Track your child's growth and give them the right nutrition to thrive
It is important to keep track of children's developmental milestones as they indicate their overall health and wellbeing. Parents can assist their growth by providing them with complete nutrition.
PLAYING: Track your child's growth and give them the right nutrition to thrive
Too much or too little growth may point to a medical problem.
Worry is part of a parent’s DNA. Some questions keep us up at night: is our child developing well? Are they growing enough? (Or are they growing too much?) Are they fussy with food?
Are any of these issues going to be a problem for them (and us) in the long-term?
Asking these questions is a good thing. It's important to track your child's growth, because you should know if your child is developing at the rate that they're supposed to.
Too much growth… or too little?
Your child achieving their developmental milestones indicates that their overall health and wellbeing are on track. This is why your child's paediatrician checks their height and weight at every visit, as it's the best way to make sure their growth and general health are headed in the right direction.1
Too much or too little growth may point to a medical problem. Issues that affect their growth include genetic diseases, infections, nutritional deficiencies and hormonal disorders.
If your child has a growth deficiency, they should be formally diagnosed as soon as possible, so that they have access to the treatment they need to catch up with their peers.
Mind the growth rate
Don't be too obsessed about your child's height, though. Pay attention to their growth rate instead. Height and growth are two different things – the former measures how short or tall they are, while the latter is a calculation of their change in height over a period of time.
It is their growth rate that doctors look at to ascertain whether or not there could be any health issues.
The average rate of growth depends on several factors, such as the child's age and ethnicity. Do also note that children in the same family aren't always in the same height range so try not to compare your child to their siblings or worry if they're not as tall.
Tracking growth – with paper or online
Monitor your child's growth by tracking it at home. You can measure their height on a wall in your house regularly, then jot the numbers down in a journal. Make sure you show these measurements to their paediatrician each time you visit.
Alternatively, parents in Singapore can also use the Health Hub SG app released by the Health Promotion Board It's a convenient way to store your child's health records and gives you easy access to them at any time, wherever you are.
Growth charts are one of the features of this app, making it an effortless way of tracking your child's growth.
The role of nutrition
While genetics play a part in how big or tall your child will be, nutrition has a bearing on this too. Your child needs to consume their recommended share of nutrients and enough calories to spur on their growth. Parents of any fussy eater should be concerned about the nutritional shortfall.
If you're worried that your child isn't getting the required nutrition – formula milk can supplement what’s missing. S26-Gold Ascenda milk formula provides complete, balanced nutrition to support your child's growth.
Suitable for children aged 1 year old and above, this milk formula boosts physical growth and supports immunity. One of its ingredients is a-lactalbumin, a high-quality protein that helps in tissue building and growth.
Give them two servings a day and they'll pay you back with growth you’ll be proud to brag about and will give you a good night’s sleep for a change!
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