We all remember what it was like to be a kid, the simple things in life were the most exciting, weren’t they? Like riding your bike with your friends down the street all afternoon until supper time. Or holding a bake sale for your neighbours on a Saturday. Or having your height measured and marked on the wall every time you felt just a little bit taller!

Now as parents with our own preschool kids, it’s easy to completely lose track of how fast they are growing up - quite literally! But with science progressing, we now know that tracking a child’s growth and weight in relation to their height and gender is a great way to understand their health better.

So, let’s talk about growth, why tracking your child’s growth is so important, and how you can do it.

When it comes to my child’s growth, what is ‘normal’?

The fact is, when it comes to growth, every child is very unique. Although you may have a general expectation of how much your preschool child will grow as they age, and at what age they might grow out of their favourite pair of jeans, it can still be hard to know for sure!

Just because your child may be muscular, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are fat. Similarly, if your child is slim, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are underweight, either. Growth and weight cannot be assessed by comparing your child to their friends. As even children who are exactly the same in terms of age can differ greatly in terms of their height and shape. Simply put, there is no ‘normal’.

Ultimately, every child’s growth clock, body size, shape, and muscularity is individual to them. Some children will plump up before puberty to prepare for their next rapid growth spurt, while most will grow in the same way that one of their birth parents did at the same age. So if you want a general indication of the way your child may grow, think back to when you had your own growth spurts, and what your body was like as a child! (Although please note, this is just a rough indication).

How can I track my child’s growth and what can I learn from it?

We know that as a parent, you’ll be keen to understand your child’s growth a bit better, but that it can be difficult to properly assess whether your child may be overweight, underweight, obese or sitting at a healthy weight. This is where growth charts come in!

Growth charts use the body mass index (BMI) designed for children aged 2-19 years to track growth and a child’s weight in relation to their height and gender. You can work with your doctor or paediatrician to use them properly.

There are also different types of growth charts:

The 2006 World Health Organization International growth charts often are used to assess the growth of infants and toddlers from birth to 24 months.

The CDC Growth Charts are commonly used as an indicator to measure the size and growth patterns of children and teens in the United States. They show BMI-for-age weight status categories in percentiles. You can also see these online sources of growth charts from the CDC and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Why is tracking my child’s growth important?

Growth charts have an important role in monitoring children's and teenagers' development. Using a chart like this will help reassure you that your child is healthy and is growing and developing at a healthy rate.

It’s also important to be aware that kids aren’t always the most sensitive, and some will make fun of others if they believe their height or weight to be somewhat ‘different’. Being aware of your preschool child’s size and height and what is healthy, will help you encourage your child to feel confident, and overcome any bullying in the playground.

Earlier we talked about the fact that there is no ‘normal’. The truth is that everyone is beautifully different, and has a unique body type. As a race, we’ve made progress in accepting each other, but remember that it can still be hard for young kids to understand this. So if you believe your child is having a tough time being teased because of their height or weight, make the school counsellor aware and seek advice as to how to best help them move towards loving and accepting themselves.

What do I need to know about my child’s growth?

Unii shares what you need to know about tracking your child’s growth.