Page 51 - MHF-FeedingMinds-final.indd

42 2.1 Measuring and Assessing Growth

Table 2.1.5 Growth charts recommended for use of Paediatrics and Child Health (Wright et al. 2002,
in the UK 2010). However, there are specialized growth charts
for children with:
Charts Use for
●● Down syndrome
Neonatal and Infant 1) births before 32
Close Monitoring Chart weeks gestation ●● Turner syndrome
(NICM) – boys and girls 2) unwell neonates born
after 32 weeks ●● homozygous sickle cell disease.
3) term infants with
significant growth and All recommended charts are produced and printed
weight faltering by Harlow Printing Ltd and can be ordered from
them (www.healthforallchildren.co.uk).
UK–WHO Growth Chart Healthy preterm infants
0–4 years – boys and girls born after 32 weeks Plotting on growth charts
(see Figure 2.1.2) gestation Charts should be plotted in pencil with a dot. Pencil
Term infants is used because mistakes in plotting are often made
Young children and can be corrected more easily if plotted in
1–4 years pencil. The dots should not be joined up with a line,
nor emphasized with a circle around them.
4–18 years Growth and Children 5–18 years
BMI Chart – boys and girls Age correction for preterm babies

These charts all come in two formats: The measurements of preterm babies should be
age-corrected when plotting for:
●● A4 which are used mainly in clinical notes
●● 1 year for infants born 32–36 weeks gestation
●● A5 for use in the Personal Child Health Record
(Growth charts for boys 0–4 years and 2–18 ●● 2 years for infants born before 32 weeks gestation.
years, and girls 0–4 years and 2–18 years are
given in Appendix 2 p. 232–239) Age correction adjusts the plot of a measurement to
account for the number of weeks a baby was born
The PCHR, also known as the ‘Red Book’, is used in early. The number of weeks early is equal to 40
the UK to record the health and development of a weeks minus the gestational age at birth. Hence a
child. It is given to parents/carers following the baby born at 31 weeks gestation will have been born
birth of every child (Figure 2.1.2). 9 weeks (40–31 = 9) early and his or her age since
birth should be reduced by 9 weeks when plotting
BMI centile charts are used for assessing if measurements taken up until the age of 2 years.
children aged over 2 years are underweight, normal
weight for height, overweight or obese.

Figure 2.1.2 Personal Child Health Record used in Normal Growth Patterns
the UK – also called ‘Red Book’
The weight and length/height of infants and children
Any other growth charts for normal children are expected to increase along, or parallel to, the
are now considered out of date by the Royal College centile lines. However, growth is not usually regular
so some small variation over about a centile space is
usually seen in normal growth patterns. Growth
anywhere between the 2nd and 98th centile lines is
considered normal. Growth between the 0.4th and
2nd centile and between the 98th and 99.6th is
usually normal and should be interpreted
considering the ethnic origin and stature of parents.