Growth in childhood is an important marker
of overall health and development. Altered growth can be an indicator of
underlying health, development or social issues. Growth assessment is one of
the easiest ways to confirm the health and nutrition of children. It requires
accurate measurement of weight, height or length, and in infants and young
children their head circumference, then plotted on an age and gender
appropriate growth chart. It is important to remember that growth charts are
not a diagnostic tool, but rather contribute to forming an overall clinical
impression of the child being measured.
The content of this webpage has been
revised into an eLearning Module intended for use by health professionals in
Australia working with young children and their families e.g. Junior medical
staff, maternal and child health nurses, nursing students, allied health
students.
The eLearning Module is designed to explain
normal patterns of growth in childhood, best practices for measurement and
monitoring of growth, practical use of growth charts currently recommended for
use in Australia, and recognition of patterns of growth that require further
assessment and management.
To access the eLearning module, click here