Standard Measures

Stature

Stature, the height or tallness of a person standing, is measured on those subjects who are able to stand flat-footed and straight: therefore, subjects with contractures, etc. can not be measured with this technique. Subjects under the age of two should not be measured using this technique, but rather, they should be measured using the recumbent length technique. Subjects between the ages of two and three can be measured using either stature or recumbent length methods, but it should be noted which technique is used(2). Stature measurements require a stadiometer. The subject should be either barefooted or wearing very thin socks. Preferably, the subject should not be wearing thick or baggy clothing, so that the measurer can adequately assess the position of the body (2). With weight evenly distributed on both feet, the subject should stand with feet perpendicular to the vertical board. Eyes should be positioned in the Frankfort Horizontal Plane, with the subject's ;ine of sight parallel to the ground. The heels, buttocks, shoulder blades, and head should be touching the vertical board. Arms should be relaxed, and heels should be together with feet at a sixty degree angle (2). The subject is asked to inhale deeply, and the headboard is moved onto the most superior part of the head. Adequate pressure to compress the hair should be applied to obtain an accurate reading. Measurements should be read and recorded to the nearest 0.1 cm.

Recumbent Length

Recumbent length, the longest dimension from head to toe, is the best way to obtain length measurements on those children under the age of two or those subjects who are unable to stand erect. A recumbent length table is needed for this measurement. This technique, however, cannot be used on those subject's with scoliosis or contractures because of their inability to straighten out. Shoes, thick socks, and hair accessories should be removed. The subject lies supine upon the table while somebody (parent/assistant) holds the subject's head making sure the crown of the head touches the stationary headboard. The subject should be lined up so that their body is along the center line of the table. The head is held with the Frankfort Plane perpendicular to the plane of the table (2). The head, shoulders, buttocks, legs, and heels should all be touching the table. The shoulders and hips should not be slanted or uneven, but rather perpendicular to the center line of the table. The subject should then relax the body while the measurer bends the feet to a ninety degree angle with the legs. The measurer should then slide the moveable footboard to the bottom of the subject's feet. Slight pressure should be applied for an accurate measurement, but care should be taken to ensure that an excessive amount of force is not applied. Too much pressure may alter the vertebral column, making the measurement unreliable (2). During the measuring process, someone should be holding the subject's head and maintaining alignment while the measurer holds the subject's knees down. A caretaker may be able to assist a lone measurer in this capacity, while soothing or distracting the child during the measurement process. The measurement is then read and recorded to the nearest 0.1 cm.

Weight

Three types of scales are most commonly used : the pan scale, the platform scale, and the bed scale. If possible, all scales should be calibrated daily. The pan scale is only used with infants. The infant should be nude or wear only a dry diaper. The infant is placed on the pan with weight equally distributed around the center of the pan. Weight should only be read when the infant is lying quietly. Infants are measured to the nearest 10 g. A subject able to stand erect is weighed using