Adjusted Age for a Preemie: Normal Height and Weight Development

New parents of a preemie have so many questions. Is my baby growing normally? Why isn't he able to do what other babies are doing? As the mother of a premature baby, I learned one very important fact, a preemie shouldn't be compared to a full-term baby. Normal height and weight development for a preemie is based on the adjusted age, not the chronological age.

How do You Find the Adjusted Age for A Preemie?

To accurately track normal height and weight development for a preemie, you need to find his adjusted age. To find the adjusted age in weeks or months takes a bit of simple math.

Using my preemie son as an example, this is how the adjusted age of a premature infant is determined. Little K was born six weeks premature. I subtracted six weeks(premature)from 12 weeks(chronological age), which equals six weeks(adjusted). I wanted to know his adjusted age in months, so I divided 6 weeks by 4, which equals 1 1/2 months old.

Even though your premature baby may be three, four or five months old, he will most likely be at the normal height and weight development of a one, two or three month old.

What Is the Adjusted Age of A Preemie Used For?

The adjusted age of a preemie is used for determining the normal height and weight development at each doctor's visit. Adjusted age is also used to track other stages of development which include sitting up, standing, rolling over, sleeping through the night, and when to begin feeding your baby solid foods.

You may fear your baby is not developing "normally," when she is right on target for a premature baby's development. The pediatrician will pay close attention to the height and weight and development of your preemie, especially for the first two to three years.

Not all premature babies will need to be tracked using their adjusted age until they reach two or three years old. Every baby is different, and some will "catch up" to normal height and weight quicker than others. I used my preemie son's adjusted age to track his height and weight development for the first six months. At that point, K had caught up to a full-term baby's height, weight and other developmental milestones.

As my preemie son grew, each developmental milestone he gained was something to be celebrated. You have to take things one day at a time and focus on celebrating each milestone your preemie gains at his adjusted age, not his chronological age.