An increase in body length is considered one of the most important indicators of child development. The child’s growth in age varies according to established patterns that are inherent in certain time intervals. An important role in this process is played by heredity. In addition, scientists have proved that a growing organism is greatly influenced by external factors, such as nutrition quality. To understand the correctness of growth indicators, you need to consider the established age norms, taking into account the genetic data of the child and his living conditions.
Conventionally, the development of the child is divided into four main time periods: infants from birth to one year, the early period from 12 to 36 months, preschoolers from 3 to 7 years old, and adolescents from 7-17 years old.
Breastfeeding
The most intense changes in babies occur from the first day to the year. In this time interval, the growth of a child by age is classified according to monthly indicators. Every month, the mother visits the pediatrician to monitor the growing body of the baby. The specialist evaluates the measurement results in accordance with the tables developed by WHO, taking into account the heredity of the baby.
Until 2006, old growth tables were used, the data in which were somewhat overstated, as they were aimed at babies receiving artificial feeding. Today, WHO takes into account babies and looks differently at their developmental rates. Since 2006, the organization has presented new data that determine the growth of children by age. The table below will help you figure out how the baby grows.
Height | Floor | Age months |
12 | eleven | ten | 9 | eight | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | one | 0 |
Low - Below Average | Boy | 71-73 | 70-72 | 69-71 | 68-70 | 66-68 | 65-67 | 63-66 | 62-64 | 60-62 | 57-59 | 54-56 | 51-53 | 46-48 |
Girl | 69-71 | 68 | 67-69 | 65-68 | 64-66 | 63-65 | 61-64 | 60-62 | 58-60 | 56-58 | 53-55 | 50-52 | 45-47 |
Average | Boy | 76 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 71 | 69 | 68 | 66 | 64 | 61 | 58 | 55 | fifty |
Girl | 74 | 73 | 72 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 66 | 64 | 62 | 60 | 57 | 54 | 49 |
Upper Intermediate - High | Boy | 78-81 | 77-79 | 76-78 | 74-77 | 73-75 | 71-74 | 70-72 | 68-70 | 66-68 | 64-66 | 60-62 | 57-59 | 52-54 |
Girl | 77-79 | 75-78 | 74-76 | 73-75 | 71-74 | 70-72 | 68-70 | 66-69 | 64-66 | 62-64 | 59-61 | 56-58 | 51-53 |
Growth values in the interval starting from "Below Average" to "Above Average" correspond to normal growth. The numbers in the sections "Low" and "High" can indicate both the genetic characteristics of the child and the hormonal imbalance. You should pay attention to this and consult a pediatrician. Growth that is less than the “Low” border and greater than the “High” interval most often indicates certain diseases associated with a violation of the process of physical development. Such babies require an assessment of their condition by specialists, since these pathologies need to be corrected.
Early period
After a year, the peanut continues to grow, but not as intensively as in the previous period. From one year to three years of age, a baby can be placed on a height meter once every 6 months.
For this period, WHO also established indicators that can be used to measure children's growth by age. The table below contains average standards.
Age | 3 years | 2.5 years | 2 years | 1,5 years | 1 year |
The boys | 92 to 100 | 89 to 94 | 84 to 89 | 79 to 84 | 74 to 77 |
Girls | 93 to 98 | 88 to 92 | 83 to 88 | 79 to 82 | 73 to 76 |
Preschool age
It is customary to classify children from three years old to seven years old as preschoolers. They grow and improve in development. After three years, the child’s growth in age is characterized by unevenness. Between 4 and 5 years old kids grow up by about four to six centimeters. But in the sixth and seventh year, growth rates increase, and the annual increase on average ranges from 8 to 10 cm. For six-year-olds and seven-year-olds, the stretching stage is underway. At this age, both lower and upper limbs lengthen in children.
Teens
If the body length of the babies approximately coincides with the tabular data, then in adolescence, the growth of a child by age is difficult to subordinate to certain intervals. Children at this stage grow spasmodically. And each of them can jump in a different period.
One child can already achieve its final growth at 13 years old, while another only at that time begins to stretch. At the same time, a certain teenager can grow in one summer, while his friend adds in growth gradually. Most intensively, children are pulled out with the onset of puberty. Girls begin to grow earlier and faster - at 10-12 years old, and boys - at 13-16 years old.
What determines the growth process?
For each parent, it is important to correctly match the height and age of the child. Therefore, you need to know that the process of growth is influenced by different factors. The main role belongs to heredity. Proper nutrition is also of great importance. A balanced diet is a prerequisite for the proper formation of children. Providing their child with the necessary amount of fat, protein and carbohydrate components, as well as mineral salts and vitamin elements, parents create the conditions for the proper development, growth and formation of his body at all time intervals. These include infancy, early childhood, preschool and adolescence.
The weight and height of the child also depend on many other factors: physical exercises, quality of measures to care for him, daily routine, and psychological atmosphere in the family.
A child who has enough rest, develops correctly, but lack of sleep and chronic fatigue can adversely affect physical performance. In addition, there is an opinion of scientists that children more intensively add in growth in a dream.
Basketball, jumping, volleyball and other sports activities have a stimulating effect on the young body. But constant stress and mental stress adversely affect not only growth, but also health in general.