (50 cm) (normal range: 18 1/2 to 21 1/2
inches)
Head circumference: 13.8 inches (35 cm) (normal range: 33
to 37 cm)
A premature baby weighs less than 5 and 1/2 pounds
(2.5 kilograms).
AVERAGE WEIGHTS AT DIFFERENT AGES
5 months: double birth weight
12 months: triple birth weight
2 years: quadruple birth weight
1 to 6 years: weight in pounds = (age x 5) + 17
7 to 12 years: weight in pounds = (age x 7) + 5
AVERAGE HEIGHTS AT DIFFERENT AGES
4 years: double birth length
13 years: triple birth length
2 to 14 years: height in inches = (age x 2 1/2) + 30
(Remember: 1 foot = 12 inches; 1 inch = 2.5 centimeters)
PREDICTING ADULT HEIGHTS
Age
------------------------ Multiply
Boys Girls by
---------------------------------------------------------
1/2 adult height
is reached at 27 months 20 months 2
2/3 adult height
is reached at 6 years 5 years 1.5
3/4 adult height
is reached at 9 years 7 years 1.3
---------------------------------------------------------
Another formula is: adult height (boys) = 1.87 x height
at age 3 years
adult height (girls) = 1.73 x height
at age 3 years
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