How to prepare before meeting a child growth specialist

If your child has to visit a specialist, it is important that you understand as much as possible about your child’s potential diagnosis. Here are some practical questions you may want to ask the specialist. You can write in the answers you receive and take notes for future visits.

Understanding the terminology

When visiting your child’s doctor they may talk about measuring your child’s growth using a few different terms. Take a look at the below list to help feel prepared.

Percentiles: Percentiles are often found on growth charts and indicate how your child’s height and weight compares with the average child for their age group and sex.

Growth Velocity: A child’s annual growth rate is often referred to as growth velocity. The doctor will most likely look at the change in your child’s height and weight from year to year and see if he or she is growing as expected for their age group.

Bone Age X-Ray: By taking a simple X-ray of your child’s left hand and wrist, a radiologist can see if your child’s bone age matches their age.

Mid-Parental Target Height: This is a method used to estimate the target height of a child based on both parents’ heights. This helps the doctor evaluate whether your child is growing at the expected rate.

Head Circumference: A routine measure in children up to three to four years of age ‒ as this is a period of rapid brain growth. This helps ensure that your child is growing proportionally and that their brain is growing properly.