This version was machine-translated from German and has not been medically reviewed. The authoritative version is the German version.

Head circumference growth velocity

cm/week, cm/month and cm/year from two head circumference measurements, classified against the reference

Child

Sex

male female

Date of birth

For classification on the reference; without a date of birth, only the growth rate is calculated.

Gestational age at birth (weeks, in preterm infants)

If entered, the corrected age is used up to a chronological age of 24 months (age minus the weeks remaining to the due date at 40 weeks of gestation); after that, the chronological age.

Measurements

Date of measurement 1

Head circumference at measurement 1 (cm)

Date of measurement 2

Head circumference at measurement 2 (cm)

Reference

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals: the calculator reproduces what the sources cited assign to the inputs. Clinical assessment and every treatment decision remain with the treating physician. Inputs and results are not stored.

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Sources

WHO Child Growth Standards: Growth velocity based on weight, length and head circumference – Methods and development WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group, 2009. Reference work (freely accessible)
Reliability of anthropometric measurements in the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (Acta Paediatr Suppl 450:38–46) WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group (de Onis M et al.), 2006. Original paper (full text read)

Related calculators

Note

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals. Clinical assessment remains with the treating physician.

Review date of the German original: 2026-11-05 · Methodology

For parents (in German): Percentile calculator (kinderarzt.net)

Frequently asked questions

Head circumference growth velocity: What does this calculator compute?

Calculates the head circumference increment per week, month and year from two measurements and compares it with the median increment of the WHO, CDC or KiGGS reference in the same age interval; the z-score and percentile of both measurements are also output.

Head circumference growth velocity: Which sources is this calculator based on?

WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group: WHO Child Growth Standards: Growth velocity based on weight, length and head circumference – Methods and development (2009); WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group (de Onis M et al.): Reliability of anthropometric measurements in the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (Acta Paediatr Suppl 450:38–46) (2006)