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AIBU?

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Original poster

To start to worry about those centile charts

41 replies

embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:29

DHand I have been very lax on weighing children or seeing the hv, dd4 (18months) has been officially weighed twice, despite meaning to go more as she was a little early.

Her brother has got quite into the height and weight measuring after he did it at school. We've dug out red books and plotted everyone a few times. We're all about 75th centile height, 25th weight give or take. Looking at family we're all similar.

DD however is:

head: nearly 95th
weight: 9th
height: below 0.2nd

She was about 50th centile ish for all when checked at birth and three months. She does seem small, she wears 6-9 months mainly and draws a lot of comments about size, healthy though and happy.

I'm asking here first as seeing a hv means time off work, for potentially a disinterested look and being told it's all normal. Is it normal? I don't know when she slowed down, but she does grow out of clothes slower than the others, she's wearing babygros from last autumn for example and is too small for most walking shoes. I'd say looking at her her growth has been slow and steady rather than trailing off. She eats fine, loves food, but eats little portions (proportion to her being little I guess).

OP posts:
HolidayCriminal · 18/05/2014 21:31

It's hard to measure all that very accurately. I think step away from the charts & use your common sense about what looks in proportion or not.

FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 21:34

How did you weigh her? How did you measure her head circumference? If she was really 9th centile for weight and 95th for head circumference you would have noticed something by now because her head wouldn't be in proportion with her body. When was she last reviewed by a HV or GP?

How early was she?

FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 21:35

Was she not weighed when you took her for her mmr?

Joylin · 18/05/2014 21:38

Someone has to be the smallest but I'd take her to the doctor to get her checked out. I wouldn't trust a hv to know enough.

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:39

We're quite anal measurers, we built out house and believe me every mm of woodwork in faultless.

Scales, very accurate electronic.
Head, tape measure, widest bit round temples
Length, lying on flat surface for her, standing for others.

She looks like baby proportions I guess, a big head for her body but if you see what I mean baby-like rather than odd. Babies have big heads? So if just gives a young effect. She does have a large head I guess, but it doesn't look strange big. Sounds awful but we joke it why she has poor balance. Her head is in line with her taller peers, but she is dinky.

GP, six week check, ear infection at 8 months.
HV...about three months old

OP posts:
FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 21:39

As a student HV I find that rather offensive Hmm

FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 21:40

That was to joylin by the way, not you OP

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:40

Nope, jabs in and out pretty sharp . None of mine were ever weighed at the doctors except a six month check.

OP posts:
FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 21:41

When is she next scheduled a review? In most areas it's 2. You could always phone for advice? A HV may come out and see you if you can't get to clinic. Did she have her 1 year jabs?

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:42

Maybe flipflop isn't mean offensively, just that hv aren't specialists?

smoothes things-

OP posts:
FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 21:43

Our proper title is Specialist Community Public Health Nurses...so we are Grin

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:43

None of mine have ever had a hv review, I know in some areas that's unbelievable but it is by far the norm here. DD was actually the first to be scheduled a one year review but it was cancelled due to staff illness.

OP posts:
eltsihT · 18/05/2014 21:44

Both my ds were measured plenty if times by HV and both come out 92nd centile height, 50th weight and 2nd for head circumference, both have been monitored for their tiny heads, but we have had no problems.

Our GP did most if the work regarding measurements once it had been flagged up, could you see your GP if you are worried?

ThisFenceIsComfy · 18/05/2014 21:45

I would get her checked, yes. Can you call your HV team? Maybe they can give you some advice over te phone or try and figure out a convenient one to get her checked over

Foodylicious · 18/05/2014 21:46

I think you are right to worry, she is your dd, you are bound to worry.
If it was me I would make an appt and take the time off work. But do check with your surgery about evening appts, most places so them now, so you might just have to finish a bit early one day or not at all. Either that or get an appt first thing and it shouldn't interfere with you day too much (no idea what you do obviously Smile.
18 months old and in 6-9 month clothes does sound small but it does not mean there is anything seriously wrong. Just get her checked.
I was a very small child, weighed & measured every 6 months to check I was growing properly until I was about 6?? I fillowed the pattern on the growth chats but just lower than normal. Evened out in my teens and have been 5ft 2 since then, so a bit shorter than average. I really was small as a child though.

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:48

All of us possiblyy have big heads...judging from our cycle helmets...so I don't think it's too big. My made up logic has been if her head is growing she's probably fine as her brain is growing....?

OP posts:
pianodoodle · 18/05/2014 21:51

My girl is nearly 3 and still kind of looks like a giant baby. She was always 9th centile too and in clothes way smaller than her age. She has got a very big noggin though. I just assumed because she hasn't much hair that it makes her head look bigger.

I'd take her along anyway for a check.

With my son it's the complete opposite he's 16 wks and filling size 9-12 month suits.

I haven't had him weighed for months but he looks pretty round to me Grin

Purplepoodle · 18/05/2014 21:52

So she's not following her line on the chart? My friends dd is same age and wears 6-9month clothes. They had her checked out by the Hv who said she was fine, eating well, right weight for height. Both her parents are short so not surprising their dd is too.

If your concerned take her to your gp. There's no harm in getting her checked.

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 21:52

Thank you foody, that's very interesting. I was an average child and I'm now 5ft 9 which is quite standard for my family and above average.

I'm not worried there's anything seriously wrong I guess, as she's so happy alert and healthy, I just feel guilty ignoring it when she draws so much comment and now the numbers seem so extreme. I don't worry about her I guess, rather I worry about being neglectful ignoring it Hmm

Well...

OP posts:
pianodoodle · 18/05/2014 21:53

Oh, and DH's family apparently can never get hats big enough so maybe she just takes after them!

Joylin · 18/05/2014 22:03

Flipflop, health visitors don't have medical degrees and the same level of experience that a doctor would. While I'm sure some are great, I've come across some shockingly ignorant ones. On the off chance that there was something medically wrong with a child, I'll go for a doctor who'll know what they're doing.

Op, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, my sister was ridiculously tiny (11lbs at 12 months) and was and still is perfectly healthy. Just a bit shorter and slimmer than the rest of the family Smile I'd still get it checked out just to be on the safe side but it's very unlikely to be anything given your description of her. We're all different.

MissBetseyTrotwood · 18/05/2014 22:09

Your scales may be accurate but those at the GP's may differ slightly. When getting my DCs weighed (a big deal as one has SN and atypical muscle development) I was always told that getting weighed on the same scales was important for accuracy.

Look - take her in to be checked up. I don't know how your practice works but we'd be sent straight to HV rather than doctor for that type of query. If there are any anomalies they'll send you straight to the doctor anyway. You'll either feel better and reassured or (unlikely) they'll spot something unusual and you can be referred.

FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 22:10

I suggest you look at what HV training actually involves before you make sweeping statements. I don't know how much child development assessment training your average GP undertakes but it's HVs who carry out development checks, GPs carry out medical checks. It's us who weigh and measure, and plot the charts. In cases such as this a GP or HV would both be an appropriate source of advice.

FlipFlopWaddle · 18/05/2014 22:11

And I can assure you that I do know what I'm doing when it comes to weighing and measuring and referring as necessary thank you!

(Sorry op but the HV bashing on here really gets me down)

Original poster
embeddedclaws · 18/05/2014 22:14

My tape measure is the same though, and it's the height that's different.

Tbh, reading these it seems to be 'take her if you're worried', I'm not concerned anything imminent is wrong so I'm not really up for wasting time off work for a quick glance at her. If it's an issue in 6 months I'll think again.

Thank you for the advice, but it seems silly if it's not a big concern to just have all that effort of driving round and time off. I'm a tad concerned, but it seems it can wait.

OP posts:
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