How to evaluate your child’s growth and development

Pediatric growth and development includes two major parts, one is physical development, and the other is neuropsychological development (commonly known as intellectual development), when both development is normal can be called healthy children. Physical development includes length, weight, head circumference, chest circumference and nearly 10 other items. Length and weight are important indicators of growth and development. Length (height) is the measurement of the distance from the top of the child’s head to the bottom of the foot. within 3 years of age, children are measured in the prone position, so it is called length, and after the age of 3 years, the measurement should be taken in the upright position, which is called height, and the length of the body (height) represents the development of the skeleton. Weight is the total weight of the body organs, tissues and body fluids. It can promptly reflect the recent nutritional status and disease of the child. length of the child within 3 years of age has a close relationship with nutritional diseases. after 3 years of age, height is more obviously affected by race, genetics and environment. Length is not significantly related to short-term nutritional changes, but it is related to long-term nutritional status. Therefore, doctors often apply height and weight to evaluate the physical development of children, parents should also pay attention to these two indicators. Normal children’s physical examination: under normal circumstances, it is best to measure the children within 6 months once a month, 6 months i to 1 year old children every 3 months, more than 1 year old every six months, more than 3 years old once a year.