Holt International's Child Nutrition Program is designed to standardize child growth screening
protocols to ensure that children are growing to their full potential.
An important part of this process is anthropometric measurements, which refers to the way that
children are measured and includes measurements like height and weight. This video will demonstrate
proper procedures for measuring the weight of a child. The routine assessment of a child's growth
provides an important guide to a child's health, development, nutritional status, and response to
treatment or nutrition interventions. We measure weight to help us assess a child's development.
Weight is a fundamental measurement for tracking a child's growth and malnutrition risk.
Measurement technique. To measure a child's weight, you will need the following tools.
An infant scale or standing scale, a pen, and appropriate growth charts. The tools you will
need to measure a child's weight include an infant scale for children under two years of age
and a standing scale for children older than two years of age. It is important to use a quality,
accurate scale for this measurement. The type of scale you will use will depend on the age of the
child. It is also important for the person measuring the child's weight to consistently use the same
correct techniques to ensure accuracy. Before you begin, ensure that one caregiver is assigned
to the role of assistant and the other caregiver is assigned to the role of lead. It is important to
sanitize all measurement equipment before the screening of a child, between screenings, and
after you have completed all screenings for the day. There are three methods to measuring a child.
First, for children under two years old, use the infant board scale. Ensure the scale has been
cleaned and sanitized before measuring children. The scale needs to be set to zero and measuring
in kilograms. Before weighing an infant, caregivers should remove all of the child's clothing,
as well as their diaper. If it is not possible or appropriate to remove the diaper, ensure the
diaper is fresh and clean. Do not measure a child immediately after a meal. Place the infant
in the center of the scale. Ensure that the infant is not touching anything, including the caregivers,
when reading the measurement. If the infant is moving and fussing, try to comfort and calm the
infant down until they can keep still before reading the measurement. For children under two
years old that are able to sit up by themselves, you may allow them to do so. If a baby scale is
not available or if the child is too large for a baby scale but is unable to stand by themselves,
you may utilize the tear function on a standing scale. To properly use the tear function,
the assistant first stands on the scale. The lead will then hit the tear button until the
scale reads zero. Then hand the child to the assistant on the scale. Read the child's weight
out loud to the nearest tenth of a kilogram and then immediately record. If a tear function is
not available on the scale being used, subtract the weight of the caregiver from the combined
weight of the caregiver with the child. This will give you the child's weight. Read the child's weight
out loud to the nearest tenth of a kilogram and then immediately record. For children that are
over two years old and can stand on their own, the caregiver should instruct the child to stand on
the center of the scale. Ensure that they are not touching the wall or a caregiver. Read the child's
weight out loud to the nearest tenth of a kilogram and then immediately record. Remember,
do not weigh children immediately after a meal. Infants should be weighed completely naked to
ensure accuracy. If you have concerns about a child's warmth, lay a blanket down and repress
the button to zero out the scale. Then you can place the child on the blanket on the scale.
Children over the age of two should not be measured with their shoes on or heavy clothing.
If appropriate, children should be weighed only in their undergarments. Children should be in the
center of the scale and remaining still. Say the measurement out loud and immediately record the
measurement to the nearest decimal point. Sanitize the infant board scale or standing scale between
the children to decrease the spread of disease. Documentation. A single measurement does not
reflect the rate of growth. In order to establish a child's growth trends, the child's measurements
must be routinely made and plotted on a growth chart. Measurements should be immediately recorded
into the nutrition screening system. The nutrition screening system form should be completed within
the same day as the child's measurements. In order to complete the nutrition screening system
action plan, growth charts must be consistently plotted and interpreted. This measurement must be
recorded in the child's record in the nutrition screening system database and must include the
date and name of the measure and plotted on wait for age, wait for length, wait for height, or
BMI growth chart. There are four growth charts that use a child's weight. Depending on the age of
the child, you may use one or more of these charts. Wait for age reflects the body mass relative to
the child's chronological age. Wait for length or wait for height indicate if a child is wasted
within normal ranges or overweight. This can be impacted if a child is stunted.
BMI or body mass index is directly correlated to the amount of body fat a person has.
Each child should have their own set of growth charts that track their overall progress.
Refer to these charts when determining the child's overall health status.
Watch the growth chart training video to learn more about proper growth chart plotting and chart
interpretation. You may also review the child nutrition training manuals or corresponding
child nutrition training modules. Tracking children's growth consistently and accurately
is one of the best preventative methods for combating malnutrition early in a child's life.
This is just one of five critical indicators of a child's growth and development.
Please review Holt's other child nutrition training videos.
