The first 2 years of your baby’s life are the most important for your child’s brain development, which shapes their well-being for the rest of their life. The Growth Charts help you and your health-care providers track your child’s growth over time and milestone checklists to help you follow their development and intervene promptly if a problem is noted.
It is recommended that you take your baby to a clinic for weighing at least once a month. In Kenya, we use the WHO recommended Standard Growth Chart. Each time your baby is weighed, the weight must be recorded by marking a point on the growth chart for the age of the child. These points are joined by a line. This line is called a growth curve. If your child is growing well, the curve will go up. The chart also measures ‘Percentiles’ which are measurements that show where your child’s growth is compared with others. If your child is in the 50th percentile, it means that 50% of babies of the same age are heavier and the other 50% are lighter.
Growth Indicators (Growth Curve)
The direction of the growth curve indicates whether the child is growing or not:
- An upward growth curve, showing adequate weight gain for the age of the child. Indicates that your baby is growing and is healthy.
- A flat curve indicates your baby has not gained weight and requires attention by the healthcare provider and the mother.
- A downward growth curve indicates loss of weight and requires immediate attention by the healthcare provider.
