First National Growth Awareness Week - Tips for Parents

Can a child’s growth tell you about his or her overall growth?

Yes, it can!

Monitoring growth is one of the most important ways to determine if a child is healthy, and growth may be an overall sign of their health and physical development. With this in mind, we are pleased to announce that September 15, 2014 marks the beginning of the first-ever Growth Awareness Week, designated by the US Congress. This week represents a national step forward to help children by raising awareness of the importance of measuring growth patterns.

Here are some growth awareness tips to share with your readers to help them understand their child’s growth patterns from the MAGIC (Major Aspects of Growth In Children) Foundation (www.magicfoundation.org) and Novo Nordisk.

Growth Awareness Week Tips

• Healthy children should be growing at least 2 to 2.5 inches each year after the age of 2 and before puberty. Take an active role in your child’s health by keeping your own records at home and asking his or her doctor to plot height and growth measurements on a growth chart at each visit.
• Be knowledgeable about your child’s growth chart and percentiles during doctor visits. If you’re having trouble understanding how your child is growing or how the growth chart is presented, ask the doctor for an explanation. 
• A child’s growth pattern can be an indicator of his or her overall health. Speak to your doctor about your family history and child’s medical history, as well as growth patterns.

 For more information about monitoring your child’s growth patterns, including resources such as a measurement guide and chart to help track growth and prompt important conversation points with a doctor, visit www.magicfoundation.org.