Unit 2 (Lectures 11-14) Flashcards
What do centiles show?
number of children EXPECTED to be below that line
e.g. 50% below the 50th centile line and half above OR 91st centile: only 9% of children would be expected to be heavier/taller
- half fall between 75th and 25th centile - -1 and + 1 Z scores (=25th to 75th centile)
Baby weight loss
- normal after birth (3-5 days)
- 80% will regain by 2 weeks of age (indicates feeding is effective and going well)
- > 10% weight loss may indicate feeding problem or illness
- regardless of % weight loss (consider overall picture to understnand baby health
Hydrocephalus
fluid on the brain and rapid head growth in babies is a symptom
BMI
Reflects how heavy a child is, relative to their height
- higher bmi = higher bmi in adulthood
- rapid growth and tracking 98th centile (>2) are at risk of LT health problems & more likely to be obese in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
How does Iron deficiency affect overall health?
- Delays/impairs growth
- Fatigue
- increased susceptibility to infection
How does calcium deficiency affect overall health?
- Delays/impairs growth
- reduced blood clotting
- heart and nerve function
- reduced bone health
How to measure growth of infants and children
Weight:
Clinical electronic scales
*if under 2 - mum can hold baby
Length:
Length board
Rounded to nearest 0.1cm (3 measurements)
under 2: lying
older than 2 : stand (standiometer)
Head circumference only taken up to 1 year of age
When do we measure weight and length?
-Important in 1st week of life - gives estimate of good breastfeeding
-Concerns around weight gain or growth
-At routine checks
1,2,4,6,9,12,18,24 months
*Should measure more than 2 weeks apart after 6 months
(measure too often can be misleading)
Growth reference
How certain children grew in a particular place and time
E.g. study
Growth standard
How healthy children SHOULD grow under optimal environmental and health conditions
i.e. a single international standard representing the best physiological growth for children from birth to 5y and to establish the breastfed infant as the normative model for growth and development
WHO childs growth standards:
Represent the best description of physiological growth and should be applied to all children everywhere, regardless of ethnicity, socio-economic status and type of feeding
Attained for:
- Weight for age
- Length/height for age
- Weight for length/height
- Body mass index for age
When should additional measurements be taken?
If weight is below the 0.4th centile or above the 99.6th centile.
very rapid weight gain or loss (>10%)
Discuss the general guidelines for growth over this newborn period.
- Most babies lose weight after birth (in the first 3-5 days)
- but 80% will regain by 2 weeks of age
- Infants recover birth weight usually by 10 to 14 days which indicates feeding is effective and going well
“Growing normally”
Growth ‘tracks’ parallell to one of the centile lines (with little deviation)
Further investigation required to identify the cause if…
Growth ‘tracks’ up or down signifficantly
Consistent changes in centile position
Height: 1 or more centile space
Weight: 2 or more centile spaces
Between Height & Weight: 2 or more centile spaces
Growing on 5th centile for weight
Growing on 95th centile for height
How often should older children and adolecents be measured to track growth patterns?
once a year
How often should infants&todlers be measured to track growth patterns?
1st week of like (0years old)
Month: 1,2,4,6,9,12 (1 year old), 18, 24 (2 years old)
Why do the length/height percentiles change at 2 years of age and what is the important message to caregivers about this change?
<2 years are measured lying down (supine) on a length board
> 2 years are measured standing with stadiometer -> spine is compressed -> height is slightly less than their lying down length – the centile lines shift down slightly at age 2 to allow for this different type of measurement.
*What is the most important is to check, whether the child continues to FOLLOW THE SAME centile after this transition
Concerns around delays in motor skill development.
Discuss milestone achievements
There are time widows of development that certian skills must be learned in order for subsequent learning to occur
however,
Wide and variable window of achievement for each milestone in young children.
If still concerned, refer to WHO guidelines of milestone achievement
Pull-self to standing window
by 12 months
i.e. if stood at 11 months = normal
Walking alone window
by 18 months
i.e. if walked at 16 months = normal
Sit on chair - grasp object window
6 months
Stand alone
14 months
(15 for walking)
What is an allergy?
A reaction to harmless to environmental substances
E.g. dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, mould, medication, food