Already? Another appointment with the doctor? At 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months: they occur frequently, doctors or pediatricians of our children! And when a new child arrives in the family every two years, you take a subscription!
I’m curious to see the next appointment, on which growth curve our doctor will record height and weight of children. I assume it will continue on the curves used since the birth of Laura and Benjamin. But for the next baby will be there a transition?
The question arises because of new growth curves were developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Finally, also new tools that can be created in 2006 “new” in 2010! The novelty is that four groups of specialists in the country – Dietitians of Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Nurses Health Canada Community – have finally recommended the use last week.
There are several differences between the new growth curves of WHO and the oldest, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. The CDC charts are based on the study over several years, the weight and size of thousands of children. Averages are derived and presented graphically. The weight and size of your child and are simply compared to other children the same age and sex. They say these growth curves “descriptive.” However, in a context where weight problems are constantly increasing, the curves that describe the situation are far from being an ideal reference …
Standards of WHO growth rather indicate how children should grow. They “prescribe” the expected growth rate of children growing in optimal conditions. They include a better tool to identify children at risk of obesity.
But beware! A single point on a curve does not mean that a child has a weight problem (deficiency or surplus). Several measures over time are needed before making any interpretation. This is how one can, for example, observe that the weight and size of our child always remain substantially in the same percentile or, on the contrary, they fall or rise abruptly. For a correct interpretation, it is better to seek the advice of a doctor or a nutritionist.
During their lives, most children go through a transitional period of overweight. Do not get excited too quickly with small curves. It is common for a baby whose weight increases proportionately more than its size during the first 2 years of life around. These are the years of beautiful round cheeks and Tummies! Generally, the body tapers gradually to the age of 4 to 6 years, then it will eventually accumulate new fat reserves (fat). It’s like the energy bank for the growth spurt that awaits him as a teenager! This phenomenon is called “adiposity rebound”, and growth curves into account. So do not create unwarranted concerns about weight and still less to impose a regime.
If the weight of your child you are concerned, talk to a nutritionist. And please, tell this concern before sending your children.
