New Delhi, May 4 (IANS). For proper upbringing and good development of children, it is not enough to just give them good food, but it is also important to know whether the child is growing properly or not. To understand this, growth monitoring i.e. regular monitoring of growth is considered very important.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development posted on social media that growth monitoring means measuring the child’s growth from time to time according to his height, weight and age and keeping records of it. This shows whether the child is growing properly according to his age or not. If any kind of deficiency or problem occurs, it can be identified early and treated or improved in time.
Often people in villages and small towns ignore this, but the first five years of a child are the most important. If there is any deficiency in development during this period, it can affect the entire life ahead. Therefore, every parent should keep checking their child’s weight and height regularly.
Growth monitoring also helps in understanding whether the child is getting proper nutrition or not. If the child looks weak for his age or is gaining less weight, it means that there is a need to improve his eating habits. At the same time, if the child is growing fast and properly, then it is a good sign.
This facility is also provided at government health centers and Anganwadi centres, where weight and height of children are measured regularly. There the health workers also tell the parents what the child’s diet should be like and what is missing.
A major advantage of growth monitoring is that it helps in early identification of malnutrition. Many times the child looks fine from outside, but may be weak from inside. In such a situation, timely identification is very important so that it can be treated properly.
Moreover, this process also makes the parents aware. When they see the growth chart of their child every month or after some time, they understand whether their child is growing in the right direction or not.
–IANS
PIM/AS