1. Introduction
   1. What is a Growth Graph
   2. Who made it and why?
2. Hanging the Chart
   1. Best location to hang
   2. Hanging Instructions
3. Understanding the Components
   1. Height and Weight Chart
   2. Recording Height and Weight
   3. Interpreting the Results
   4. Developmental Milestone Stickers
   5. Health Information
4. Decorating
   1. What is possible with a Growth Graph
   2. How to go about it
   3. tools
5. Maintaining your Growth Graph
6. Contact Details & Support

What is a Growth Graph?

A Growth Graph is an unique new product designed for parents which aims to provide an easy and fun extension to the idea of watching a child grow.

Using the concept of a pediatric growth chart, a Growth Graph is a life-sized poster which can be used to record a child's height and weight over time, with added features such as a developmental milestone time line, infant health information, and immunization schedules.

Who made it and why?

The Growth Graph concept was imagined when a dedicated and loving father realised that while moving house the government issued baby book was lost in transit. This book held a lot of sentimental value, and losing it meant that no record exists of his four children's development or birth information.

An idea was formed to design a life-sized height and weight chart that was unmisplacable, durable, and will store any information that a parent could consider worth remembering. The growth graph was born from a need for a better, more responsible kind of parenting product which makes a parent's life easier, displays long term thinking, promotes understanding, and encourages creativity.

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Best location to hang

To get the longest possible life out of your Growth Graph, hang the poster somewhere where it won't be exposed to sunlight for long periods of time, such as behind a bedroom door or on the inside of a wardrobe door. Direct sunlight will damage the GrowthGrap by fading the ink. Even indirect sunlight can, over long periods of time, have an effect on the longevity of the inks.

Hanging Instructions

First, stick some poster hangers to the back of the poster, one on each corner, about half an inch in from the edges. Save yourself some effort and be sure to have someone else to help hold the poster. While they hold the poster at about the right height, take a measuring tape and find 65in/160cm from the ground. There are two marks on the left and right edges of the Growth Graph which are there to help you find the right height and ensure the poster is level while hanging. When both of the lines are at the right height, strip the cover from the other side of the poster hangers, and press the graph against the wall.

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Height and Weight Chart

The vertical lines represent intervals of time, increasing from left to right, starting from birth and finishing at 21 years of age.

Note the change in horizontal scale after year three!

Because the first three years of a child's life hold a large amount of growing and changing, we have given more room on the graph to better record those changes. The first three years are referred to as the "toddler graph", as it is indeed a totally seperate graph.

There are two meanings for the horizontal lines. If you look at the graph you will see two sections of graph. In the taller section refers to height, the shorter refers to weight.

The areas of graph represent a range of human height and weight values. The grid lines fade in just before the 3rd percentile (below which 3 percent of the population fall), and fade out after the 97 percentile line (below which 97 percent of the population fall).

Recording Height and Weight

Using the graph is simple. First, locate the vertical line best representing the childs age. Stand the child up against that line, and mark the height the child has reached on the chart with a marker pen.

To keep the recordings consistent, always remove the child's footwear, stand them up straight, and flatten their hair before recording their height.

Until the child can stand, measure their height with a tape measure. Measure the child's weight if desired, and mark it on the weight section on the same vertical line. If you frequently and regularly record your child's height and weight and connect the points together carefully using a ruler, over time the line should start to appear on the graph.

Interpreting the Results

The power of a growth chart really lies in the ability to compare a child's growth against the averages of all the other children of the same age. This allows you to see in advance any inconsistencies and potential problems. These averages are refered to in the context of a growth chart as "percentiles". On the Growth Graph there are three percentiles for each gender in both height and weight.

The outer-lying percentiles are the 3rd and 97th percentiles, and these actually dictate where the grids start to fade in. The name of a percentile gives you an idea of what percentage of a population falls below that line, and so a 97th percentile represents the height or weight below which the vast majority of people fall at that age. An average sized person will be around the 50th percentile.

Developmental Milestone Stickers

As time progresses and the height points are joined together to form a curve, this line will function as a time line, upon which you can place your developmental milestone sticker. When a milestone occurs and you wish to record it, take an extra measurement and place the sticker on the chart pointing to that point.

Health Information

The Growth Graph allows a parent to record in a special section at the top of the chart all of an infants birth information, including birthday and birth time, blood type, birth place. There is also a table which can be used to record immunisations that the child has had.

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Perhaps one of the most powerful features of the Growth Graph is the fact that it is sold blank, allowing the child and parents to instill into the graph aspects of their own personality. It is this that gives a Growth Graph such sentimental power when it has been used for many years. A Growth Graph that has been treated with creativity and love becomes a real treasure, an art project, an heirloom.

What is possible with a Growth Graph?

Anything you want and can imagine is possible with a Growth Graph. Vivid displays of color and character are common, but sometimes the thing that jumps out most from a personalised Growth Graph is the love and interest in the child's journey through life. An infant's handprint followed by a toddler's, a child's, an adolescent's, and finally a teenager's is something that is really special.

Photo montages are popular, with sections displaying the child at different stages of his or her life, or depicting themes or activities that they are a part of.

The most rewarding thing about seeing a Growth Graph that has been filled out in such a way is that you are essentially looking at a hand made map of the childs life, and instantly an outsider can really share in the essence of the individual it depicts.

How to go about it

So what will you need to decorate your Growth Graph? For a start, a few vital points to consider regarding the nature of the paper.

The material your chart is composed of is actually a hybrid paper plastic called polypropylene, which is basically a plastic film with a coating which allows it to absorb ink. The paper is durable and so will last forever, but must be treated carefully.

Firstly, its no different to any other piece of paper, if it gets too wet it'll crinkle, so only use a tiny amount of glue.

Secondly, do not assume that if something goes on there you will be able to remove it without damage to the absorabative covering. Some materials do allow this, and some work better than others. Blu tac shouldn't damage, but yellow tac will!

Before embarking on any decoration project, firstly have a look around for some inspiration, then plan what you are going to do carefully. You can print out this A4 practice growth chart to help you think about layout. Don't, however, fall into the trap of taking it all too seriously. Everything on your Growth Graph will give it character, so don't fret!

Tools

Here is a list of tools that might come in handy:

• Some gorgeous photo's of your family
• A paint brush and paints!
• A4 sheets of Sticker Paper
• A tube of Photo Glue
• A Printer
• A friendly local print shop

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Because of the nature of the paper, the surface of your chart can become dirty. Luckily a dirty graph isn't permanant, because a quick wipe with a slightly damp cloth will help remove a build up of dirt. Be careful though that you don't apply too much moisture to the surface of the chart, it may cause damage!

Also, a word of warning. You may want to keep the graph out of the way of 2 year old's and their grubby little fingers. They can dirty or pull down a chart, or so we hear. Roll it up and stow it away in its tube for safe keeping for the duration.

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You can reach us by filling out a form here, or by addressing an email to sales@growthgraph.com.

Please visit our FAQ before emailing us any queries!

You can also phone us on (+617) 3375 5999 during normal work hours (EST).