Using WHO Child Growth Charts (Birth to 2 Years)

In this article:

• Before You Begin
• Opening the WHO Growth Charts
• Adding Percentiles to the Chart
• Adding Height and Weight Measurements
• Changing Your Measurement System

Before You Begin

• Date of birth and gender: Add your client's Date of birth and Gender in the Basic Information section of their client record before you open a chart. Select either Man/Boy or Woman/Girl in the gender field, otherwise the chart displays a blank page.
   
• Age range: The charts cover birth to 24 months. The chart ends at 24 months, so measurements recorded after that age do not appear on it.
   
• Available charts: Practice Better offers two World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth charts charts: WHO Growth Chart - Height and WHO Growth Chart - Weight. Head circumference and BMI-for-age charts are not available.
   
• Measurement system: The charts work with both the imperial system (lb, inches) and the metric system (kg, cm). The measurement system you choose in your Practice Better settings applies to all clients in your account, including every team member in a team account.
   
• Practitioner view only: Growth charts are available to practitioners. Clients do not see them in the Client Portal.

⚠️ Important: If you switch measurement systems, choose “Convert” when prompted. If you select “Change units only” this relabels existing values (68 lb becomes 68 kg), so your client's recorded growth data no longer matches what you entered.

Opening the WHO Growth Charts

1. Open your client's record.
    
2. Click Measurements & Vitals.
    
3. Click the Analysis tab.
   
    
4. Select WHO Growth Chart - Height or WHO Growth Chart - Weight from the list of predefined reports.
   

By default, the chart displays the 3rd, 15th, 50th, 85th, and 97th percentiles. Hover over a data point to see the date of measurement and the percentile.

Adding Percentiles to the Chart

1. Open a WHO growth chart for your client.
    
2. Find the Percentiles picklist in the bottom-right corner of the graph.
   
    
3. Select each additional percentile you want to display.
   

Adding Height and Weight Measurements

Growth charts plot the measurements in your client's Measurements & Vitals section. You can add measurements manually, or have Practice Better import them from your client's Lifestyle Journal. Enter weights and heights as decimal values. For example, enter 8.5 lb for a weight of 8 lb 8 oz.

Adding Measurements Manually

1. Open your client's record.
    
2. Click Measurements & Vitals.
    
3. Use the date picker to select the date of the measurement.
   
    
4. Enter the height or weight in the provided field.
   
    
5. Click Save Changes at the top-right.
   

Importing Measurements from the Lifestyle Journal

1. Go to My Clients and double-click your client's name.
    
2. Click Journals in the left navigation bar.
    
3. Click the Journal Settings button near the top-right.
    
4. Click the check box beside Auto-import measurements. Practice Better saves your update automatically.
   

For steps to import measurements your client already logged, see Populating Measurements from Lifestyle Journal Entries →

Changing Your Measurement System

1. Click the Settings icon, then select All Settings & Preferences.
    
2. Select Measurements from the Settings menu.
    
3. Select either Imperial System or Metric System.
    
4. Click Save Changes.
    
5. Click Convert when Practice Better prompts you to convert existing measurements.

Practice Better converts your client's recorded values to the new system, so your growth chart stays accurate. Learn more about Adjusting your Measurement System Preferences →