What does this tool measure?
Click
here to . This tool
can be used for children ages 2 through 19. Be cautious if you use this tool or
any height and weight charts to assess your child's growth after he or she
reaches puberty. Check with your doctor if you have questions.
This tool uses your child's weight and height to compare your
child's size to that of other boys or girls of the same age. Not all children
are the same. Some are naturally larger and some are naturally smaller. Your
child's size will be given two numbers—a BMI value and its percentile. The
percentile is the number that ranks your child's size among other children of
the same gender and age.
What's most important is that your child
is at the same percentile over time, so it takes several measurements to assess
your child's growth. You should talk with your doctor if your child
suddenly shifts up or down in percentile. A gradual
change from one percentile to another is probably not a cause for
concern.
Talk with your doctor if you are concerned about your
child's weight. Finding that a child is "overweight" or "underweight" is a
medical diagnosis. Your doctor can give you steps to take to help your child
reach and stay at a healthy weight.