Standards from birth to maturity for height, weight, height velocity, and weight velocity: British children, 1965. I.

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Abstract
Conventional centile standards of height and weight attained at each age are given. These differ from previous standards because children have become larger. They answer the question, ''Is this child''s size within normal limits?'' in a circumstance in which the child has been examined once only. In the same chart a new type of standard was also given, which was more appropriate for judging whether a whole segment of the child''s growth curve was normal. Conventional charts give an erroneous impression of the course of growth at adolescence if used to follow a single child longitudinally, as in clinical work. This is due to the phase-difference effect which is discussed and illustrated. Centile standards for the velocity of growth in height and weight from birth to maturity are presented. They relate to increments calculated over the preiod of 1 yr., since over shorter periods the variability of growth rate is higher due to seasonal alterations. In addition to these standards, at adolescence the velocity equivalent of the new type of height-attained standard is given. This showed the curve of velocity where phase differences were eliminated. The use of skeletal age as an alternative time base to chronological age over this period is discussed. To obtain the curves for the new ''individual-type'' standards it was necessary to use longitudinal records extending over adolescence. The records of the Harpenden Growth Study were used for this purpose. Curves of distance and velocity for the typical or 50th centile boy and girl are contrasted. In both height and weight boys grew faster than girls at birth, but also decelerated more, so that by 7 or 8 months they are growing more slowly than girls. Examples are given of the clinical use of the new standards, in a healthy child followed from 3 to 16 yr., and in a dwarf treated with human growth hormone. Height and weight were plotted against both chronological and skeletal age. The way in which plots of distance and velocity of growth complement each other is discussed.

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