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Original poster

Percentile growth chart question

18 replies

ohlordylord · 08/02/2011 21:11

My DS was small at birth - 5lb 7oz. He's on the lowest percentile on the growth (weight and height) chart, although he's piling on the pounds and doing well at 9 weeks.

The HV said that he'll likely stay where he is on the growth chart i.e. stay small! My DH is 5ft 8", I'm 5ft 1", so he's not going to be a giant, but is it true that kids stay where they start out?

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sneezecakesmum · 08/02/2011 21:18

Absolutely not. Small for dates or early babies usually put on weight rapidly and achieve a normal (for them) height/weight, unless of course the centile he is on is the one he is expected to reach taking into account both your heights. There is a formula for working out the expected height of a child from both parents but I cant remember it. Just Google though!

2cats2many · 08/02/2011 21:18

Mine didn't. They both started out right near the top and ended up slipping down toasted the middle.

I think most babies deviate towards the norm, which is the middle of the chart, so if you start out at the bottom, you'll creep upwards and if you start out at the top you'll creep downwards.

sneezecakesmum · 08/02/2011 21:19

Did you toast your babies 2 cats! Agree with what you say btw.

CarGirl · 08/02/2011 21:20

If he was small at birth and you are both small then it is likely he will remain below the 50th centile........although genetics can throw a random height unexpected gene in!

Sirzy · 08/02/2011 21:24

DS and my nephew where both born the same weight (6lb 15). By 15 months my nephew was in 18 -24 month clothes, DS is 15 months now and still getting drowned in 9-12 month clothes.

All babies grow at different rates and I dont think birth weight/height has much to do with size when older.

2cats2many · 08/02/2011 21:30

@sneezecat- it's this sodding iPad. It keeps autocorrecting my typing!

Meant to say 'towards' Grin

CaurnieBred · 08/02/2011 21:31

Depends on the child though. DD was born on 2nd percentile weight wise and she is still 2nd percentile. Height she has stuck between 9th and 25th. She is now 6.

You get good value out of clothes and car seats!

sneezecakesmum · 08/02/2011 21:31

sneeze cat! I want an ipad - its always getting blamed but funny!!

mintyneb · 08/02/2011 21:37

isn't there a formula in the red book that helps you calculate your child's eventual height? its based on both the parents's height and I would have thought that it is a more reasonable figure to work to rather than the centile that a baby was born on.

My DD was born on the 50th centile heightwise but at nearly 4 is just over the 75th and according to our sums thats pretty much where she should be

Original poster
ohlordylord · 08/02/2011 21:39

The HV really upset me Sad. DH says she's a *** and to ignore her, she has no clue what will happen to DS but it's hard not to go home, go onto google (the enemy) and try and ascertain whether your son will always be in the 0.4 percentile for height. Stupid to be affected I know, but I worry. He's already been in hospital for an operation, lost a lot of weight around that time, but in the three weeks since has put on 30oz (!!!) so I know he's thriving...but I'm very anxious.

OP posts:
Sidge · 08/02/2011 21:44

Parental height is a better indicator of final adult height than a baby's birthweight, or where they are on the chart under the age of 1.

In the Child Health Record is a little formula for working out predicted height for a child - that can give you a range of expected adult height.

CarGirl · 08/02/2011 21:45

Well unless he has some sort of medical condition a boy will be taller than their shortest parent but he may not be as tall as your dh.

I think it's likely he will go up the centiles to some extent and probably where he is at 20 months is a more realistic measure for his height (not weight IMO)

sneezecakesmum · 08/02/2011 21:48

My DS was 5 1/2 lbs at birth and he is now the expected height (actually taller) than my piddling 4.11 and DH 5.8.
Have this Wine and stop worrying, he'll be fine, its just new baby nerves!

CFAW · 08/02/2011 21:54

Ds3 started on the 25th for evertthing and 7 months on is 98th on all now. So i wouldnt have said so.

CarGirl · 08/02/2011 22:13

One of mine didn't hit the height centile chart until she was 6 months old - she is now 96th for height

The other two were 98th at birth and now on 50th and 70th for height respectively.

They were all 98th ish for weight and are 50th, 50th and 25th respective with the above heights.

I'm 5' but dh is 6'3" - they're all different shapes and sizes!

Original poster
ohlordylord · 08/02/2011 22:32

Thank you all for helping me stem my anxiety

OP posts:
strawberrycake · 08/02/2011 22:53

Lol, mine started on the 75th and has just hit the 0.4th so I guess the answer is no! (can laugh about this after a drink)

monkeyflippers · 09/02/2011 17:04

Mine did, she was obviously never meant to be big.

They will be as they will be.

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