Why does my healthcare advisor use growth charts?
At every regular checkup, your health care advisor will measure your child's length, weight, and head circumference (the distance around her head) because it is a way to monitor how well she is growing.

The growth charts are useful because they make it easier to plot these measurements to see if a child is growing at a predictable rate. If the rate is off, it's a signal for the health care advisor to check for feeding, developmental, or medical problems.

How much does a toddler grow between her 1st and 2nd birthdays?
The average toddler gains between 1.75 and 2.75 Kg and grows about 10 to 13 cm.

How much does a toddler grow between her 2nd and 3rd birthdays?
The average toddler gains between 1.75 and 2.5 Kg and grows about 5 to 6 cm.

Should I worry if my child doesn't seem to be growing as much as her friends?
Comparing a child to other children, even those the same age, is usually not a helpful measure. After age 2 years, children start to vary more in their height and weight.

Your health care advisor monitors your child's own individual rate of growth, by plotting her height and weight on growth charts. As long as she is maintaining her rate of growth, there's likely no need for concern.

My toddler actually lost weight since her last checkup. Is this okay?
It depends. If she has recently been sick, it may be okay if she lost a little weight. However, weight loss can also be a sign of illness or failure to thrive.

You should consult your health care advisor, who can best determine whether this weight loss is a problem, and if it is, what the cause might be.

How do I know if my toddler is overweight?
It may be hard to tell just by looking. All toddlers will still carry some "baby fat," which is normal, as are chubby cheeks and a round belly.

The only way to know for sure is to talk to your health care advisor. He can best determine if your child's weight is in the normal range for her age and height.

How does nutrition affect growth?
Growth during the toddler years is significant. In fact, your toddler will not have a growth spurt this big again until she is a teenager.

Calcium and vitamin D are essential for her growing bones. However, the diets of many toddlers fall short of the requirements for these nutrients. In fact, the incidence of rickets-a disease that can cause children's bones to become bent out of shape-peaks in the 1- to 3-year-old age group.

PROGRESS* GOLD helps your toddler build strong bones. PROGRESS GOLD is formulated to help make sure that your toddler absorbs calcium-it has the right amounts of vitamin D and the mineral phosphorus. PROGRESS GOLD is also low in ingredients like saturated fat.

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