Is Your Child Growing Optimally? Here’s What You Need to Know

A growing up child can be hard to keep track of, especially with the many milestones they are bound to cover in their early years –  watching them grow into their own personalities is a truly heartwarming journey.

However, as parents, it is natural to worry about their development and it can be hard to keep up – they just grow up too fast! Mummies and daddies – especially first-time parents – will undoubtedly be flooded with questions and concerns when it comes to their child’s growth. But what exactly constitutes ‘normal’ growth? Here is what you should know. 

There are 3 key indicators to optimal child development and growth

In truth,  development in children is a tricky subject. This is because most of the findings that indicate if a child is growing optimally or may be suffering from poor growth are based on statistics and information gathered by professionals from children themselves¹.

However, as with every milestone, every child is different in their developments. Of course, there are indicators on whether your child is growing optimally versus children that may be considered “not growing well” which could be a cause for concern. If you spot signs of underdevelopment (as we will discuss later), you should consult your paediatrician as well.  

So, to understand if your child is growing normally, there are a few things you should take note of. 

• Height

Generally, a child’s height increases by 30 per cent within their early years, and more than 50 per cent later on – this would typically be around 25 centimetres early on and double their height within their fifth year². It is also said that children grow at least three and a half inches (roughly nine centimetres) in their second, as well as a third year³. 

In terms of growth percentiles, there are several references that doctors or parents may refer to, but the common one would be World Health Organisation’s (WHO) growth percentiles, which is taken as a worldwide standard⁴. Percentiles are measurements that indicate a child’s growth pattern – these charts appear as lines in curved patterns and doctors use them to reference a child’s height, as well as weight by plotting it on the chart⁵. 

However, if your child is growing below the normal percentiles, it could be due to various factors including genetics, delayed growth⁶ and the most important factor – nutrition. In fact, a global analysis of 65 million children showed that their height was directly affected by their overall health and the quality of their diet⁷. 

• Weight

Children generally gain about 2.2 kilograms after their second year, while this weight gain remains more or less consistent every year, until the age of five⁸. However, there is a misconception that thin children are ‘underweight’ but this may not be the case, as they may be naturally slender with a well-balanced diet and a lot of physical activity⁹. Nevertheless, as we have mentioned, it is best to consult your paediatrician to see if there is an actual cause for concern. 

Therefore, regular height and weight measurement on the growth chart are very important to monitor if your child’s development is on track. Try out this convenient and easy-to-use growth tracker here to ensure your child’s physical growth is at an optimal rate.

• Diet

Many factors – if not all – of a child’s development always circles back to nutrition for the very fact that it is a key competent in supporting and maintaining their growth. The same study that focused on 65 million children, which reported data gathered between the year 1985 and 2019, concluded that nutrition, as well as the quality of food, remain a key factor in a child’s health. This has led to a further verdict that lack of quality food can lead to stunted growth and affect their well-being throughout their life¹⁰. 

Besides physical growth, poor nutrition within their diet also causes issues with a child’s intellectual development, as a child with an improper diet can hamper their learning abilities, and cause them to become sick often simply because their body’s nutritional needs are not met¹¹. 

In summary, nutrition is absolutely crucial for a child’s development

At this point, you have probably realised that nutrition is the main factor that aids their height, weight and overall development – but then again, it is no secret either. Nutrition has always played a fundamental role in determining and supporting their growth progression. Good health is attributed to adequate nutritional intake, while lack of nutrition could lead to delayed growth¹². Meanwhile, nutrition also serves as the foundation of their well-being in their future.¹³

Of course, growth in children is not exclusive to just weight gain- studies have concluded that nutritious food provides them with the ability to grow properly overall¹⁴. Think of it this way: feeding your underweight child with food in a bid to get them to gain weight could go awry if their diet is not well-balanced or with the right nutritious components because although they gain weight, it may not correlate healthily with their height¹⁵.

Fret not, as long as you instil healthy eating habits in your child, as well as ensure they get adequate nutrition, you’re on the right track. But make sure these good practices start young and are maintained throughout their life. 

Support your child’s nutrition with Milnutri™ SURE, the new Catch-Up Growth formula for your child’s growth

Thankfully, these days, there are many products readily available to ease the burden of parents because as many of us know, it can be quite an obstacle to get your growing up child to finish all of their fruits and vegetables. For picky eaters and children who are undernourished, food intake from main meals sometimes might not be sufficient to support their nutritional needs.

To supplement your child’s daily diet, we’re introducing Milnutri Sure that provides children with adequate nutrition. Milnutri™ Sure is specially formulated to support your child’s ‘catch-up growth’ as it is a formula dietary food that helps provides complete and balanced nutrition to aid your child’s overall growth and development.

It is specially formulated with 100% of the Recommended Nutrient Intake for Malaysia (2017) with selected nutrients*** that contribute to a child’s growth and development. It also contains IcFOS and inulin, which are prebiotics that supports a good intestinal environment for your child. This is crucial for your child’s body to be able to absorb nutrients properly and support crucial bodily functions – the bodily functions include warding off infectious bacteria, viruses and fungi, as well as supporting brain health.

Meanwhile, Milnutri Sure also contains these key nutritional components: 

• Lysine: This is an essential amino acid that needs to be provided in daily diets of children.
• Calcium and Vitamin D, Arginine: Calcium supports strong bones and teeth, while Vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Meanwhile, Arginine is an amino acid required by synthesis of protein. 
• Highest DHA 88mg/100g** & OMEGA 3,6,9: These are found abundantly in the brain 

To top it off, Milnutri Sure tastes great and has zero sucrose* to encourage healthy eating.  With a balanced diet and Milnutri Sure (an energy-dense formula at 1kcal/ml) as a supplement, you can notice visible growth in 4 weeks^#!

The best part is that you can request for a free sample now and try it out first. If you are ready to give Milnutri™ Sure a try, you can check out Milnutri™ Sure’s website or Facebook page for more information. 

*** Selected nutrients according to age group, based on Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for Malaysia 2017:
1 – 3 years: ≥ 100% RNI for vitamin E, K, B2, C and iodine;
4 – 6 years: ≥ 100% RNI for protein, Vitamin E, K, B2, C and iodine; and
7 – 9 years: ≥ 100% RNI for vitamin E, K, B2, C and  iodine.

** Milnutri Sure DHA (88mg/100gm) content is based on other Formula Dietary Food for children aged 1-10 in similar Recommended Consumer Price within range of RM90-115/kg basis as of May 2021.

* No sucrose were added during production nor detected in final product.

^ Body weight improvement of 0.5kg in children aged 3 to 6 years with weight for height z- score between -1 to -3 in 28 days. Reference: Devaera, Yoga, et al. “Comparing Compliance and Efficacy of Isocaloric Oral Nutritional Supplementation Using 1.5 kcal/mL or 1 kcal/mL Sip Feeds in Mildly to Moderately Malnourished Indonesian Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition 21.4 (2018): 315-320.

#Follow recommended intake per day (2 glasses for 1-3 years old, 3 glasses for 4- 6 years old, 4 glasses for ≥ 7 years old) and used as supplement on top of a normal dietary intake of children.

Reference:

1.  (n.d.). Growth and Development – Clinical Methods – NCBI Bookshelf. Retrieved April 10, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK335/
2. (n.d.). Physical Growth of Infants and Children – Children’s Health Issues …. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/children-s-health-issues/growth-and-development/physical-growth-of-infants-and-children
3. (n.d.). Growth Problems | Boston Children’s Hospital. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/g/growth-problems
4. “When Your Child Is Not Growing Well | The Star.” 13 Dec. 2020, https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/health/2020/12/13/when-your-child-is-not-growing-well. Accessed 26 Apr. 2021.
5. (n.d.). Growth Charts (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/growth-charts.html
6. (n.d.). Delayed Growth: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis – Healthline. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/delayed-growth-symptom
7. (2020, November 5). Poor nutrition in school years may have created 20 … – ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183840.htm
8. (2020, January 1). Normal growth and development: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002456.htm
9. (2018, July 26). How to know if your kid is underweight – Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/parenting/child-underweight-when-you-should-and-shouldn-worry/hKRJAbxuDANpcIFYDxDfrI/
10. (2020, November 5). Poor nutrition in school years may have created 20 … – ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201105183840.htm
11.  (2020, January 1). Normal growth and development: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 13, 2021, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002456.htm
12. (n.d.). Nutrition and Growth – NCBI – NIH. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3005655/
13. (2020, November 6). Poor Nutrition in Childhood Likely Behind a Global Height Gap …. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.courthousenews.com/poor-nutrition-in-childhood-likely-behind-a-global-height-gap/
14. (2020, November 6). Poor Nutrition in Childhood Likely Behind a Global Height Gap …. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.courthousenews.com/poor-nutrition-in-childhood-likely-behind-a-global-height-gap/
15. (2020, November 6). Poor Nutrition in Childhood Likely Behind a Global Height Gap …. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.courthousenews.com/poor-nutrition-in-childhood-likely-behind-a-global-height-gap/

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