Height Percentile Calculator
Calculate height (stature) percentile for children and teenagers using age- and sex-specific reference values.
What is Height Percentile?
Height percentile is one of the most-watched measurements at well-child visits because growth velocity is a sensitive indicator of overall health, nutrition and endocrine function. Children typically track within 5–10 percentile points of their own growth curve. A sudden drop or stagnation can flag conditions ranging from chronic illness to growth-hormone disorders, so trends matter much more than a single number.
How is it calculated?
Height percentile is computed from a z-score against the age- and sex-specific reference mean and standard deviation. This calculator uses approximations of the CDC growth-chart curves; clinical decisions rely on the full LMS dataset plotted on a paper chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does percentile predict adult height?
- Older children's percentiles correlate, but mid-parental height is a better predictor.
- Why does growth slow before puberty?
- Pre-pubertal slowing is normal — a growth spurt follows.
- Can short stature be normal?
- Yes — many short children have constitutionally normal growth.
- Should I be concerned about a drop in percentile?
- A sustained drop of more than two channels warrants pediatric review.