Taking an accurate measurement at home

 

GrowthMonitor accurately measures your child so we recommend you use the app to take the measurements. However, if you want to check your child’s measurement manually, we have provided some instructions below. These can also be found within the app. It is possible to enter a manual measurement into the app and a ‘tape measure’ icon allows app users to differentiate these from the app measurements (which are shown by a phone icon).

1. Find a flat area of floor (no carpet if possible) and a flat wall
2. Take off shoes
3. Remove anything on the head which might get in the way of an accurate measurement e.g. headbands, plaits
4. Remove bulky clothing
5. Stand with feet flat on the floor with heels against the place where the floor meets the wall
6. Stand up straight. Keep both feet flat on the floor and look straight ahead. The chin and line of vision should be parallel to the floor.
7. Rest a flat (rigid) object e.g. ruler or book on the top of the head at a right angle to and touching the wall.
8. Mark the place where the flat object meets the top of the head.
9. Measure the distance from the floor to the mark on the wall using a rigid tape measure if possible e.g. a metal one
10. Take note of the measurement to the nearest 0.1cm (1mm)