THE PHYSIQUE OF CHILDREN.

Shannon News, 22 October 1926, Page 2

THE PHYSIQUE OF CHILDREN.

+ (By Hygeia). Height and Weight. Weight in early infancy is dealt Avith in the feeding table, page 34, of the Society’s book “Feeding and Care of Baby,” while a recent article Avas devoted to the weight and height of children in the first year. -With regard to the weight of children from the .second year omvards, the following quotations arc made from the late Dr. Ernest Holt’s book on “The Diseases of Infancy and Childhood”: — Weight from the Second to the Fifth Year. Comparatively few observations have been published upon the weight during this period. From nearly 100 personal observations it appears that the normal gain of a healthy -child is about Bibs during the second year, about 51bs during the third year and about 41ds during the fourth year. During this period the gain is” rarely uniform—it is seldom uniform after the first year. With most children it is slowest, or the weight is stationary, in the summer months, Avhiio tbj most rap.d increase is usually seen m autumh. Throughout this period girls gain in about the same ratio is boys, but thiiy remain on theaverage nearly lib lighter. During almost every illness, no matter of Avhat character,” the gain in weight ceases, and usually there is a loss, the rapidity and extent of Avhich are soihevAhat proportionate to the severity of the attack; but it is always much more rapid in diseases of the digestive tract than in any other form of illness. The Chest. The measurements of the chest given in the table, up to and including five years, arc from personal observation. Those from the sixth to the' sixteenth year are taken from Porter, and are drawn , from observations on 31,371 school children. The measurement of the chest is that taken i midAvay betAveen full inspiration and expiration, and at the level of the nipples. The chest measurement in infants is always much modified by the amount of fat; but, after making due allowance for this. A large chest always indicates a robust child, and a small chest a delicate one. If at any. age the circumference of the child’s chest is found to be .below the average, means , should be taken by gymnastics or otherwise to. develop it. Table showing Aveight, height, and circumference of chest from birth to

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sixteenth, year: — Age. 8ex. Circumference Height chest Weight in in At birth: Boys in lb. 7.5 inches. 20.6 inches. 13.4 Girls 7.1 20.5 13 6 months: Boys 16 25.4 16.5 Girls 15.5 25 16.1 12 months: Boys 21 29' IS Girls 20.5 .28.7 17.4 IS months: Boys 24.0 30 18.5 Girls 23.0 29.7 18 2 years: Boys 27.0 32.5 19 Girls 26.0 32.5 18.5 3 years: Boys 32.0 35 20.1 Girls 31.0 35 19.8 4 years: Boys 36.0 38 20.7 Girls 35.0 38 20.7 5 years: Boys 41.0 41.7 21.5 Girls 40.0 41.4 21 6 years: , Boys 45.0 44.1 23.2 Girls 44.0 43.6 22.S 7 years: Boys 49.5 46.2 23.7 Girls 48.0 46 23.3 . 8 vears: Boys 54.5 48.2 25.4 Girls 53.0 48 23.8 9 years: Boys 60.0 50.1 25.1 Girls 57.5 49.6 24.5 10 years: Boys 66.5 52.2 25.8 Girls 64.0 57.8 24.7 11 years: Boys 72.5 54 26.4 Girls 70.0 53.8 25.8 12 years: Boys 80.0 55.8 27 Girls 82.5 57.1 26.S 13 years.Boys 88.0 58.2 27.7 Girls 91.0 58.7 28 14 years: Boys 99.0 61 28.8 Girls 100.0 60.3 29.2 15 years: Boys 110.S 63 30 Girls 108.0 61.4 30.3 16. years: Boys 123.5 65.6‘ 31.2 Girls 113.0 61.7 30.8