Health Intelligence Centre → Child Growth Centre

Is my child growing well?

The question almost every parent asks — and one that a single number can never fully answer. These tools let you see where your child’s measurements sit, understand what that does and does not mean, and know when it is worth asking a clinician.

Educational tools — not a diagnosis.Nothing here screens for, detects or rules out any condition. Growth is properly assessed over time by a clinician, alongside history and examination.
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you type is stored, sent or shared.

Growth percentiles

Where one height, weight and BMI measurement sits compared with children of the same age and sex. Ages 2–20 years.

Adult height estimate

A rough guide to where a child may finish, based only on the parents’ heights.

Growth speed

How many centimetres per year your child grew between two measurements.

BMI calculator

For adults. BMI is read differently for children and teenagers — for under-20s use the growth percentile tool above.

Growth red flags

Patterns that deserve a proper clinical look — not because something is necessarily wrong, but because they are worth explaining.

  • Height or weight crossing downwards through centile lines over time
  • Weight falling away while height continues — or weight climbing far faster than height
  • Growth slowing or stopping over 6–12 months
  • A child much shorter than the mid-parental height estimate suggests
  • Growth concerns alongside loose stools, bloating, tiredness or pale skin
  • Poor appetite or very restricted eating over months
  • Puberty appearing unusually early or late

Nutrition & growth

Protein at every meal

Eggs, dairy, daal, meat, fish. Growth needs building blocks daily — not just calories.

Iron matters more than parents expect

Low iron quietly affects appetite, energy and concentration. Red meat, liver, beans and green leafy vegetables help; vitamin C alongside improves absorption; large amounts of tea with meals reduce it.

When food alone is not the answer

If a child eats reasonably and still is not growing, absorption — not appetite — may be the question. Conditions such as celiac disease affect how nutrients are taken up. Read about celiac disease →

Understanding percentiles

What a percentile means

The 25th percentile means that out of 100 children of the same age and sex, about 25 measure less and 75 measure more. It is a position on a chart — not a grade, and not a pass or fail.

Low is not the same as unhealthy

Someone has to be on the 5th percentile. In shorter families, that may be exactly right. A child steadily following their own curve is usually reassuring.

The trend beats the number

One measurement says little. What clinicians watch is direction — a child who was on the 50th and drifts to the 10th tells a story that a single reading never could.

Not an emergency service.If your child has severe or acute symptoms, contact local emergency services immediately.

Percentiles are calculated from CDC 2000 growth reference data using the LMS method. The reference population is children in the United States — useful worldwide as a common standard, but a reference, not a target. Homeopathic care offered by this practice is supportive and complementary; continue your child’s regular medical care and any prescribed dietary management.

Confused by your child’s growth curve?

A percentile tells you where your child sits — not why. Bring your numbers, growth speed and any food notes to a clinical review, and we will map out a structured, evidence-informed plan together — alongside your child’s own doctors.

Scroll to Top