The term growth percentile refers to a measure used in pediatrics and child development that indicates how a particular child's height, weight or other physical measurements compare with those of other children of similar age. In other words, it is a way of expressing the percentage of children who are smaller or larger than the individual being measured.
For example, if a child has a growth percentile of 50 for their height, this means that they fall in the middle range when compared to other children of the same age - half have higher measurements and half have lower ones. A score of 75 would indicate that the child is above average while a score of 25 indicates below-average growth.
Growth percentiles are important because they provide information about how a child is developing in comparison to others, which can help doctors identify potential health issues or developmental delays.