GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Dr B RATH
Professor & Head
Dept of Pediatrics
Growth & Development
Growth connotes Increase in size and weight
of tissue
Increase in number of cells
Increase in cell size
Development connotes functional maturation
of systems and organs
Note: both are usually closely related but not
always
Both have a limit
Importance of study of growth
To know the normal pattern of growth
To pick up deviations from normal so as to
pick up undernutrition, obesity, short stature,
micro and macrocepahly at the earliest
Growth parameters
Weight
Height
Head circumference
Mid arm circumference
Others : less commonly used
BMI
US:LS
Skin fold thickness
Leg length, etc
Assessment of parameters
Weight:
Prefer electronic scale; beam balance and spring
balance are also used, but less accurate
To be recorded with minimal clothing
In neonatal period: should be recorded before
feeding
For children who are uncooperative, substraction
method used
Height
Stadiometer after 2 years
Infantometer < 2 years, measures length
Head in Frankfurt plane
Heels, buttocks, back and occiput in the same
plane
Heels touching each other
What if: stadiometer and infantometer not
available?
PREPARATION OF STANDARD GRAPHS
Many standards; Harvard, NCHS, CDC, WHO,
ICMR, Dr K N Aggarwal etc
Current reference standard : WHO (which is
cross sectional study from 5 different
countries)
Percentiles calculated mathematically
1 SD corresponds to 84 / 16th percentile
2 SD corresponds to 97 / 3rd percentile
GROWTH CHARTS
Velocity of Growth
WHAT YOU MUST KNOW
FORMULA TO CALCULATE WEIGHT
3-12 nonths
[Age (m) +9] 2 kg
1-6 years
[Age (yrs) x 2 ] + 8 kg
7-12 years
{[Age (yrs) x 7 ] 5} 2 kg
More info on growth data
Average birth weight 2.8 2.9 kg
Weight gain during first 3 months 25-30 gms/day
Next 3 months 15-20 gms /day
Next 6 months 10-15 gms/day
Head circumference: at birth 33-34 cms
2 cms/ months in first 3 months
1 cm/ month x next 3 months
0.5 cm / month x next 6 months
PLOTTING AND INTERPRETING
GROWTH DATA
The Z score
[ Observed value mean ] SD
FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH
Net result of genetic potential and
environmental factors
Genetic factors
Genetic diseases: trisomies, pygmies
Genetic bone disease: achondroplasia,
hypochondroplasia, chondrodysplasias, Morquio
disease
Environmental factors
NUTRITION
Depends on availability of food, socioeconomic status,
literacy of parents, food fad
Inability to swallow : CP
EMOTIONAL
Emotional deprivation
FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH
Normal Body systems
Normal body homeostasis
pH, measured cations and anions and adequate O2 supply to
tissues
Normal endocrine function
Growth hormaone, thyroid hormone, sex hormones, insulin
Chronic Diseases
Chronic Malabsorption
CHD
C lung/ Liver D
ESRD
Chronic inflammtory disease ( TB/JRA/SLE)
Malignancy
Chronic Bowel Disease
FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH
Intra uterine factors
Placental
TORCH infections
Gestational diabetes
More notes
Every child is expected to maintain his/her own
channel of growth
Growth may be uneven. Periods of growth arrest
may be followed by periods of catch up growth
Correction for immmaturity is done upto age of 2
years but not thereafter
Expected final height
Boys = mid parental height + 6.5 cm
Girls = mid parental height - 6.5 cm