Should you be concerned over your child’s growth?
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As parents, you strive to ensure that your child receives the best of everything to secure a brighter future for them. However, despite your child receives, there is a tendency to overlook the importance of optimal growth in your child while having to juggle between the day-to-day activities.
Growth is an important indicator for your child’s overall well-being and development1.
Poor growth is caused by several reasons including poor nutrition, feeding difficulties, frequent illnesses, and underlying chronic health issues2.
This may lead to3:
- Higher risk of infections
- Poor brain development and social skills
- Poor school performance
- Shorter adult height
- Lower earnings and poorer productivity in adulthood
- Increased risk of chronic diseases in adulthood
Childhood growth and development is crucial in the first 5 years of life4. By the age of 5, your child should achieve 60% of their adult height5. Therefore, early detection of any hiccups in your child’s growth and early treatment may promise a more successful future for your child.
References
- Millward, D. J. (2017, June 1). Nutrition, infection and stunting: The roles of deficiencies of individual nutrients and foods, and of inflammation, as determinants of reduced linear growth of children. Nutrition Research Reviews. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422416000238
- World Health Organisation. (2014). Global nutrition targets 2025: Stunting policy brief. Geneva: Geneva: World Health Organisation.
- de Onis, M., & Branca, F. (2016). Childhood stunting: A global perspective. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 12, 12–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12231
- Raising Children Network (RCN). (2020). Child development: the first five years. Retrieved June 16, 2021, from https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/development/understanding-development/development-first-five-years
- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. 2 to 20 Years: Boys Stature Weight-for-Age Percentiles.; 2000. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/
