This calculator estimates the weight and height of a child according to his age, accurate to the day. Unlike simplified tables, this calculator provides a comprehensive assessment of weight in strict accordance with the growth and age of the child.
The ranges of values, methods and recommendations are based on methodological materials developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which conducted an extensive study of the development of healthy children of different nationalities and geographical areas.
Please remember that our calculator generates results solely on the basis of the data that you provided. If you take measurements with a large error, the result will be inaccurate. This is especially true for measuring growth (or body length).
If our calculator shows you the presence of any problem, then do not rush to panic: measure the growth again, and let the measurements be made by two different people in turn and independently.
Height or body length
In babies up to two years, it is customary to measure the length of the body in a lying position, and from two years old they measure growth, respectively, in a standing position. The difference between growth and body length can reach 1 cm, which can affect the assessment results. Therefore, if for a child under 2 years of age you indicate growth, instead of body length (or vice versa), then the value is automatically converted to the necessary value for the correct calculation.
What is the growth (body length)
Growth is the most important indicator that should be monitored monthly (see centile growth charts). Obtaining estimates of "undersized" and "very undersized" may be the result of prematurity, disease, developmental delay.
High growth is rarely a problem, but an “extremely high” rating may indicate the presence of endocrine disorder: such a suspicion should arise if both parents have a normal average height for a very tall child.
The following is a list of possible growth estimates:
How weight matches height
The ratio of height and weight gives the most meaningful idea of the harmonious development of the child, it is expressed as a number and is called the Body Mass Index, or BMI for short. This value objectively determines the problems associated with weight, if any. And if there are none, then make sure that the BMI is normal.
Please note that the normal values of the body mass index for children are radically different from those for adults and very much depend on the age of the child (see centile BMI tables). Naturally, our calculator estimates BMI in strict accordance with the age of the child.
The following is a list of situations diagnosed by body mass index:
What is the weight
A simple weight estimate (based on age) usually gives only a superficial idea of the nature of the child’s development. However, obtaining estimates of "Low weight" or "Extremely low weight" is a good reason to consult a specialist (see centile weight tables). A complete list of possible weight ratings is given below:
Growth and weight gain in the first year of life
From the moment a baby is born and before he turns 1 year old, doctors will constantly monitor his weight and height. If a strong deviation from the existing norms is noticed, the pediatrician will be able to make a diagnosis and begin treatment.
The correct weight and height of the baby can be calculated from special tables that say how much the child should weigh and how much his height should be at a certain age. Do not forget that these indicators depend on the quality of food and heredity. With improper nutrition, no child will be able to grow and develop normally. As for heredity, tall children are unlikely to be born to short parents.
Six months after birth, the baby's weight should be two times more than it was at birth, and a year later, three times more. But there are always exceptions. Moreover, children on artificial feeding gain weight faster than those who are breast-fed. So, if you saw that the weight or height of your child differs from the norm by 6-7%, then do not worry. This is a normal deviation.
How to calculate the normal weight and height of the baby
After the first birthday it is no longer necessary to check the height and weigh the child very often, but you still need to monitor the correspondence of weight and height.
It’s easy to find out your baby’s growth rate using this formula: child’s age * six + eighty centimeters. For example, if the child is 2 years old, his ideal height is 92 centimeters (2 x 6 + 80 = 92).
Up to 4 years, children gain more weight than growth. Because of this, some toddlers look chubby. At 4-8 years they grow faster than gain weight. The next phase of 9-13 years - weight gain, 13-16 years - a big jump in growth.
The ratio of the weight and height of the baby is not always the ideal proportion, since everything depends on age. From the special weight table, it can be seen that in 1 month the baby should weigh up to 4100 grams, in 2 months - up to 4900, in 3 - up to 5600, in 4 - up to 6300, in 5 - up to 6800, in 6 - up to 7400, in 7 - up to 8100, in 8 - up to 8500, in 9 - up to 9000, in 10 - up to 9500, in 11 - up to 10000, in 12 - up to 10800.
At 1.5 years old, the normal weight of the child is 11100-11500 grams, at 2 years old - 12300-12700 grams, at 2.5 years old - 13900-14300 grams, at 3 years old - 14700-15100 grams.
Still, you do not need to believe the table indicators blindly, since some babies already weigh more than 3 kilograms at birth, and some 5 kg at once. Consequently, their weight gain will also be different.
Because of what there is excess weight in children and how to prevent childhood obesity.
As a rule, most parents worry if their child eats poorly and looks very thin. Conversely, if the weight of the child is much greater than that of peers, the parents are very satisfied. Unfortunately, overweight can cause a lot of serious diseases, as with obesity there are serious metabolic disorders, pathological changes occur on the part of the central nervous system, circulatory system, gastrointestinal tract and endocrine system, which can subsequently lead to common diseases, such as flat feet and curvature of the spine (since this particular organ should hold the entire severity of excess body weight), diabetes mellitus (since excess the supply of nutrients dramatically “overloads” the pancreas, and it cannot work all the time in this mode, and at some point in time it cannot stand, which leads to impaired glucose metabolism and, later, to diabetes). Very often, in 10-12 year old patients, you can find urolithiasis or cholelithiasis, and sometimes hypertension (high blood pressure), which can significantly reduce life expectancy, not to mention the fact that all these diseases dramatically reduce working capacity, and indeed " the quality of life".
Obesity, as a rule, arises as a result of a large intake of food substances, the energy value of which significantly exceeds the energy expenditure of the body (the exception is a very narrow circle of hereditary diseases, where the mechanisms are somewhat different). Unfortunately, 80% of overweight children have a lot of concomitant diseases, and their “appetizing” appearance leads to the development of certain complexes from childhood, which will also bring them mental suffering ...
How and when to make sure that our children grow up healthy physically and mentally?
Pregnant Nutrition
Before the birth of a child, the expectant mother must carefully take care of her diet, make sure that most of the diet is vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat (since they contain protein, vitamins, trace elements), and limit the use of fatty foods and sweets, baking . Entire generations have lived in the belief that the expectant mother should eat for two, but as a result, the accumulated excess weight can become not only useless, but also harmful for your unborn child, since the course of pregnancy can be complicated by increased blood pressure, edema, and so on. And it is not necessary that the weight of the unborn child in such a situation will be above average. On the other hand, if the fetus weighs more than 4 kg, this, in turn, can complicate the birth process, and the risk of birth injury is much higher.
After birth, one of the important points in the prevention of obesity is the preservation of breastfeeding, as breast milk best covers the growing baby's need for all the nutrients, and overfeeding is unlikely. If the child is on artificial feeding, then it is necessary to strictly observe the feeding regimen, withstand certain intervals between meals. It is advisable from the first days of a child’s life to try not to feed him at night, so the child develops the right food stereotype from a very early age.
Nutrition of large children
Children who are prone to obesity, born with a large body weight (more than 4 kg) or having large weight gain, can be given supplementary foods a little earlier - from 4 months, and the first feeding should be vegetable puree. Vegetables can be very diverse, and potatoes should not make up more than 50% of a serving. The next lure is porridge, which is given only once a day, and instead of sugar it is better to add fruits or vegetables (apples, pumpkin, carrots). It is better to give porridge oat or buckwheat, and in no case semolina.
When eating children over one year old, the same principles must be observed: try to give the child more plant foods (fruits, vegetables, berries), since it contains a lot of fiber and thereby is a means of combating constipation, which very often complicates the life of obese children. In addition, fiber is such a "brush" that cleanses the intestines, helps to remove toxins that contribute to the development of allergies - also a frequent "companion" of obesity.
Baby's diet
Try to teach your child not to eat much at night from a very early age, offer him a glass of kefir (low in fat), milk, or yogurt, but you should not add a roll or cookie to this.
Feeding should take place in a calm environment, let the child enjoy the meal, he will have a feeling of fullness earlier.
Another point worth discussing in more detail is about off-schedule food. Many children have a need to eat between meals - so what is the best thing to offer your child? Fruit and vegetable juices, fruits, berries are quickly and easily digested, contain a minimum of calories with a high content of vitamins. Between feedings, do not offer your child cakes, pies, cookies or sandwiches containing mayonnaise or ketchup. Such food has four drawbacks: high-calorie, poor in vitamins and other nutrients, harmful to teeth, as it promotes the development of caries, and "clogs" the intestines, contributing to the development of constipation.
It is best to give the child a snack in the middle between two feedings or no later than 1-1.5 hours before the next feeding.
Sometimes children eat poorly at the table, but eagerly have a snack outside the schedule. Such a problem could arise if the mother persuaded and forced the child to eat at set hours for a long time and tried to give the child as much as possible to eat at each feeding (even if he was already full). If this continued for several months, then one type of dining room is enough to cause the child to feel nauseous. But as soon as dinner is over (although the child ate very little), his stomach returns to its natural state and requires food. The solution to this problem is not to refuse the child food at the wrong time, but to try to make the feeding procedure at the set hours so enjoyable that he would anticipate it in advance with pleasure. The food should be tasty and have an appetizing appearance, so that the child ate it with more pleasure than the one offered to him between feedings.
And the last one. Do not forget that excess calories can be consumed during physical exercises, so try to stimulate the motor activity of the child, let him be more in the fresh air, if the child is more than 3 years old, then you can engage in swimming, dancing and more. And then your children will be healthy and beautiful in every way.
I wish you success and bon appetit.
Irina Bykova, a pediatrician and also a mother of two children.
