Introduction to Child Development Indicators

In fact, children are at the age of growing up. If the nutrition at this age is not kept up, it is very likely to lead to malnutrition or even poor development. In that case, the child will be thin or even frail. So below I will learn about the introduction of children's development indicators.

Indicator introduction:

1. Height

Height is an important indicator of bone development. The average height of a normal full-term newborn is 50 cm (boys are generally slightly larger than girls). At the end of the first year, the height increase is about 50% of that at birth, or 25 cm. When one year old, the height can reach 75 cm. In the second year, it increases by about 10 cm; in the third year, it increases by about 7 cm. It will increase by about 4-6 cm every year thereafter. The average height from 1 to 12 years old can be calculated according to the following formula:

Height (cm) = age × 5 + 80

2. Weight

Weight can reflect children's nutritional status and the development of their bones, muscles, organs, etc. to a certain extent. The normal weight of a newborn is about 3200 grams (boys are generally slightly larger than girls). Most newborns experience physiological weight loss within 2-3 days after birth, and then gain weight rapidly. In the first three months, increase 1,000 grams each month, in the fourth to sixth months, increase an average of 600-700 grams per month, and in the second half of the year, increase about 300 grams per month.

There are many factors that affect children's height and weight, such as race, genetics, feeding methods, living conditions and disease. It should be pointed out that there are great differences in height and weight among individuals in children over 2-3 years old. Small stature should not be considered abnormal and evaluation should be made after a comprehensive examination.

3. Head circumference

Head circumference before the age of 3 can reflect the development of the brain and skull. The average head circumference of a newborn is about 34 cm, about 48 cm at 2 years old, and about 51 cm at 8 years old. The first year after birth is the year in which head circumference grows fastest. Because the infant's skull ossification has not yet been completed, some bone edges have not yet been connected, and some places are only connected by connective tissue membranes. These parts are the fontanelles. Babies have an anterior fontanelle and a posterior fontanelle. The anterior fontanelle closes at 12-18 months, and the posterior fontanelle closes at 2-4 months. Early synostosis is more common in microcephaly, while late synostosis is more common in rickets, cretinism and hydrocephalus. A full anterior fontanelle is seen in people with increased intracranial pressure and is an important sign of encephalitis and meningitis. A sunken fontanelle is common in dehydrated or extremely emaciated children.

4. Chest

The size of the chest circumference can indicate the development of the thorax, ribs, pectoral muscles, back muscles, subcutaneous fat and lungs. The average chest circumference of a newborn is 32 cm, 2 cm smaller than the head circumference. It is 46 cm at 1 year old and 49 cm at 2 years old. It increases by about 1 cm each year from 2 to 7 years old. Starting from the 6th month, the chest circumference and head circumference gradually approach each other; between 12 and 18 months, it is the crossover period of chest circumference and head circumference. The time when the head and chest circumference cross over is related to the child's nutritional status. If the nutrition is good, the crossover time will be earlier; otherwise, it will be later.

The above article introduces the children's development indicators. I believe everyone has a preliminary understanding. In fact, in life, it is necessary for growing children to have a balanced nutrition and let them eat more fresh vegetables or fruits.