In order to correctly assess the physical development of a child, it is necessary to know the patterns of growth of the child's body. Based on weighing and measuring a large number of healthy children, average indicators (body weight, height, head, chest, abdomen circumference) of physical development, as well as the central distribution of these indicators, were obtained. Comparison of the child's development indicators with average values ​​​​gives an approximate idea of ​​​​his physical development.

A number of factors affect physical development:

1. Health.

2. External environment.

3. Physical education.

4. Compliance with the daily regimen.

5. Nutrition.

6. Hardening.

7. Hereditary predisposition.

The body weight of a full-term newborn child is 2500-3500 g. During 1 year of life, the child's body weight increases rapidly (triples).

The average values ​​of body weight gain for each month of the first half of the year are, g:

1st month – 500-600

2nd month – 800-900

3rd month – 800

4th month – 750

5th month – 700

6th month – 650.

Approximately, the monthly weight gain during the first year of life can be determined by the formula:

800 g – (50 x n),

where n is the age in months.

Body weight in the first year of life can be determined by the formula;

For the first half of the year, according to this formula, body weight is equal to:

birth weight + (800 x n),

where n is the number of months, 800 is the average monthly weight gain during the first half of the year.

For the second half of life, body weight is equal to:

birth weight + (800 x 6) (weight gain in the first half of the year) –

where 800 g = 6 – weight gain in the first half of the year;

n – age in months;

400 g – average monthly weight gain in the second half of the year.

A one-year-old child weighs 10 kg on average.

After the first year of life, the rate of body weight growth gradually decreases, increasing only during puberty.

The body weight of a child aged 2-11 years can be determined by the formula:

10 kg + (2 x n),

where n is the number of years.

So, a child at 10 years old should weigh:

10 kg + (2 x 10) = 30 kg.

Height (body length).

At 3 months, the average height is 60 cm. At 9 months, it is 70 cm, at one year - 75 cm for boys and 1-2 cm less for girls.

So, on average, a child grows by 24-25 cm (74-75 cm).

Different parts of the child's body grow unevenly, the most intensively - the lower limbs, their length over the entire growth period increases by 5 times, the length of the upper limbs - by 4 times, the torso - by 3 times, the height of the head - by 2 times.

The first elongation occurs at 5-6 years.

The second elongation - by 12-16 years.

The average height of a child up to 4 years is determined by the formula:

100 cm – 8(4 – n),

where n is the number of years, 100 cm is the height of the child at 4 years.

If the child is over 4 years old, then its height is:

100 cm + 6(4 – n),

where n is the number of years.

Head and chest circumference

The head circumference of a newborn is 32-34 cm. The head circumference increases especially intensively in the first months of life:

in the 1st trimester – 2 cm per month;

in the 2nd trimester – 1 cm per month;

in the 3rd half of the year – 0.5 cm per month.

Average values ​​of head circumference in children of different ages