Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

17.7K

Developing growth reference charts for the head circumference of Pakistani children aged 6 to 18 years

Muhammad Asif1, Muhammad Aslam2, Tariq Ismail3

  • 1Department of Statistics, Govt. Degree College, Qadir Pur Raan, Multan, Pakistan.

The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
|May 25, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Pakistani children aged 6-18 have smaller head circumference (HC) percentiles compared to other countries. This study developed specific HC reference curves for Pakistani children, highlighting the need for country-specific growth charts.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric anthropometry
  • Growth monitoring
  • Neurological development assessment

Background:

  • Head circumference (HC) is crucial for assessing brain volume and predicting developmental/neurological disorders in children.
  • Existing HC reference curves may not accurately represent diverse populations.
  • Establishing population-specific HC data is vital for accurate child health evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop smoothed reference curves for head circumference (HC) in Pakistani children aged 6 to 18 years.
  • To provide accurate anthropometric data for Pakistani pediatric populations.
  • To address the lack of localized HC growth charts.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a cross-sectional dataset of 9,194 school-going children (ages 6-18).
  • Employed standard procedures for head circumference (HC) measurement in centimeters.
  • Applied the lambda-mu-sigma (LMS) statistical approach to generate smoothed centile curves for both sexes.
  • Compared Pakistani HC data with international references (US, Turkey).

Main Results:

  • HC increased with age in both boys and girls.
  • Boys exhibited larger HC percentiles than girls until age 10.
  • From age 11, girls showed higher upper percentiles (90th, 95th, 97th) than boys.
  • Pakistani children had smaller HC measurements across all ages compared to US and Turkish children.

Conclusions:

  • Significant disparities in HC percentiles exist between different countries.
  • International HC references (e.g., US CDC) are unsuitable for Pakistani children.
  • Developing country-specific HC reference curves is essential for accurate pediatric health assessment.
Abstract

Keywords:
Pakistani childrengrowth reference curveshead circumferencelambda-mu-sigma method

More Related Videos

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable09:24

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable

Published on: May 17, 2024

1.6K
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.3K

Related Concept Videos

Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation02:32

Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation

In the field of psychology, there are several ways to organize measurements of a trait, feature, or characteristic (i.e., variables). Qualitative data, such as ethnicity, can be tabulated into a frequency count to provide information about the proportion, as well as the variety of groups in a sample or population. On the other hand, researchers can perform a wider set of calculations on quantitative data. The mean, mode, and median, for instance, are central tendency measures to identify a...
22.6K
Applications of Normal Distribution01:22

Applications of Normal Distribution

The normal distribution is a useful statistical tool. One of its practical applications is determining the door height after considering the normal distribution of heights of persons, such that many can pass through it easily without striking their heads. The normal distribution can also determine the probability of a person having a height less than a specific height.
The heights of 15 to 18-year-old males from Chile from 1984 to 1985 followed a normal distribution. The mean height is 172.36...
5.6K
Signs of Puberty01:27

Signs of Puberty

Puberty is a critical phase, typically beginning between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys, though timing can vary based on genetics, environmental factors, and overall health. This period is characterized by the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the attainment of reproductive potential. Endocrine changes underpin puberty, with hormonal surges of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) instigated by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)...
666
Bacterial Growth Curve01:28

Bacterial Growth Curve

The bacterial growth curve is a fundamental concept in microbiology that describes the dynamics of bacterial population growth in a closed system with controlled environmental conditions, such as temperature and nutrient availability. This curve is divided into four distinct phases: lag, log (exponential), stationary, and death phases, each reflecting a unique stage of bacterial adaptation and growth. During the lag phase, bacteria acclimate to their surroundings by synthesizing essential...
609
Introduction to Developmental Psychology01:27

Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
597
Normal Distribution01:11

Normal Distribution

The normal, a continuous distribution, is the most important of all the distributions. Its graph is a bell-shaped symmetrical curve, which is observed in almost all disciplines. Some of these include psychology, business, economics, the sciences, nursing, and, of course, mathematics. Some instructors may use the normal distribution to help determine students’ grades. Most IQ scores are normally distributed. Often real-estate prices fit a normal distribution. The normal distribution is...
12.6K