The Percentiles Of The Baby According To His Age
From the moment a woman becomes pregnant to the subsequent development of the child, percentiles are key to determining the ideal weight and height. Hence the need to closely monitor the percentiles of the baby according to his age.
The importance of baby percentiles
The percentiles are the measurement tables that indicate the weight and height that a fetus or baby should have on average according to their age. The World Health Organization has established these percentiles to detail ideal growth.
Of course, this average growth is possible if the baby grows in a healthy environment and consuming a balanced diet, according to his age and requirements.
Why is the percentile table so important? Baby percentiles are important even when the baby is inside the mother’s tummy.
The reason? Thanks to this table it is possible to determine if the growth and development of the baby are within normal standards. These types of parameters are used to determine the gestational age and development of the fetus.
Through the percentiles of the baby it can be determined if any type of problem occurs. That is, if there are abrupt changes in weight gain and loss or if the child stops growing.
What is really essential is that parents know that small variations within the table do not matter. However, if drastic changes occur outside the percentile, it is important to study them.
According to age, what are the percentiles of the baby?
Gestational age
During pregnancy, one of the most relevant and care data is the height and weight percentile. Of course, in these cases it is not possible to weigh the baby. However, through a series of measurements such as biparietal diameter and abdominal circumference, it is possible to determine these data.
In general terms, a full-term baby, that is, who reaches at least 38 weeks of gestation without any inconvenience , should measure between 45.5 and 53.5 centimeters. With regard to weight, the ideal range is between two thousand five hundred and four thousand grams of weight maximum.
Aspects such as the length of gestation, the mother’s health and nutrition are key to the proper development of the baby.
In this sense, it is known that mothers who smoke, consume toxic substances or even have a hypocaloric diet have added risks that can affect the growth of the fetus.
The percentiles throughout life
The specialist doctor will be in charge of indicating to the parents if the child is within the normal growth percentiles. However, in general it is important to know that these values are usually between 3 and 97.
By these parameters, a child who is very overweight or very tall for his age will be above the 97th percentile.
On the other hand, an excessively thin child will rank below the 3rd percentile. Ideally, the child’s growth, in addition to being within the established ranges, is continuous and stable.
A child who is in the 50th percentile is average. But how to understand more easily the topic of percentiles?
If the baby has an 80th percentile for height, this means that, compared to 100 other babies, he will be taller than 79 others and shorter than the 20 who are above his range.
When to worry about baby percentiles?
It is important for parents to know that some minor variations, whether above or below the cutoff percentiles, do not matter.
In this sense, it is good to remember that, although there are certain established measures, each child is different and aspects such as the height of the parents, the environment and the diet influence this.
The warning signal occurs when sudden changes in weight and height occur from one revision to the next. If these changes are constant, the specialist will probably indicate a series of tests to discover what is conditioning the infant’s development.
Another aspect that is also important is to observe if a stagnation in growth occurs . In this case, it must also be deduced what is holding back such development.
It is important for parents to familiarize themselves with the topic of baby percentiles. In this way they can be more involved and attentive to possible changes that reflect a problem in the growth and development of your child.
