Predicting Final Adult Height Based on Childhood Growth Patterns

Growth Assessment and Monitoring

The World Health Organization recommends using WHO growth charts for children under 24 months, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts are recommended for children aged 2-19 years to track growth trajectories 1, 2
Serial measurements plotted on appropriate growth charts provide the most reliable assessment, with growth velocity over time using multiple data points being more informative than isolated measurements for assessing whether a child will maintain their percentile trajectory 1
Family growth patterns should be evaluated to determine if a child's percentile reflects genetic potential, as mid-parental height contributes substantially to prediction accuracy 1

Children with underlying medical conditions, such as chronic disease, malnutrition, or endocrine disorders, may not follow their early childhood percentile, warranting evaluation when measurements fall below a certain threshold or show downward crossing of percentiles 1
The transition from recumbent length to standing height at age 2 years creates an artificial decrease that may cause apparent percentile shifts, which should not be misinterpreted as pathologic growth faltering 3, 4