All newborns should have weight, total length and head circumference recorded on admission along with the Ballard's score. Length and head circumference should be recorded every weekly. There is an initial weight loss of <15% in premature and < 10% in term infants till 4-6 days of life. The birth weight is reached by 10 days and by about 2 weeks of life age consistent growth is found and birth weight is surpassed. SGA babies do not have the initial loss of weight. Head circumference decrease by 0.5 cm in 1st week of life due to shift of fluid and then increases subsequently.

Premature infants usually attain the catch up head circumference by 18 months , catch-up weight by 24 months and catch-up height by 40 months. The indications of catch-up growth occur first in the head circumference, and then in length and weight.

Weight gain criteria

< 27 weeks gestation 10-20 gm/day.

27-40 weeks gestation 20-35 gm/day.

Birth - 6 months 25-35gm/day.

Catch-up growth Add 5-10 gm/day to above.

Last created on 15-12-2000
Last updated on 01-07-2006