How to plot and read a growth chart
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Growth is one of the best signs of a child's overall health. A single point tells little; the trend across visits tells the story.
Step by step
Choose the right chart
Use WHO charts from birth to age 2 and CDC charts from age 2 to 20. Pick the chart for the child's sex. [1]
Measure accurately
Weigh infants without clothes or diaper. Measure length lying down before age 2 and height standing after, and head size in the first two years. [1]
Correct for prematurity
For babies born early, subtract the weeks born early from the age. Use this corrected age until about age 2. [1]
Plot the point
Find the age on the bottom axis and the measurement on the side axis. Mark where they meet and read the nearest percentile line. [2]
Use BMI after age 2
Plot BMI-for-age. The 85th to below the 95th percentile is overweight; the 95th or above is obesity. [1]
Follow the trend
Compare with earlier points. Crossing two major percentile lines, up or down, needs a closer look. [1]
Share it with the family
Show the curve and explain it in plain words. Use teach-back to check they understood. [3]
Common errors
- Using real age for a premature baby instead of corrected age.
- Judging one point instead of the trend.
- Weighing a baby in clothes or a wet diaper.
Common percentile cut-offs (CDC / WHO) [1]
| Measure | Percentile | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Weight-for-length, under 2 | Below 2.3rd | Possible undernutrition |
| Weight-for-length, under 2 | Above 97.7th | Possible excess weight |
| BMI-for-age, 2 to 20 | Below 5th | Underweight |
| BMI-for-age, 2 to 20 | 85th to below 95th | Overweight |
| BMI-for-age, 2 to 20 | 95th or above | Obesity |
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
- AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
- AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)
Facts and steps follow AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs); NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.