A growth chart is a graph used to track a child's length or height, weight and head circumference over time and compare them with children of the same age and sex. For children under 2, the CDC recommends the World Health Organization growth standards.
Key takeaways
- The overall pattern over time matters more than one measurement.
- Healthy children can follow different percentile lines.
- Premature babies are plotted by corrected age.
When to talk to your doctor
Your doctor will want to look more closely if your child's measurements cross two or more percentile lines up or down, or if weight and length move very differently.
