See how a child’s height and weight compare with healthy children of the same age and sex around the world. Enter the age, sex, height (or length) and weight, in centimetres and kilograms or inches and pounds, to get the percentile, the z-score, the average for that age and the usual range. The figures come from the official WHO Child Growth Standards (birth to 5 years) and the WHO Growth Reference 2007 (5 to 19 years). It is a guide, not a diagnosis.
loading toolHow to check a child’s growth percentile
- Choose boy or girl and the units.
- Type the age in years and months.
- Type the height (length lying down for babies under 2) and the weight.
- Read the percentiles, z-scores and the usual range for that age.
Good to know
- One reading is only a snapshot: what matters most is that a child keeps growing along roughly the same percentile over time.
- Measure without shoes, heels against a wall, looking straight ahead.
- Talk to a doctor if a child is below the 3rd or above the 97th percentile, or crosses two percentile lines between check-ups.
Questions
What does the 25th percentile mean?
That out of 100 healthy children of the same age and sex, about 25 are shorter (or lighter) and 75 are taller (or heavier). Any percentile between about the 3rd and the 97th is in the usual range; being on the 10th or 90th is not a problem in itself.
What is a z-score?
It is the number of standard deviations from the WHO average. Doctors use −2 and +2 as the edges of the normal range: below −2 for height is called stunting, below −2 for weight underweight.
Why no weight percentile after age 10?
The WHO does not publish weight-for-age beyond 10 years, because in older children weight depends mostly on height and puberty. For them, doctors use BMI-for-age instead.
Where does the data come from?
From the WHO Child Growth Standards (2006) and the WHO Growth Reference for 5–19 years (2007), using the official L, M and S values for every month of age. Many countries, including India, use these charts. Your doctor may use a national chart, which can give slightly different percentiles.
Is my data private?
Yes. Everything happens inside your own browser: nothing you type or choose is uploaded to us or anyone else.
Is it free?
Completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many times you use it. Light ads keep the site running.
