Height percentiles, should I be worried?

[MeeWhoo]

I know percentiles are the work of the devil and in most cases we would be better off not knowing, but DS who is now 1yo has dropped from 86% at birth to 22% at 1 year for height (for weight he was 59% and is now 31%, but that doesn´t worry me as he looks fine and is very very active)

So... Should I stop worrying and being all pfb or is this a bit strange?

Thanks.

[Chundle]

Can't hurt to mention to your hv when you see her next but looks like height and weight are dropping together which is what is meant to happen (I think!!)

[lljkk]

Do people on either side of the family follow a similar growth pattern? Average size babies that turn into quite small children that grow into tall adults is norm for DH's side.

[MeeWhoo]

Thank you both for your replies. Interesting point about growth patterns, I. Would have to check that out. I was always smallish (I am 5'3) and I think dh was always towards the tall end but not extremely tall (he is 5'11 or 6,not sure).
There are also pretty short people on both our families but, at least in my family they were already small at birth, time for a bit more investigating I think...

[ZuleikaD]

HCPs don't usually measure them for length/height before the age of 2 now I don't think, because when they're lying down or wriggling it's so easy to be inaccurate and a centimetre here or there makes a big difference on the centiles. A drop from 59% to 31% on weight wouldn't concern me - they often level off towards the end of their first year.

[MeeWhoo]

Thanks ZuleikaD, I am not in the UK so ds gets measured every time he goes to the paefiatrician, every 3 months or so. I know they could have measured him wrong as he is extremely wriggly, but I have also noticed that he seems small comparedto other boys his age. I guess worrying about it is a bit futile as there's not a lot I cando about it, right?

[ZuleikaD]

Nope! As long as he's eating well and his weight gain's more or less steady, I'm sure he's fine.

[pigleychez]

DD2 was on 50th for both height and weight as a baby. Over the past year she has dropped to the 0.9th centile for both.

Im not worried as shes perfectly in proportion and eats like a horse!
She's my little pocket rocket!

The HV was abit shocked at her 2yr check as she had only grown 10cm and put on 3lbs since her 1yr check. She asked I bring her to a clinic in 6mth just to check that she is actually growing! But she wasn't overly worried as she was perfectly happy, health and ahead on her milestones.

She's now 2.4 and due for that 6mth check up soon. Weighed her at home ourslves and she's not put anything on since her 2yr check!

[adoptmama]

I'd mention it if you are concerned that growth is slowing or stopping. Obviously, since the charts are averages, some have to be at the top or bottom. Growth charts themselves don't tell you much - it is more to do if she is slowing her growth or stopping it for extended periods. My DD2 started (probably) in the 15% but slowed her already slow growth to the point she was really not gaining at all. Our paediatrician checked her and found she was no longer even on the charts (which I knew thanks to Dr. Google). Endocrinologist tested her and sure enough she has a growth hormone deficiency. She is monitored every few months via blood tests. She is growing again now and back on the charts without any hormone treatments. I suspect she'll always be short but hopefully within the normal range.

[MeeWhoo]

Thank you all very much for your replies. He is definitely growing, he grew around 4.5 cm in 3 months, so I guess all is well. He did have a few weeks around 8 months when he didn't seem to grow much, so I guess he may just be growing slower than other kids or doing it in spurts.
No problem if he is a bit short either, just means he will not be able to reach things for me so I will have to keep on relying on DH :)