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Following the Baby’s Growth Curve
The graph with the weight curve assessed per age is in the Health Card. This curve shows us the expected weight for each age of the child. In this graph are written down the child’s weight, the diseases the child has already had, if he/she has been hospitalised and when the child has stopped to be breastfed.
Let us understand the weight/age curve?
The interpretation of curve is the following:
• Obesity: Above line +3 (black line on top of the graph);
• Overweight: Above line +2 (red line on top of the graph);
• Expected weight: Between lines +2 and –2 (grey part of the graph);
• Malnourishment: Below line –2 (lower red line);
• Serious malnourishment: Below line –3 (lower black line);
Let us see an example on how to fill in the weight/age curve?
A) Claire was born on April 2006. In the lower part of the graph, in the first date field, we note down the April month which was the month Claire was born.
B ) We also note down April in number 12, which is the month Claire will complete 1 year old, and we also note down April in number 24 which is the month Claire will complete 2 years old.
C) Her weight when she was born was three kilos (3,000 g). We note down that weight exactly in the line that corresponds to the zero month
.
D) Claire was only breastfed and when she was one month she was already weighing 4 kilos (4,000 g).
E) Claire continued to be breastfed and weighed every month. In September 2006, Claire weighed six kilos and eight hundred grams (6,800 g).
Claire was increasing in weight as expected, for her weight line is always rising, and this occurs in the same proportion that the green curve, between lines +2 and –2.
Itálico - texto biblico
“And as the child grew to maturity, he was filled with wisdom; and God's favor was with him” Luk 2:40
The graph should be shown and explained to the parents or to who takes care of the baby, for them to see the weight change.
When a child has the weight lower than line –2 (red line), he/she is malnourished. When from one month to the other, the child does not gain weight or loses weight; this is an alert sign. In these situations, it is necessary to verify what is happening with the child. Maybe the child is being less fed, maybe the child is sick or receiving little attention and caress.
In the home visit it is necessary to clarify the subject to the parents. Together you can find out what has to be done to help the child to develop better.
Home Visit
In the leader’s Notebook:<
>In question 7, note down the child’s weight.
This weighing has to be done on the Life Celebration Day.
In case the child has not participated in the Life Celebration Day in
that month, the weight taken at the Health Unit can be noted down there;
In question 8, note down [Y] (yes) if the child increased the weight compared to the
previous month. If the child had not been weighed the previous month, put a [?] (question mark);
In question 9, note down [Y] (yes) when a child’s weight in that month is lower than line –2.
A child below line –2 is malnourished even if he/she has gained weight in the previous month;
In question 10, note down [Y] (yes) when the child’s weight that month is above line 2;
A child above line 2 is overweighed even if he/she has lost weight in the previous month;