Monitoring Child Growth
Why Monitor Child Growth?
Malnutrition in the early years of life can have catastrophic short and long-term consequences for both individuals and society:
- Decreased immunity: Reduces children's ability to resist infection and diseases
- Developmental impacts: Children may not fully develop their physical and cognitive potential
- Educational challenges: Affected children often have trouble in school
- Long-term health risks: Increased risk of noncommunicable diseases later in life
- Economic impact: Reduced productivity as adults
Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP)
Growth Monitoring and Promotion is a critical community-based program endorsed by many countries with tremendous potential to:
- Identify, screen, and refer malnourished children as early as possible
- Act as a platform for Primary Health Care
- Enable countries to reach Universal Health Coverage
- Serve as an entry point for maternal and child health and nutrition services
Core Components of the Grow GMP Project Model
1. Regular Screenings
Regular screenings and identification of malnourished children in the community through regular weight and MUAC measurement of children under two...
2. Nutrition counselling
Nutrition counselling for caregiver of children under five years old as they start experiencing growth faltering and all types of malnutrition...
3. Referrals
Referral of severe and moderate acute malnutrition cases identified using MUAC or children with oedema to the nearest Community-based Management of...
Program Implementation
In 2024, World Vision is supporting GMP and IYCF Counselling in 26 countries. In most countries, World Vision does not directly implement GMP; rather, we support CHWs in the capacity building and GMP implementation.
GMP implementation varies from country to country but majority of countries conduct monthly measures for all children under 5 years of age. Majority of field offices have GMP that measures all three nutritional status indicators of children (stunting, underweight, wasting)
