5 Things Parents Should Look for in Their Children ’ s Medical Records

Here are five things I think parents should look for in their children’s medical records and have at their fingertips: BMI Percent – Parents are often stunningly wrong about whether or not their children are at a healthy weight. We are so familiar with our kids that they often look normal to us even when they are not. And more than 75% of parents of overweight children aged 2 to 15 report never being told the child is overweight by the pediatrician.The Body Mass Index is a calculation that looks at appropriate weight for height for a given age and gender. If children’s BMI is below the 5th percentile, they are likely underweight. If they are at the 85th percentile or above, they are likely to be overweight. Above the 95th percentile? Obese. Trends – Even more important than where your child’s health is right now, in many cases, is what trends are emerging. Is your child’s BMI percent going up, going down, or stable? Is your child developing at an expected rate or falling behind in an area? It’s far easier to correct a problem before it crosses the line to a diagnosis.In order to follow trends, you need to either get a copy of your child’s growth chart every time you visit the doctor, do the measurements and tracking yourself, or use a simple tool like MotherKnows.com*. It’s a great way to keep track of your child’s medical record with the added advantage of being able to carry it with you via smart phone App so you can access your child’s record any whe...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - Category: Child Development Authors: Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Growth & Development Source Type: blogs