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GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Child growth and development refers to the sequence of physical, thought, language and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood. Growth is best assessed by measuring a child’s weight and length/height over time and comparing this to standardised growth patterns by plotting the weight and length/height on growth charts.

Regular growth monitoring is essential because it can be an early indicator of chronic disease.

 
 

A CHILD’S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ARE DIVIDED INTO 4 STAGES:

  • Stage 1: Infancy (birth to 2 years)
  • Stage 2: Early childhood (3 to 8 years)
  • Stage 3: Middle childhood (9 to 11 years)
  • Stage 4: Adolescence (12 to 18 years)

The most important part of assessing growth and development is through taking a history from mothers and fathers with regards to their child's growth and behaviour. Several factors such as genetics, physical activity, nutrition, gender, hormones, health problems, and environment all play a role in a child’s height and weight, and all of these vary widely from family to family. The assessment, therefore, includes a full history of development, behaviour as well as any family or hereditary conditions. The development is assessed against standardised milestones, which are age dependent.

WHAT ARE MILESTONES?

Milestones are behavioural or physical checkpoints in a child’s development that should be achieved at a certain age. Milestones include gross motor, fine motor, speech and language, and cognitive and emotional achievements. These milestones include sitting up, rolling over, standing and walking. Babies develop at their own pace, and developmental milestones help give parents a general idea of the expected changes as they grow. Most babies reach developmental milestones at a similar age. Baby health checks are essential, especially during the first year, because it allows the paediatrician to assess your baby’s growth and development and detect any health issues early. The following is a rough guide that can be used at home to evaluate your child:

FAQ

1Are all children measured on the same growth chart?
No. Girls and boys are measured on different growth charts because they grow differently in terms of patterns and rates.
22. What could signal a developmental issue?
Keeping an eye on your child’s growth chart is essential because it helps you and the paediatrician detect any health issues. There are some growth patterns that you should look out for:
  • Changes in weight or height percentile
  • Child’s progression according to his or her mid parental height calculation.
  • If there is an abnormally low or high body mass index.
3What happens during a baby health check consultation?
During a baby health check consultation, the paediatrician will ask questions and interact with the baby or conduct tests to find out what the baby can and cannot do yet. The paediatrician will also check your baby’s overall health.
Development milestones: 12 to 24 months

Development milestones: 12 to 24 months

Development milestones: 24 to 36 months

Development milestones: 24 to 36 months

 
 

“There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children"

~ Nelson Mandela.

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