Monitoring the growth of a child requires taking the same measurements at regular intervals, approximately at the same time of the day, and seeing how they change. A single measurement only indicates the child’s size at that moment. Currently, the Government policies for growth monitoring focus on children less than 5 years of age. Growth monitoring is one of the basic activities of the under 5 clinics where the child is weighed periodically at monthly intervals during the 1st year, every 2 months during the 2nd year and every 3 months thereafter up to the age of 5 to 6 years. Growth monitoring is viewed in most programs as an activity for weighing children regularly and plotting weight on growth charts to identify undernutrition (mostly severe Protein Energy Malnutrition) for feeding programs or to provide data on nutritional status. There are no national policies for growth monitoring beyond the age of 6 years. Growth monitoring differs greatly among pediatricians and often is not based on evidence.

Use Growth Charts

1. At the first visit the child’s name, date of birth and other details should be entered on the growth chart and the chart should be explained to the parents. This ensures that they are interested in it and are more likely to keep it properly and bring it at each visit. The growth chart should be kept with the parents in a plastic sleeve.

2. Measure the parents and make a note of their heights on the chart. Calculate the child’s target height and plot it at 18 years and mark it with an arrow on the growth chart. This represents the child’s projected height and his present height centile can be judged by tracing a line backward from this target height to child’s current height. The target range is produced by plotting two points 8