Child Growth Chart Calculator
Check your child's growth percentiles for weight, height, and head circumference using WHO growth standards.
Quick Answer
Growth percentiles show how your child compares to other children of the same age and sex. The 50th percentile is average, but any percentile between 3rd and 97th is considered normal. What matters most is that your child follows a consistent growth pattern over time, not any single measurement.
Birth to 5 years (WHO standards)
Optional — leave blank to skip
Under 2: measured lying down (length). 2+: standing (height)
Optional — typically measured at well-child visits
About This Tool
The Child Growth Chart Calculator estimates your child's growth percentiles for weight, height (or length for children under 2), and head circumference based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards. These standards were established from the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study, which followed over 8,000 children from diverse ethnic backgrounds and cultural settings in Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman, and the United States.
What Growth Percentiles Mean
A growth percentile indicates the percentage of children of the same age and sex who are at or below a given measurement. For example, if your child is at the 75th percentile for weight, it means they weigh the same as or more than 75% of children their age and sex. The 50th percentile represents the median (average), but being above or below the 50th percentile does not mean a child is overweight, underweight, too tall, or too short. Any percentile between the 3rd and 97th is considered within the normal range. What matters most to pediatricians is the growth trend — whether a child is following a consistent curve over time.
WHO vs. CDC Growth Charts
The WHO growth standards (used in this calculator) describe how children should grow under optimal conditions and are recommended for children from birth to 2 years regardless of country. The CDC growth charts, based on a U.S. reference population, are typically used for children ages 2-20 in the United States. The key difference is philosophical: WHO standards are prescriptive (how children should grow when breastfed and given optimal nutrition), while CDC charts are descriptive (how a specific population actually grew). For children under 2, the AAP recommends using WHO standards. The two systems may give slightly different percentiles for the same measurements.
Understanding Weight-for-Age
Weight is the most frequently measured growth parameter because it changes rapidly and is the most sensitive indicator of nutritional status. Babies typically double their birth weight by 4-5 months and triple it by 12 months. Weight gain slows considerably in the second year, with most toddlers gaining only 3-5 pounds between ages 1 and 2. Sudden jumps or drops in weight percentile (crossing two or more major percentile lines) may warrant investigation, though single measurement fluctuations are common and usually meaningless. Your pediatrician tracks weight at every well-child visit to ensure your child is following their established growth trajectory.
Understanding Length/Height-for-Age
Length (measured lying down for children under 2) and height (measured standing for children 2 and older) reflect long-term nutritional status and genetic potential. Height is largely genetically determined — mid-parental height is the best predictor of a child's adult stature. Unlike weight, height changes slowly, and meaningful shifts in percentile occur over months rather than weeks. A child who is consistently at the 25th percentile for height is growing normally if their parents are of below-average stature. Short stature (below the 3rd percentile) combined with a declining growth velocity may indicate an underlying condition that warrants evaluation.
Understanding Head Circumference
Head circumference is routinely measured from birth through age 2-3 years (sometimes longer if concerns exist) because it reflects brain growth. The brain grows more rapidly during the first two years than at any other time, reaching about 80% of adult size by age 2. A head circumference consistently below the 3rd percentile (microcephaly) or above the 97th percentile (macrocephaly) may require further evaluation, but many children with measurements at the extremes are simply reflecting family genetics. As with all growth parameters, the trend matters more than any single measurement.