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Children's Step-by-Step Physical Assessment

Children's health issues should always be discussed with a medical professional. There are standards used to assess the physical growth and progress of a child. In the United States, these standards are set by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The standards are configured by age, height, weight and body mass index (BMI). A child's measurements can be compared to the national average and are ranked by percentile.

  1. Height and Weight

    • Measure your child's height against a wall. The child should be in bare feet or thin socks. If measuring the child while wearing shoes, subtract about 1/2 inch. Use a ruler or flat object, have the child stand straight and mark the wall. Measure with a tape or yardstick.

      Weigh your child without shoes or heavy clothing. Measurements should be taken in inches and pounds or centimeters and kilograms.

    Growth Charts

    • Use the CDC growth charts to compare your child's height and weight to the national averages. These growth charts are revised about every 10 years. There are separate charts for boys and girls. The CDC offers three sets of charts with the percentile lines slightly different for different uses. Most parents will find set No. 2 the easiest to use. See Reference 1.

      There are substantial ethnic differences so don't be upset if your child is in a low or high percentile. If you are worried that your child may not be developing on schedule, contact a medical professional.

    Body Mass Index

    • Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to determine if a child is overweight, normal or underweight. BMI takes into account the sex, age, height and weight of a child for comparison to the national average. BMI is calculated using pounds and inches or kilograms and centimeters. An online BMI calculator for children and teens can be found on the CDC Web site. See Reference 2.

      Enter the child's birth date, measurement date, height and weight, then press the "Calculate" button. You will be given a percentile ranking for your child. The zero to fifth percentile is underweight; fifth to 85th percentile is normal; 85th to 95th percentile is overweight; above 95th percentile is obese.

      A computer program designed for school use can be downloaded from the CDC Web site to determine BMI by measure.

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