Diabetes & Other Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
Normal Growth
What is considered a normal growth rate?
Growth not only involves length and weight of a body, but also includes internal growth and development. A child's brain will grow the most during the first five years of life, reaching 90 percent of its final size. Growth also affects different parts of the body at different rates; the head reaches almost its entire size by age 1. Throughout childhood, a child's body becomes more proportional to other parts of his/her body. Growth is complete between the ages of 16 and 18, at which time the growing ends of bones fuse.
Normal growth is categorized in a range used by pediatricians to gauge how a child is growing. The following are some average ranges of weight and height, based on growth charts developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Although a child may be growing, his/her growth pattern may deviate from the normal. Ultimately, the child should grow to normal height by adulthood. If you suspect your child is not growing properly, always consult your child's physician.
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Contact Information
Jennifer Amaral
Endocrinology and DiabetesStephen W. Ponder, M.D. C.D.E. - Medical Director
Endocrinology and DiabetesChildren's Diabetes and Endocrine Center
4th Floor in the Joseph M. Sloan Building
3533 S. Alameda St.
Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Clinic appointments: (361) 694-4986
Business Office: (361) 694-4864
Office Fax: (361) 694-4832
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