The percentile is a measure used by pediatricians to record the physical development of a child in tabular form. This is present in the child’s health record and can be consulted at any time by the parents.

A percentile is the difference between the measurement obtained for an individual and the percentage obtained for the identical majority in age and gender. That is to say that a little girl of 6 years, who measures 1m24 will be considered as out of the ordinary by the medical world because the average is about 1m15.

The little girl then exceeds her pairs by 8%. This gives a higher than average curve on a table. But these figures are only a basis for observation and professionals adapt their diagnoses according to several factors including head circumference, weight, family genetics, etc.

The percentile is a statistical unit that allows healthcare professionals to determine if the child is within the norm in terms of his weight, height and head circumference. This unit is calculated based on data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), each year. Since 2018, the tables have evolved and take into account the advantages of information such as the circumstances of calculations and gender, girl or boy.

Tables are useful for warning of an imbalance in the child’s development, both physical and motor. The incidence of disturbed motor development can indeed have consequences on the motor level: if the child, for example, is stunted, it may be more difficult for him to use school materials, chair, table, etc., which will not be at its height. Another example, a 3-year-old boy who expresses himself poorly may have mental disorders but also have growth retardation and the pediatrician will use the curve to check if a trauma has occurred at some point in his life.

The information in these tables relates to children up to the age of 18. Their health record must be completed by the attending physician up to this age. This makes it possible to collect important data on their development and to be able to refer to it if necessary during operations or sudden disorders.

Parents are not authorized to fill in the tables, only health professionals have this authorization. Erroneous data could jeopardize the proper medical follow-up of the child and cause great confusion in the medical treatment thereafter.

At the age of 18, the medical profession considers the growth almost complete. Of course it depends on each individual, with a big difference between girls and boys. The girls start their growth earlier and also finish it before their male friends since the hormones and their surges differ according to the genetics, the diet, the experience of each one.

When the pediatrician examines the curves, he analyzes the different growth factors and organizes his control accordingly. If, for example, the cranial curve is out of the ordinary, he will refer the child and his parents to a colleague specializing in mental disorders to check whether this anomaly is only due to an extraordinary growth or if it is accompanied by mental illnesses such as autism or others. Only specialists such as neuropediatricians or child psychiatrists will then be able to answer parents’ questions.

No diagnosis can be established without the advice of specialists from several specialties and it is at the end of a multidisciplinary evaluation that a concrete response can be provided. Putting words on these extraordinary measures is then a real support for those close to them.

There are references in medical publications that allow us to understand their appearance. Sites such as the National Syndicate of the Order of General Practitioners or associations linked to disorders linked to psychiatric illnesses can transmit reliable information.

There are also free call centers such as those of mutual societies which can help answer certain financial questions in the first place, such as support, possible support, specific contracts, etc. Parents have the possibility of being accompanied in these steps by the professionals of the PMI (Center for Maternal Child Protection), present in each department. These health professionals are trained to listen to concerns about young children and their development.

The attending physician will also be able to guide and support parents in their efforts. Pediatricians are specialists in the development of young children, but the family doctor is also able to inform parents and reassure them.