Centile Chart

From a child's clinical record, you can display a graphical representation of the child development growth charts with the child's measurements recorded in clinical items plotted.

Communicare's child growth charts are based on either WHO or CDC datasets.

Table 1. Comparison of CDC and WHO centile charts
WHO CDC
Dataset 2007 child growth data published by the World Health Organisation. For more information, see http://www.who.int/childgrowth/en/ and http://www.who.int/growthref/en/ 2000 child growth charts published by the Centre for disease control and prevention (CDC)
Data starts from Birth 2 years1
Data includes BMI, Height, Weight, Head Circumference BMI, Height, Weight
Centiles 1, 3, 5, 15, 25, 50, 75, 85, 95, 97, 99 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95, 97
Example Example WHO Length/Height Centile Chart Example CDC Length/Height Centile Chart
Notice:
No warranty is given or implied as to the accuracy or validity of the child development data or chart presentation. The responsibility for the use and interpretation of these charts lies with the user. In no event shall Telstra Health be liable for damages arising from their use.

Centile charts show the position of a measured parameter within a statistical distribution and are useful for plotting changing parameters, such as assessing a child's height or weight over time. They do not show if a parameter is normal or abnormal, rather how it compares with that measurement in other individuals. For example, if a child's height is on the 25th centile, for every 100 children of that age, 25 would be expected to be shorter and 75 taller.

Tip:
  • The patient's measurements are plotted if they are recorded in a clinical item such as Check up;height/weight that includes measurement qualifiers for height, weight and head circumference (WHO only).
  • The Weight chart includes a birth weight if one has been entered in biographics or the Birth details clinical item.
  • The centile charts are appropriate for the sex of the patient. If sex is not recorded, no centile charts are displayed.
  • BMI is plotted only if it has been calculated in a clinical item.
  • The length/height-for-age charts are discontinuous between 730 and 731 days, where the measurement changes from recumbent length to standing height at the age of two years.

To view the centile charts, in the patient's clinical record, on the toolbar, click Chart icon Charts > Centile.

To change the data set, from the list, select either WHO or CDC. For example, WHO:
Example list to set WHO or CDC datasets
In the Chart section, set the chart that you want to display. For example, Height.
Example chart section of the centile chart
Tip:
To zoom in on the chart, click and drag from top-left to bottom-right on the area of interest. Zoom out by dragging in the opposite direction.
Use the centile key to select the centile lines you want displayed on the chart. For example, for CDC:
Example Centile key

To hide the centile key, deselect Legend.

To remove labels for the child's measurements, deselect Labels.

1 Communicare does not publish CDC data for children younger than 2 years. The CDC itself states: The WHO growth standards are recommended for use with children younger than aged 2 years. (Using the WHO Growth Charts: Recommendations) The CDC further states:
Using the WHO growth standard for infants and children birth to aged 2 years has several advantages over the CDC growth reference for children of the same age including:
  • The WHO growth standard charts utilize growth of the breastfed infant as the norm for growth.
  • The WHO standards are based on high quality data collected for children younger than aged 2 years.
(Using the WHO Growth Charts: Summary