How Would You Interpret a Weight for a Height Below the 5th Percentile for a Three-Year-Old Male?

A 3-year-old boy who has a height below the 5th percentile is shorter than more than 95 percent of other boys his age. A growth chart from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is commonly used to interpret or determine the healthy weight for children of a particular height and age. Using the chart will help you determine the child's healthy weight. His weight could be below the 5th percentile as well.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape or standing ruler
• Scale

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Instructions

• 1

  Go to the CDC's clinical growth charts web page. It is linked in the Resources section.

• 2

  Click on the link for the appropriate growth chart for stature-for-age and weight-for-age for children 2 to 20 years, 5th through 95th percentiles. Verify that you click on the chart for your child's gender. The chart will appear on your computer screen.

• 3

  Locate age 3 years on the top of the chart.

• 4

  Locate the topmost 5th percentile line. It is identified near the right side of the chart for stature (height) and weight.

• 5

  Locate where the age line of 3 years meets the 5th percentile line. It gives a height of about 35 inches, meaning that if a boy 3 years old is below 35 inches, then greater than 95 percent of other boys his age are taller.

• 6

  Scroll down to the chart's bottom to interpret weight. Locate the age line of 3 years at the bottom of the chart, and then locate the 5th percentile line for weight at the bottom of the chart. The two lines meet at about 27 lbs. This means that a 3-year-old boy who is under the 5th percentile for height could be expected to be under the 5th percentile for weight. If the boy were taller, then a weight below the 5th percentile would indicate he is underweight. If the boy is not under the 5th percentile for weight, it does not mean that he is overweight, but it could be cause for concern if the boy is significantly over the 5th percentile weight. A weight greater than the 95th percentile for a boy of any height, other than one who is also over the 95th percentile in height, indicates he is overweight.

• 7

  Calculate the child's body mass index (BMI) using a BMI calculator if you are concerned about the child's weight. The CDC's BMI percentile calculator for children is linked in the Resources section. You may compare the BMI to the child's age in another CDC growth chart. A BMI above the 95th percentile indicates the child is overweight.