[Ann2006]

We received a referral for a baby boy who is now 6 wks. old. At 5 wks. of age the medical report stated he was 51.1 cm long (which I think is in the 5-10th percentile); 10.1 lbs. (50th percentile); head circumference 38.3 cm. (50th percentile).

Any thoughts about the length of this baby?

Has anyone accepted a referral for a baby whose length is pretty short but the weight and head circumference is in the 50th percentile? If so, just wondering if the growth evened out once you got him/her home.

Thanks for any input!
Ann

[dspakowsky]

Both my girls we in the 5-10% range on everything until about 4 months. Then they went up towards 50%. My oldest daughter continues to grow fast, and is in the 80% - 90%. She's a BIG girl, but she started out at 4.5 lbs.

Your baby's weight and head are real good. Length may always be smaller since possibly his birthparenst are smaller. My girls birthmothers are both under 5 feet.

[buckeye1]

When we took our child's referral information to the local international adoption clinic, the doctor told me that he would only worry if a child was very long (ex. 75th percentile) and had a small head circ (ex. 5th percentile). The fact is that many Guatemalan children will be of short stature. If I recall correctly, the average man in Guatemala is 5'2" and woman 4'10". With better nutrition, Guatemalan children who are raised in the U.S. will end up being a bit taller than that though.

With my DD, she topped the charts for weight as an infant, but was near the bottom for length. At age 3, she's perfectly proportionate ;-)

[csw]

Our son was kind of the opposite..50% for height and weight and only 10% for Head Circ...

The fact that your baby has a great HC and weight would really be comforting to me, more than his length..
And, maybe his leg wasn't perfectly straight when they measured him..our son was pretty bow legged at that age..

Our son's birthmother is 4 ft 11 inches and at 14 years old he is almost 5'4"..taller than me, thats for sure!

I would be much more concerned about a disprop. small HC than the length..

[Carlee1boy]

Our 17 month old son is in the 10th percentile for everything (and has remained so in the year he's been home). He's a little peanut. But he is developmentally right on track and our pediatrician has no physical concerns. He's just genetically wired to be a little guy!

Carolyn

[guatmom4113]

We adopted Mario when he was 19 mos. from Guatemala. He has remained in the 75th percentile in height since we brought him home as a toddler. (I have no record prior). He is now 5'6" 1/2. He is 13 and wears a size 11 shoe. His pediatrician predicts he will be around 5'11" when he is grown.

We met his birth mother, who is very tiny, around 4'10". His aunt and cousin, on his mother's side, were taller around 5'6" or more. I think Mario will be on the tall side. He has remained in the 75th percentile continually. Hope that helps.