What is the average length of a newborn baby. How does infant length change during the first year. Which factors influence a baby’s growth in length. When should parents be concerned about their baby’s length.

Defining Normal Birth Length: What’s Average for Newborns?

The typical length of a newborn baby is a crucial indicator of health and development. Most newborns measure between 19 and 20 inches (48.2-50.8 centimeters) from head to heel. However, healthcare professionals consider a range of 18.5-20.9 inches (47-53 cm) to be within normal limits. It’s worth noting that male infants tend to be slightly longer than females at birth.

Is there a significant difference between male and female newborn lengths? According to World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts, the average length for male newborns is 19.69 inches (50 cm), while female newborns average 19.29 inches (49 cm). This slight difference persists throughout infancy and childhood.

Tracking Infant Growth: Month-by-Month Length Milestones

During the first year of life, babies typically grow in length by about 50%. This rapid growth is a hallmark of healthy development. To help parents and healthcare providers track this progress, the WHO has established standardized growth charts based on data from infants in optimal growth environments across six countries, including the United States.

How does infant length change month by month? Let’s examine the average lengths for male and female babies throughout their first year:

These figures represent averages, and it’s crucial to remember that healthy babies can fall within a wide range of lengths. The consistent growth rate is more important than the absolute length at any given time.

Factors Influencing Newborn and Infant Length

A baby’s length at birth and subsequent growth are influenced by various factors. Understanding these can help parents and healthcare providers better interpret an infant’s growth patterns.

Genetic Factors

Genetics play a significant role in determining a baby’s length. Children often have similar height characteristics to their biological parents. However, it’s important to note that a baby’s length at birth or during infancy isn’t necessarily predictive of their adult height.

Maternal Health and Pregnancy Factors

The mother’s health and circumstances during pregnancy can impact a baby’s length at birth. Some factors that may influence newborn length include:

• Maternal nutrition
• Presence of maternal anemia
• Exposure to high blood pressure during pregnancy
• Gestational diabetes
• Maternal smoking or alcohol consumption

Gestational Age

Babies born prematurely are often shorter than full-term infants. However, many premature babies experience catch-up growth in their first few years of life.

The Importance of Growth Rate Over Absolute Length

While tracking a baby’s length is important, healthcare providers are more interested in the overall growth pattern rather than specific measurements at any given time. Why is the growth rate more crucial than absolute length?

Consistent growth indicates that a baby is receiving adequate nutrition and is generally healthy. A baby born longer than average will likely maintain that relative length during their first year, assuming no significant health or feeding issues arise. Conversely, a shorter baby at birth will typically follow their own growth curve, parallel to but below the average.

It’s worth noting that length measurements can vary depending on who performs them and how cooperative the baby is during measurement. Research has shown that length measurements during infant well-checks are prone to errors. If there’s an unexpected change in a baby’s length from one visit to the next, it may be due to measurement differences rather than a genuine growth issue.

When to Be Concerned: Recognizing Atypical Growth Patterns

While there’s a wide range of normal when it comes to infant length, there are situations where parents and healthcare providers should pay closer attention. How can you identify potential growth concerns?

Below the 5th Percentile

Doctors often use growth charts to track a baby’s progress. A child who consistently falls below the 5th percentile on these charts may have an atypical growth pattern. For example, at 12 months, a male infant measuring less than 28.5 inches or a female infant less than 27.5 inches would be below the 5th percentile.

Crossing Percentile Lines

If a baby’s growth curve crosses two major percentile lines (for example, dropping from the 75th percentile to the 25th), this could indicate a growth problem that warrants further investigation.

Disproportionate Growth

Length should be considered in conjunction with weight. A baby who is growing in length but not gaining weight appropriately (or vice versa) may need medical attention.

The Relationship Between Birth Length and Adult Height

Many parents wonder if their baby’s length at birth or during infancy can predict their adult height. Is there a strong correlation between infant length and adult stature?

While there is some relationship between infant length and adult height, it’s not a straightforward prediction. A baby who is shorter at birth or during the first year or two of life may still become a tall adult. Conversely, a long baby doesn’t necessarily grow into a tall adult.

Several factors influence adult height beyond infant length, including:

• Genetic potential
• Nutrition throughout childhood and adolescence
• Overall health and presence of chronic conditions
• Hormonal factors, particularly during puberty
• Environmental influences

It’s also worth noting that growth patterns can change significantly during childhood and adolescence. The most reliable predictor of adult height is typically a child’s height around age 2, combined with parental heights.

Beyond Length: Other Important Growth Indicators

While length is an important measure of infant growth, it’s not the only factor healthcare providers consider when assessing a baby’s development. What other growth indicators are crucial?

Weight

A baby’s weight is often considered alongside length. The relationship between weight and length (known as weight-for-length) can provide valuable insights into a baby’s overall health and nutritional status.

Head Circumference

Measuring head circumference is crucial, especially in the first year of life, as it reflects brain growth. Abnormal head growth can sometimes indicate neurological issues.

Developmental Milestones

While not directly related to physical growth, achieving developmental milestones on time is another important indicator of a baby’s overall health and progress.

Supporting Healthy Infant Growth: Tips for Parents

While genetics play a significant role in determining a baby’s length, there are steps parents can take to support healthy growth. How can you promote optimal growth in your infant?

Nutrition

Proper nutrition is crucial for healthy growth. Breastfeeding or formula feeding according to your pediatrician’s recommendations ensures your baby gets the nutrients they need. As your baby starts solid foods, offer a variety of nutrient-rich options.

Regular Check-ups

Attending all scheduled well-baby visits allows your healthcare provider to track your baby’s growth consistently and address any concerns early.

Sleep

Adequate sleep is essential for growth and development. Ensure your baby gets enough sleep for their age.

Physical Activity

As your baby grows, encourage age-appropriate physical activity. Tummy time for infants and active play for older babies can support physical development.

Address Health Issues Promptly

If your baby has any health issues, such as frequent infections or feeding problems, address them promptly with your healthcare provider, as these can impact growth.

Remember, every baby is unique and will follow their own growth pattern. While it’s natural to compare your baby to others or to growth charts, focus on consistent growth along their individual curve. If you have concerns about your baby’s growth, don’t hesitate to discuss them with your pediatrician.

What is the average baby length? Growth chart by month

The average length for a newborn is 19–20 inches (in) (48.2–50.8 centimeters [cm]) from the top of the head to the heel of the foot, but this can vary. Doctors also consider a range of 18.5–20.9 in (47–53 cm) to be typical.

Male babies are also slightly longer than female babies, on average.

Most newborn babies follow a predictable level of growth during their first year. People can track the length of their baby using average growth charts.

This article looks at the average baby length, month-by-month, for the first year of life. We also discuss what it means when a baby is shorter or longer than average and when to speak with a doctor.

The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes standard infant growth charts according to the expected growth of children in six countries, including the United States, in optimal growth environments. This includes those who engage in breastfeeding.

It is important to note that most people use the terms “length” and “height” interchangeably. However, until the age of 2 years, most doctors will measure babies’ lengths lying down. In measurement terms, experts call this recumbent length. This is different from height, which doctors will measure after the age of 2 years when a child is able to stand.

In the first year of their lives, babies typically grow in length by 50%. According to the WHO’s growth charts, the average lengths for male babies and female babies by month are as follows:

Age	Male baby	Female baby
Birth	19.69 in (50 cm)	19.29 in (49 cm)
1 month	21.65 in (55 cm)	21.26 in (54 cm)
2 months	23.03 in (58.5 cm)	22.44 in (57 cm)
3 months	24.21 in (61.5 cm)	23.62 in (60 cm)
4 months	25.20 in (64 cm)	24.41 in (62 cm)
5 months	25.98 in (66 cm)	25. 20 in (64 cm)
6 months	26.77 in (68 cm)	25.48 in (66 cm)
7 months	27.17 in (69 cm)	26.38 in (67 cm)
8 months	27.95 in (71 cm)	27.17 in (69 cm)
9 months	28.35 in (72 cm)	27.56 in (70 cm)
10 months	28.74 in (73 cm)	28.15 in (71.5 cm)
11 months	29.33 in (74.5 cm)	28.74 in (73 cm)
12 months	29.92 in (76 cm)	29.13 in (74 cm)

It is important to note that the above numbers represent averages. Children can be healthy at a wide range of heights. No matter how long a baby is at birth, they are likely to grow at similar rates to other babies.

This means that if a baby is born longer than average, they are likely to stay this way during their first or second year of growth.

A baby’s growth in length during the first year almost always depends on their length at birth, unless they have significant issues, such as feeding difficulties or medical problems, that may cause insufficient length or weight gain.

For this reason, length alone does not reveal whether a baby is healthy. Weight is also an important consideration, especially since many newborns lose some weight after birth. Doctors will also look at factors, including gestational age and how much and how well a baby is eating.

Most healthy babies follow a similar growth pattern during the first year of life. After that, growth rates vary, and a baby’s length is not usually a good predictor of their height as an adult.

A parent or caregiver who takes their baby in for measuring should also know that an infant’s measured length can vary according to who is doing the measuring and how much the baby is moving around at the time. Research shows that length measurements during infant well checkups have the most measurement errors.

Therefore, if it seems there is an unexpected change in a baby’s length from one visit to the next, it can be due to differences in measuring. A person may wish to request another measurement during the visit or at the next one to rule out a legitimate issue.

Babies who are much smaller or larger than average in weight and length are more likely to experience health complications.

However, there is a wide variation in healthy birth weights, so parents and caregivers may not need to have concerns. A doctor will assess how closely they need to monitor a baby’s growth over time. Growth rates for length are fairly predictable among babies in the first year of life. Doctors are more interested in a baby’s overall growth pattern than their length.

A child who falls below the 5th percentile may have an atypical growth pattern. By the age of 12 months, having a length of 28.5 in as a male infant or 27.5 in for a female infant puts them below the fifth percentile.

However, this may not be apparent immediately. A baby who will be a tall adult may have a shorter length at birth and in the first year or two of life.

Numerous other factors may affect a child’s height, including:

• Genetics: Children are likely to be a similar height to their biological parents.
• The pregnancy: Research shows that factors, such as maternal anemia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or obesity, may impact a baby’s growth after birth.
• Nutrition: Following a nutritious diet supports healthy growth.
• Hormones: Some children with hormonal imbalances grow slowly or more quickly than their peers.
• Health: A baby whose growth slows down that they fall into a much lower length group or whose length is persistently at a lower level may have a health issue. Some children with certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome, may be smaller than others.
• Medications: Some medications, such as steroids, including prednisone, may stunt growth.

People often do not see the effect of these issues on height in the first year of life.

During the first year of life, children should see their pediatrician at least seven times to monitor growth and overall health.

However, doctors’ recommendations may vary slightly. In general, a pediatrician will want to examine the baby at the following times in the first year:

• 3–5 days old
• 1 month old
• 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 months old
• 9 months old
• 12 months

A healthcare professional may recommend more frequent visits for a baby who loses a lot of weight after birth or has an unusual growth pattern.

In the early weeks of life, it can be difficult for parents or caregivers to know how much to feed a newborn. If the baby loses weight after birth, there could be feelings of pressure to help them regain the weight as quickly as possible, especially if the infant was born prematurely or has other health risk factors.

However, the amount of food newborns eat affects their weight much more than their length in the early stages of life. Insufficient weight gain needs to be present for a long time in infants before it affects their length.

Insufficient growth in length by itself in the first year is very uncommon and would more likely be due to a genetic syndrome or other uncommon condition.

How much should breastfed babies eat?

Most breastfed newborns eat every 1–3 hours. Over time, the time between feedings may expand to 2–4 hours. People can feed the baby on demand by following the baby’s feeding cues.

Since a nursing person cannot measure how much milk they are giving the baby, they can gauge whether the baby is getting enough milk by looking at the frequency of nursing and diaper changes. These indicators include the following:

• The baby is nursing at least 8–12 times in 24 hours
• By day 2, the baby should have at least two wet diapers in 24 hours. By day days 3 and 4, at least three or more wet diapers, and by day 5, at least six or more wet diapers.
• By day 4, at least 3–5 bowel movements a day.
• The baby is gaining weight.

How much should formula-fed babies eat?

Formula-fed babies may eat less frequently than breastfed babies. After the first few days, people typically feed formula-fed babies with 1–2 ounces (oz) of milk per feeding, which may increase to 2–4 oz by the end of the first month.

Like breastfed newborns, formula-fed infants should eventually eat 8–12 times in 24 hours, including at night. This will continue until they are approximately 6 months old when the child is ready to begin eating solid foods.

Like adults, babies are unique — there is no right or ideal length. As long as the infant is growing normally and does not suddenly fall well below their previous growth percentile, they are usually fine.

Before the age of 2 years, doctors usually measure a baby’s length lying down. After the age of 2 years, when a child is able to stand, a doctor can begin to measure their standing height.

Caregivers should know that at this stage, doctors may switch from the WHO growth charts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) growth reference charts.

Since standing height measures slightly less than recumbent length, a child’s classification may change slightly at this point. The pediatrician can help parents and caregivers answer questions about length, growth, nutrition, and more.

What is the average baby length? Growth chart by month

The average length for a newborn is 19–20 inches (in) (48.2–50.8 centimeters [cm]) from the top of the head to the heel of the foot, but this can vary. Doctors also consider a range of 18.5–20.9 in (47–53 cm) to be typical.

Male babies are also slightly longer than female babies, on average.

Most newborn babies follow a predictable level of growth during their first year. People can track the length of their baby using average growth charts.

This article looks at the average baby length, month-by-month, for the first year of life. We also discuss what it means when a baby is shorter or longer than average and when to speak with a doctor.

The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes standard infant growth charts according to the expected growth of children in six countries, including the United States, in optimal growth environments. This includes those who engage in breastfeeding.

It is important to note that most people use the terms “length” and “height” interchangeably. However, until the age of 2 years, most doctors will measure babies’ lengths lying down. In measurement terms, experts call this recumbent length. This is different from height, which doctors will measure after the age of 2 years when a child is able to stand.

In the first year of their lives, babies typically grow in length by 50%. According to the WHO’s growth charts, the average lengths for male babies and female babies by month are as follows:

Age	Male baby	Female baby
Birth	19.69 in (50 cm)	19.29 in (49 cm)
1 month	21.65 in (55 cm)	21.26 in (54 cm)
2 months	23.03 in (58.5 cm)	22.44 in (57 cm)
3 months	24.21 in (61. 5 cm)	23.62 in (60 cm)
4 months	25.20 in (64 cm)	24.41 in (62 cm)
5 months	25.98 in (66 cm)	25.20 in (64 cm)
6 months	26.77 in (68 cm)	25.48 in (66 cm)
7 months	27.17 in (69 cm)	26.38 in (67 cm)
8 months	27.95 in (71 cm)	27.17 in (69 cm)
9 months	28.35 in (72 cm)	27.56 in (70 cm)
10 months	28.74 in (73 cm)	28.15 in (71.5 cm)
11 months	29.33 in (74.5 cm)	28.74 in (73 cm)
12 months	29.92 in (76 cm)	29.13 in (74 cm)

It is important to note that the above numbers represent averages. Children can be healthy at a wide range of heights. No matter how long a baby is at birth, they are likely to grow at similar rates to other babies.

This means that if a baby is born longer than average, they are likely to stay this way during their first or second year of growth.

A baby’s growth in length during the first year almost always depends on their length at birth, unless they have significant issues, such as feeding difficulties or medical problems, that may cause insufficient length or weight gain.

For this reason, length alone does not reveal whether a baby is healthy. Weight is also an important consideration, especially since many newborns lose some weight after birth. Doctors will also look at factors, including gestational age and how much and how well a baby is eating.

Most healthy babies follow a similar growth pattern during the first year of life. After that, growth rates vary, and a baby’s length is not usually a good predictor of their height as an adult.

A parent or caregiver who takes their baby in for measuring should also know that an infant’s measured length can vary according to who is doing the measuring and how much the baby is moving around at the time. Research shows that length measurements during infant well checkups have the most measurement errors.

Therefore, if it seems there is an unexpected change in a baby’s length from one visit to the next, it can be due to differences in measuring. A person may wish to request another measurement during the visit or at the next one to rule out a legitimate issue.

Babies who are much smaller or larger than average in weight and length are more likely to experience health complications.

However, there is a wide variation in healthy birth weights, so parents and caregivers may not need to have concerns. A doctor will assess how closely they need to monitor a baby’s growth over time. Growth rates for length are fairly predictable among babies in the first year of life. Doctors are more interested in a baby’s overall growth pattern than their length.

A child who falls below the 5th percentile may have an atypical growth pattern. By the age of 12 months, having a length of 28.5 in as a male infant or 27.5 in for a female infant puts them below the fifth percentile.

However, this may not be apparent immediately. A baby who will be a tall adult may have a shorter length at birth and in the first year or two of life.

Numerous other factors may affect a child’s height, including:

• Genetics: Children are likely to be a similar height to their biological parents.
• The pregnancy: Research shows that factors, such as maternal anemia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or obesity, may impact a baby’s growth after birth.
• Nutrition: Following a nutritious diet supports healthy growth.
• Hormones: Some children with hormonal imbalances grow slowly or more quickly than their peers.
• Health: A baby whose growth slows down that they fall into a much lower length group or whose length is persistently at a lower level may have a health issue. Some children with certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome, may be smaller than others.
• Medications: Some medications, such as steroids, including prednisone, may stunt growth.

People often do not see the effect of these issues on height in the first year of life.

During the first year of life, children should see their pediatrician at least seven times to monitor growth and overall health.

However, doctors’ recommendations may vary slightly. In general, a pediatrician will want to examine the baby at the following times in the first year:

• 3–5 days old
• 1 month old
• 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 months old
• 9 months old
• 12 months

A healthcare professional may recommend more frequent visits for a baby who loses a lot of weight after birth or has an unusual growth pattern.

In the early weeks of life, it can be difficult for parents or caregivers to know how much to feed a newborn. If the baby loses weight after birth, there could be feelings of pressure to help them regain the weight as quickly as possible, especially if the infant was born prematurely or has other health risk factors.

However, the amount of food newborns eat affects their weight much more than their length in the early stages of life. Insufficient weight gain needs to be present for a long time in infants before it affects their length.

Insufficient growth in length by itself in the first year is very uncommon and would more likely be due to a genetic syndrome or other uncommon condition.

How much should breastfed babies eat?

Most breastfed newborns eat every 1–3 hours. Over time, the time between feedings may expand to 2–4 hours. People can feed the baby on demand by following the baby’s feeding cues.

Since a nursing person cannot measure how much milk they are giving the baby, they can gauge whether the baby is getting enough milk by looking at the frequency of nursing and diaper changes. These indicators include the following:

• The baby is nursing at least 8–12 times in 24 hours
• By day 2, the baby should have at least two wet diapers in 24 hours. By day days 3 and 4, at least three or more wet diapers, and by day 5, at least six or more wet diapers.
• By day 4, at least 3–5 bowel movements a day.
• The baby is gaining weight.

How much should formula-fed babies eat?

Formula-fed babies may eat less frequently than breastfed babies. After the first few days, people typically feed formula-fed babies with 1–2 ounces (oz) of milk per feeding, which may increase to 2–4 oz by the end of the first month.

Like breastfed newborns, formula-fed infants should eventually eat 8–12 times in 24 hours, including at night. This will continue until they are approximately 6 months old when the child is ready to begin eating solid foods.

Like adults, babies are unique — there is no right or ideal length. As long as the infant is growing normally and does not suddenly fall well below their previous growth percentile, they are usually fine.

Before the age of 2 years, doctors usually measure a baby’s length lying down. After the age of 2 years, when a child is able to stand, a doctor can begin to measure their standing height.

Caregivers should know that at this stage, doctors may switch from the WHO growth charts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) growth reference charts.

Since standing height measures slightly less than recumbent length, a child’s classification may change slightly at this point. The pediatrician can help parents and caregivers answer questions about length, growth, nutrition, and more.

Baby height and weight norms

Newborns come into this world completely unadapted to the environment. Therefore, your care and care will help the kids become strong and strong. During the year, the child acquires many new skills, becomes mobile and inquisitive, and also increases the mass and length of the body more than twice.

Each person on Earth is individual, but despite this, there are general patterns and principles for increasing the weight and length of the body of children. And every mom can rely on them. But you don’t need to check to the gram and centimeter!

The average birth weight for girls is 2800 – 3300 grams, and for boys 2900 – 3500 grams. The average body length for both sexes is 48-51 centimeters. But if your child does not meet these parameters, this is not a reason to panic.

In the first few days of life, a newborn can lose up to 10% percent of the mass, but by 10-14 days he should restore the parameters that he had at birth.

During the first month, the child adds 25-30 grams every day, and in a month the total increase is about 600 grams. Then the monthly weight gain is 800 grams for up to six months and 400 grams monthly for up to 1 year. In a year, the average weight of your baby should be approximately 10 kg.

How do you know if your baby is gaining enough weight?

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the well-being of the child. It is also necessary to note the rate of absorption of food. If he eagerly sucks milk or formula, requires feeding every 20-30 minutes, then it is worth counting the amount of food eaten by the baby.

If your baby is bottle-fed, you can easily determine how much he eats at a time. But how to understand how much a child receives at one meal if you are breastfeeding? The answer is very simple – weigh it before and after eating. The difference in weight is the amount of food eaten. You can find the approximate volume of feeding a child in the first year of life in table No. 1. If your child is not eating enough, do not try to adjust the diet yourself, it is better to contact a pediatrician.

To measure the baby’s body weight, conventional scales will not work, since accuracy is very important for your child in the first months of life.

It is better to use special children’s scales, which are specially adapted for the smallest. It is convenient to put the baby on them, and they are accurate to the gram, which is very important for newborns.

Child’s age	Amount of milk eaten per feeding, ml	Number of milk eaten per day.
3-4 days	20-60	200-300 ml
1 Week	50-80	400 ml
2 weeks	60-90	20% of the child’s weight
1 month	100-110	600 ml
2 months	120-150	800 ml
3 months	150-180	1/6 of the child’s weight
4 months	180-210	1/6 of the child’s weight
5-6 months	210-240	1/7 of the child’s weight (800 ml -1 liter)
7-12 months	210-240	1/8 – 1/9 of the child’s weight

As for the length of the body of the baby. For the first three months, children grow on average by 3 cm per month, from the third to the sixth month by 2. 5 cm. After six months, the growth rate slows down a little, and the child begins to add 1-1.5 cm per month. The average body length per year is approximately 75-80 cm. The correct measurement of height in children of the first year of life is carried out in a supine position using a horizontal stadiometer in the form of a board eighty centimeters long with a fixed bar in the upper part. The child is laid so that the top of the head is pressed tightly into the fixed bar. The legs of the crumbs are straightened by light pressure on the knees.

If your baby differs from the average norms for weight and body length, do not panic, but be sure to contact your pediatrician! After all, the lag or, conversely, the acceleration of development can have many reasons. And also remember that every person on Earth and every child is individual and has its own pace of physical development.

Growth and weight standards for children and adolescents

The physical development of a child as a combination of various indicators (length, weight, shape, strength, etc. ) characterizing his growth and development is due to a complex of hereditary and social factors. To study the physical development of children and adolescents, a unified method for measuring the human body and its parts has been developed. All anthropometric indicators can be divided into two groups: basic (body length, body weight, chest and head circumference) and additional (other anthropometric indicators, for example, leg length, head height, etc.). Analysis of the main anthropometric indicators at the time of the examination makes it possible to assess the physical condition of the child, in dynamics – the pace of physical development. At the same time, the features of the physique, the state of the musculoskeletal system, the degree of puberty, etc. are taken into account. Physical development is analyzed by comparing individual or group indicators with average data (standards) characteristic of the corresponding age and gender of the child.

The value of indicators of a child’s physical development can be explained by a number of arguments. For many chronic diseases of childhood, there are no specific symptoms related to the early stage of the development of the disease, therefore, a violation of physical development is one of the first signs of trouble and serves as an indication for an in-depth examination of the child. Violations of the physical development of children and adolescents may be the result of malnutrition, lack of necessary care, improper or harsh treatment of the child, etc. Violations of physical development can cause constitutional features, congenital or hereditary pathology of the developmental apparatus. Such children have imperfect mechanisms of adaptation and anti-infective protection, for example, a lack of body weight in a child may be accompanied by a higher frequency of minor developmental anomalies. Any deviations of anthropometric parameters from the norm at the birth of a child can become one of the reasons for the decrease in immunological resistance, increasing the likelihood of a disease in the first year of life by half, and the probability of death by 4 times. All factors characterizing the growth and development of the child’s body can be divided into genetic and environmental factors. The influence of heredity affects the growth of the child after 2 years of life.

Hereditary factors mainly determine the rate and possible limit of a child’s growth under optimal environmental conditions.

The influence of environmental factors on the growth rate of the child’s body can be traced very clearly. Among these factors, nutrition and vitamin sufficiency, motor mode and emotional stress, acute and chronic diseases, the influence of climatic and geographical conditions, etc. are distinguished. At the same time, environmental factors can slow down or accelerate growth processes, but in general the growth trend is quite stable, it obeys the conservation law growth. A variety of adverse influences that disrupt the individual growth rate of a child can subsequently be neutralized by the phenomenon of “catch-up or compensatory growth.” What happens to the physical development of your baby from the moment of birth to its full maturity? We observe the growth and development of a child in the first year of life: How can we understand if he is healthy, is everything okay with him? Remember: the health of a child is judged primarily by its weight, height and head circumference. On average, a newborn’s body weight is 3.0-3.5 kg, body length 50 cm, head circumference 35 cm. But do not expect your baby to necessarily meet this standard. Children are considered normal if their indicators are within the following limits: body weight 2.5-4.5 kg, length 45-55 cm, head circumference 33-37 cm. Immediately after birth, babies lose some weight, and then regain it and start adding. Further weight gain as well as height and head circumference are important indicators of your child’s condition. By the end of the 1st year of life, body length increases by 47% in relation to body length at birth.

Weight gain of a child in the first year of life: by 4-5 months, body weight doubles, by the 1st year it increases 3 times. The head circumference of a child in the first 6 months of life increases by approximately 1 cm per month, but if the father of the child is large and the mother is small, the growth rate of the head circumference may be above the norm, and in the opposite ratio – below the norm. The circumference of the chest of newborns is less than the circumference of the head, these dimensions are equalized only by the age of one. In the first month of life, the child must be weighed daily. Thus, you monitor the development of lactation and fix the daily weight gain. Body weight is the most sensitive indicator of a child’s health: whether he fell ill, whether his appetite worsened, whether his sleep was disturbed, whether you made any errors in care – all this will immediately be reflected in grams. A sign of nutritional adequacy is normotrophy – the correspondence of body weight due to a given body length of a child. If the weight of the baby has decreased by more than 10%, this is already a sign of malnutrition (malnutrition). Equally alarming is excess weight – parotrophy (excessive nutrition). But the increase in the growth of the child is a more stable indicator, and its violations often indicate the presence of the disease.

Assess the rate of development of your child in the first year of life, prescribe additional examinations in case of violations of the rate of weight gain, body length, head and chest circumference, correct nutrition, if necessary, a pediatrician will be able to, therefore the cooperation of parents is so important with a doctor from the very first year of a baby’s life.

It must be remembered that during the first month the pediatrician examines the child weekly, then, if the development of the baby corresponds to normal indicators, monthly. Assessment of the physical development of a child from one to 10 years. After your baby is one year old, he begins to grow by leaps and bounds. In the second year of life, he adds about 2.5-4.0 kg, and growth increases by 10-15 cm. At the age of 3 to 5 years, the baby adds 2 kg and 3 kg per year.

The head circumference of a child from 51 cm at the age of 5 increases to 53-54 cm at the age of 12. At 5-8 years old, the first traction occurs. But not all children grow in the same way – depending on a variety of factors, such as genetic ones. Children of undersized parents are usually smaller than their peers, but the processes of puberty they still occur on time. Faster growth than that of peers, with normal body proportions, is characteristic of children of tall parents. In some babies, the growth rate slows down from the second year of life, but after 2-3 years it accelerates again to normal. They have both growth and the onset of puberty delayed by a period during which growth was retarded, but final growth is in line with genetic potential. You must understand: the growth rate of the child should not correspond to any exact parameters, the criteria for “normality” are not at all rigid, but nevertheless, deviations in the growth rate of the child can also be pathological: for example, grossly out of proportion to age or accompanied by a violation of proportions body. Such cases require expert advice. It is also necessary to control body weight. As mentioned above, the lack and excess of body weight requires close monitoring of pediatricians, endocrinologists. In children with reduced body weight, there is a decrease in the immunological reactivity of the body, which leads to frequent colds. And excess everything is a risk factor for acquiring obesity in the future and all the serious diseases associated with it: atherosclerosis, heart disease, colon cancer, etc.

• Increase in the recommended amount of food;
• Satisfying a child’s thirst with milk, sugary drinks or formula;
• Excessive (more than 50-100 ml per day) consumption of sweet fruit juices and nectars;
• Use of excess high-calorie foods – fat, sweets, baked cottage cheese;
• Calming the child with food;
• Familial overeating, which distorts the child’s development of a real sense of the need for food;
• Force-feeding, cultivating the habit of eating everything on the plate.

Your pediatrician and endocrinologist will be able to establish the correct diet, give recommendations on the daily diet. Please remember that in the second year of life, the pediatrician examines the child once a quarter, from the third year of life once every six months, in the fourth year and then once a year. Your child is between 10 and 15 years old. A uniform increase in the growth of preschoolers is replaced by its sharp acceleration in adolescence. At 10-13 years old (for girls) and at 12-15 years old (for boys) there is a second traction and at the same time an increase in body weight. The maximum growth rate in girls usually occurs at 12 years of age. The increase in height at this age is approximately 8 cm per year. The maximum increase in body weight in girls usually occurs later at 13 years of age. In boys, the maximum growth rate usually occurs at 14-15 years of age and is approximately 10 cm per year. The maximum increase in the body of a boy usually occurs with a maximum increase in height. The probable final height depends on the height of the parents. It can be calculated using the following formula: Boy’s height = 1/2 x (father’s height + mother’s height) + 6.5 cm Girl’s height = 1/2 x (father’s height + mother’s height) – 6.5 cm. Possible error must be taken into account – the final height can be 8.5 cm more or less.

Boys themselves and their parents are often concerned about the delay in growth acceleration, while girls, on the contrary, are worried about excessively rapid growth. However, you need to worry only if the child’s growth parameters differ significantly from the parameters indicated in special tables and graphs. In such a situation, it is necessary to contact an endocrinologist.

Remember – there are methods that can influence these processes. One of the most important features of the physical development of children and adolescents is the uneven change in growth rate. In children, the distal segments of the body grow at a faster rate and in a shorter time than the upper and proximal segments.