She is now 12 months old and only weighs 17.5 pounds. At every checkup, her height falls into the 75th percentile but her weight and head size are at around the 5th percentile. Both my husband and I are of average size and height. I don't have her one year measurements as our appointment is next week. The essence of childhood is growth.
Growth defines childhood for all species.
Growth creates the magic and the wonder. Since growing is the core task of childhood, assessing growth is an important part of pediatrics. One of the major reasons for those numerous well-child check ups is to carefully measure and follow growth over time. Each time a young child visits her doctor, her height, weight, and head circumference are measured and recorded on a growth chart. These charts were created from data collected between 1963 and 1975 as part of the Fels Longitudinal Study conducted by Wright State University School of Medicine in Yellow Springs, Ohio.