Nutrition Interventions for Children with Special Health Care Needs

Chapter 2 - Anthropometricss
Technique for Length Estimation: Crown-Rump Length
Use the same equipment and
technique as that described for
measuring length, except bend the
child’s legs at a 90-degree angle,
and bring the footboard up against
the buttocks. The proper technique
for measuring crown rump length is
shown in Figure 4.
Height
Children 2 to 3 years of age may be
measured either in the recumbent or
Figure 4. Measuring Crown-Rump Length
standing position, depending on their
ability to stand unassisted. It is important to plot standing height measurements on
the growth charts for 2 to 20 year olds, because the percentiles are adjusted for the
difference between recumbent length and standing height. Children over 3 years of
age who are able to stand should be measured standing.
Equipment for Height Measurement
Use a measuring board with an attached,
movable headboard (stadiometer). If this
is not available, use a non stretchable tape
measure attached to a vertical, flat surface
like a wall or a door jam with no baseboard
and equipment that will provide an accurate
right angle to actually take the measurement.
The movable measuring rod that is attached
to a platform scale is too unsteady to ensure
accurate measurements. The features of an
accurate stadiometer are shown in Figure 5.
Technique for Height
Measurement (3,4)
Two people may be required for accurate
measures of younger children, however,
usually only one measurer is required for
compliant older children.
Figure 5. Stadiometer
18 Nutrition Interventions for Children With Special Health Care Needs