Question
My friend’s baby is about two months old now. I visited him today, and since she’s a first-time mother, she’s not particularly concerned about the baby’s weight. I want to know what indicators are used to measure infants’ growth and development?
Answer
Common indicators of infants’ growth and development include weight, height, head circumference, and chest circumference. Weight is the most important and sensitive indicator of growth and development, reflecting the child’s nutritional status. Height is influenced by factors such as genetics, race, and environment in the short term and has less obvious effects on growth. Growth in height is fastest in the first year after birth, with an average annual increase of 25cm. In the second year, the average annual increase is 10cm, and in the third year, it is 4 to 7.5cm on average. Head circumference is an important indicator of brain development. At birth, the chest circumference is smaller than the head circumference, and as the child grows older, the chest circumference gradually catches up with the head circumference.