Weight-for-age
and stature-for-age charts can be used to describe a child's growth, relative
to his or her peers.
For example:
A 7-year old child's weight is 20 kg and her height is 123.5 cm.
This weight is at the 25th percentile, which indicates that she
is heavier than 25% of girls her age, and 75% of girls
her age weigh more.
Her height is between the 50th and 75th percentiles, indicating
that she is taller than 50 to 75% of girls her age.
These charts are also useful tools for monitoring
growth over time:
When only one point in time is examined,
this child appears to be at significant nutritional risk.
When previous growth data (that include
multiple points paralleling the 5th percentile) are considered, it
becomes evident that this child's growth rate has remained constant.
(In fact, she has a medical condition sometimes associated with short
stature.)
She remains at nutritional risk, but the data are less alarming
when compared to previous measurements.
