A WHO growth chart calculator is a tool that uses the World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards to assess the growth of infants and young children, typically from birth to 2 years of age. It calculates percentiles for weight-for-age, length-for-age, weight-for-length, and head circumference-for-age based on WHO data. These percentiles show how a child's measurements compare to a reference population of healthy children, indicating whether the child is growing as expected. Key features of a WHO growth chart calculator include:
- Input of the child's age, sex, and measurements (weight, length/height, head circumference).
- Calculation of percentiles that indicate the child's relative position compared to peers (e.g., a 50th percentile means the child is average).
- Graphical plotting of the child's growth trajectory against WHO percentile curves.
- Use of WHO standards recommended by the CDC for children under 2 years old, reflecting optimal growth patterns especially for breastfed infants.
- Helps parents and healthcare providers monitor growth trends over time to identify potential growth issues early.
For children older than 2 years, the CDC growth charts are typically used instead, but WHO charts are the standard for infants and toddlers
. In summary, a WHO growth chart calculator is a specialized tool that applies WHO growth data to evaluate infant and toddler growth, providing percentiles and growth curves to support health monitoring and decision-making.
