What Are Height Percentiles (p values)?
Height percentiles, or “p values,” are a standard way to compare your child’s height to other children of the same age and gender. For example, if your child’s height is at the 25th percentile, it means they are taller than 25% of children their age and gender, and shorter than 75%. If they are at the 90th percentile, they are taller than 90% of their peers and shorter than only 10%.
Why Do Height Percentiles Matter?
- Track Growth Over Time: Percentiles show if your child is following a healthy growth pattern.
- Spot Red Flags: Sudden drops or consistently low percentiles may signal health or nutrition concerns.
- Set Realistic Expectations: Genetics, nutrition, and health all play a role—percentiles help put your child’s height in context.
What Is the CDC Growth Chart?
The CDC Growth Charts are internationally recognized reference standards for tracking the growth of children and adolescents in the United States. The most widely used version, published in 2000, was based on data collected from five large national health surveys conducted between 1963 and 1994, covering more than 32,000 children and teens aged 0–20 years.
Key Facts About the CDC Growth Charts
- Population Sample: Over 32,000 U.S. children and adolescents.
- Time Span: Data from 1963–1994.
- Ethnic Composition: The sample included children from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, including non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Mexican American populations, reflecting the demographic makeup of the U.S. at the time.
- Purpose: Designed as a reference, not a standard—meaning they show how children in the U.S. actually grew, not necessarily how they “should” grow in an ideal environment.
- Updates: The charts are periodically reviewed and remain the primary tool for pediatric growth assessment in the U.S. and many other countries.
CDC Height Percentile Table: Age 5–18 Years
Below is a simplified reference table based on the CDC Growth Charts (for boys and girls separately). This lets you quickly see what each percentile means in terms of actual height.
Boys’ Height Percentiles
| Age | P3 | P5 | P10 | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 | P95 | P97 |
| 2 | 80.3cm | 81.1cm | 82.4cm | 84.5cm | 86.9cm | 89.2cm | 91.4cm | 92.6cm | 93.5cm |
| 3 | 88.4cm | 89.2cm | 90.5cm | 92.7cm | 95.3cm | 97.9cm | 100.4cm | 101.9cm | 102.9cm |
| 4 | 94.6cm | 95.6cm | 97.1cm | 99.7cm | 102.5cm | 105.4cm | 108.0cm | 109.5cm | 110.5cm |
| 5 | 100.3cm | 101.5cm | 103.2cm | 106.0cm | 109.2cm | 112.3cm | 115.1cm | 116.8cm | 117.8cm |
| 6 | 106.1cm | 107.3cm | 109.2cm | 112.2cm | 115.7cm | 119.1cm | 122.1cm | 123.9cm | 125.1cm |
| 7 | 111.9cm | 113.2cm | 115.1cm | 118.4cm | 122.0cm | 125.7cm | 129.0cm | 131.0cm | 132.3cm |
| 8 | 117.5cm | 118.8cm | 120.8cm | 124.3cm | 128.1cm | 132.1cm | 135.7cm | 137.8cm | 139.3cm |
| 9 | 122.4cm | 123.8cm | 126.0cm | 129.6cm | 133.7cm | 137.9cm | 141.8cm | 144.1cm | 145.7cm |
| 10 | 126.7cm | 128.2cm | 130.5cm | 134.4cm | 138.8cm | 143.3cm | 147.4cm | 149.9cm | 151.5cm |
| 11 | 130.8cm | 132.4cm | 134.9cm | 139.0cm | 143.7cm | 148.5cm | 152.9cm | 155.5cm | 157.3cm |
| 12 | 135.7cm | 137.3cm | 139.9cm | 144.3cm | 149.3cm | 154.4cm | 159.0cm | 161.9cm | 163.7cm |
| 13 | 141.7cm | 143.6cm | 146.4cm | 151.1cm | 156.4cm | 161.7cm | 166.6cm | 169.5cm | 171.3cm |
| 14 | 148.5cm | 150.5cm | 153.6cm | 158.7cm | 164.1cm | 169.5cm | 174.2cm | 177.0cm | 178.8cm |
| 15 | 154.6cm | 156.7cm | 159.8cm | 164.8cm | 170.1cm | 175.3cm | 179.8cm | 182.4cm | 184.1cm |
| 16 | 158.8cm | 160.8cm | 163.7cm | 168.5cm | 173.6cm | 178.6cm | 182.9cm | 185.5cm | 187.1cm |
| 17 | 161.3cm | 163.1cm | 165.8cm | 170.4cm | 175.3cm | 180.2cm | 184.5cm | 187.0cm | 188.6cm |
| 18 | 162.5cm | 164.2cm | 166.9cm | 171.3cm | 176.2cm | 181.0cm | 185.3cm | 187.8cm | 189.5cm |
Girls’ Height Percentiles
| Age | P3 | P5 | P10 | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 | P95 | P97 |
| 2 | 78.8cm | 79.6cm | 80.9cm | 83.0cm | 85.4cm | 87.7cm | 89.9cm | 91.1cm | 91.9cm |
| 3 | 86.9cm | 87.8cm | 89.2cm | 91.6cm | 94.2cm | 96.9cm | 99.3cm | 100.8cm | 101.8cm |
| 4 | 93.1cm | 94.0cm | 95.6cm | 98.1cm | 101.0cm | 104.0cm | 106.8cm | 108.4cm | 109.5cm |
| 5 | 99.4cm | 100.4cm | 102.0cm | 104.8cm | 108.0cm | 111.2cm | 114.3cm | 116.1cm | 117.4cm |
| 6 | 105.8cm | 106.9cm | 108.6cm | 111.6cm | 115.0cm | 118.6cm | 121.9cm | 123.9cm | 125.3cm |
| 7 | 111.9cm | 113.1cm | 114.9cm | 118.1cm | 121.8cm | 125.6cm | 129.1cm | 131.3cm | 132.7cm |
| 8 | 117.3cm | 118.5cm | 120.5cm | 123.9cm | 127.8cm | 131.9cm | 135.6cm | 137.9cm | 139.4cm |
| 9 | 121.9cm | 123.2cm | 125.3cm | 129.0cm | 133.1cm | 137.4cm | 141.4cm | 143.8cm | 145.4cm |
| 10 | 126.0cm | 127.5cm | 129.8cm | 133.7cm | 138.2cm | 142.8cm | 147.0cm | 149.6cm | 151.3cm |
| 11 | 130.7cm | 132.4cm | 135.0cm | 139.4cm | 144.3cm | 149.2cm | 153.7cm | 156.4cm | 158.1cm |
| 12 | 137.4cm | 139.2cm | 142.0cm | 146.5cm | 151.5cm | 156.4cm | 160.8cm | 163.5cm | 165.2cm |
| 13 | 144.2cm | 145.9cm | 148.4cm | 152.7cm | 157.3cm | 162.0cm | 166.1cm | 168.6cm | 170.2cm |
| 14 | 148.1cm | 149.7cm | 152.1cm | 156.0cm | 160.5cm | 164.9cm | 168.9cm | 171.3cm | 172.9cm |
| 15 | 149.7cm | 151.3cm | 153.6cm | 157.5cm | 161.9cm | 166.3cm | 170.2cm | 172.6cm | 174.2cm |
| 16 | 150.4cm | 151.9cm | 154.3cm | 158.2cm | 162.6cm | 166.9cm | 170.9cm | 173.2cm | 174.8cm |
| 17 | 150.7cm | 152.3cm | 154.6cm | 158.6cm | 162.9cm | 167.3cm | 171.2cm | 173.6cm | 175.1cm |
| 18 | 150.9cm | 152.5cm | 154.8cm | 158.8cm | 163.1cm | 167.5cm | 171.4cm | 173.8cm | 175.3cm |
What If My Child Is Below the 10th Percentile?
- Many healthy children are naturally smaller due to genetics.
- If your child’s percentile drops suddenly or stays below the 3rd percentile, consult your pediatrician to rule out medical or nutritional concerns.
- Tracking the trend over time is more important than a single measurement.
Tips for Supporting Healthy Growth
- Balanced Nutrition: Ensure adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- Regular Sleep: Growth hormone is released during deep sleep.
- Physical Activity: Exercise supports bone and muscle development.
- Routine Checkups: Regular growth monitoring helps catch issues early.
Evidence-Based Support: iKids-Growth
For families seeking additional, science-backed support, iKids-Growth is a hormone-free supplement designed to gently support the body’s natural growth signals within the GH–IGF-1 axis. Backed by clinical studies and real-world data from over 40,000 users, iKids-Growth can help children and teens maximize their growth potential—especially when used alongside healthy lifestyle habits.
Conclusion
Understanding height percentiles helps parents see where their child stands and what’s normal at every age. Use the CDC Growth Chart as a reference, watch for trends, and support your child’s growth with healthy habits and regular checkups. For those looking for extra support, evidence-based options like iKids-Growth can be a valuable addition to your child’s growth journey.
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