Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
113479~
This invention concerns growth calculators and
more particularly calculators for assessing the growth
of a child relative to a particular child population.
Child growth is usually assessed by reference to
a growth standard in the form of a set of tables relating
the heights and weights of children of different sexes at
different ages from birth to adulthood, the tabulated
data being derived from a statistical survey of a particular
population of interest. For example there is a so-called
Tanner growth standard in current use in the United Kingdom
which standard was derived from Social Class 3 English
Children in the early 1960's and sets out different
percentiles of height and weight at successive ages.
In the ~anner standard the selected percentiles are the 3rd,
10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 97th, so that each tabulated
entry denotes the height or weight exceeded by a specified
percentage of boys or girls at a specified age.
Growth in respect of a specific child can also be monitored
by use of a chart graphically showing selected percentiles of
Z0 heigh* or weight against age from birth to maturity~ the child's
height or weight being marked on the chart progressively with age.
Now it is probably well accepted that tabulated data is
not the most convenient to use and, in fact, the use of such
data is commonly confined to persons having a special interest
1134q91
in the data. Certainly this confined use is the case for
growth standards, and also for gr-owth charts9 use of t~ese
being largely confined to medical and o her persons having
a special professional interest in children. Ho~ever~ it
is thought that the pl-ovision of a more compactS con~eniently
operab]e and generally applicab~e means for assessing child
growth would stimulate wider utilisat;on part-cularly
among general practitioners and parents~ with associated
benefits.
~0 With this thought in mindS the present invention
provides a child growth calculator comprising first and
second members, said first member bearing a scale denoting
age for individual children, said second member bear-ing a
scale denoting a growth parameter for individual ch-ldren5
~5 one of said members bearing graduations denoting proportionate
data involving said parameter for a predeterm-ned pop-~la+-o-
of children~ and the other of said members bear-ng at ]eas=
one index, said members be_ng adapted for conne^tion to allow
relative movement therebetween wi+h said s_aies jux+aposedg
with said graduations and index juxtaposed9 and with the two
juxtaposed relationships being correlated in a predeiermined
manner whereby relative movement between said members to
juxtapose said scales with a selected combination of values of
age and gr-owth parameter aligned at the same time juxtaposes
said graduations and the associated index or indices to indicate
a proportional valuation of said combination rela+ive to said population
113~79~
It will be appreciated that the proposed calculator
is of slide rule form and the basic mode of use thereof is
largely self-evident from this fact and the rele-ant
relationship between its markings. Also, the proposed
ca]culator is conveniently designed on the basis of data
from an existing growth standard~ and the growth parameter
denoted by the second-rnentioned sca]e will ac~ordingly be
height or weight. Moreoverg since both height and weiaht
are of relevance to an assessment of child growth, the
proposed calculator is preferably of a multiple form to take
account of both of these parameters and, in this event,
one of the first and second members can serve as a base
member to bear a further set of markings for co-operation
with a third member. In the case of a multiple calculator
taking account of both height and weight9 it is also
possible to provide further graduations and associated index
or indices~ respectively borne by the two of the three members
other than said base member9 to indicate a proportionate indication
of weight-for-height, or height-for-weightS for selected parameter
values relative to the relevant population
Variation is also possible in respect of the graduations and
associated index or indices. In one simple form these can comprise
a scale and a single index to indicate the percentage of the
weight or height of the selected combination relative to the
2~ average value for the relevant population. ~n an alternative
-- 113479~ ,
form the graduations comprise a series of graphical traces
representing successive preselected percentiles, which
traces co-operate with a plurality of indices in the form
of a scale representing age, with the age of a selected
combination indicating on which percentile~ or between which
successive percentiles, the relevant height or weight lies.
Both of the two forms just described can be employed on a
common pair of members.
It will also be understood that child growth standards
commonly provide data specific to sex and the same will be true
of the presently proposed calculator. However, it is possible
to provide data for both boys and girls on the same calculator
by the provision of a further growth parameter or age scale on
one of the first and second scales with the "duplicated" scales
respectively denoting data for the different sexes. Such
~duplication'~ also applies to the graphical traces5 and these
are suitably distinguished as to sex by colour coding~
In order that the invention may be more fully understood
the same will now be described5 by way of example. with reference
to one embodiment thereof based on the Tanner growth standard
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which.-
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are front views of the calculatorand two members thereof, respectively, and
Figures ~, 5 and 6 are corresponding rear views of the
calculator and s~ch members.
~134791
The illustrated calculator comprises three members
10, 11 and 12, of which the first is a base or frame member
of longitudinally-hollowed rectangular envelope form within
which the second and third members are independently slidably
received in edge-to-edge disposition. The member 11 is
respectively above and below member 12 in Figures 1 and ~.
The member 10 has two rectangular windows 13 and
14 extending longitudinally in its front, which windows
are respectively located over the central portions of the
members 11 and 12.
Adjacent each longitudinal edge of each window 13
and 14, the ~ember 10 bears a respective scale representing
age, these scales being successively denoted 15, 16, 17 and 18
from top to bottom in Figure 1. Scales 15 and 17 represent
ages for boys, and scales 16 and 18 represent ages for girls.
The front face of member 11 bears a scale 19 exposed by
window 13 and juxtaposed to the scales 15 and 16, and the
front face of member 12 bears a scale 20 similarly related
to the window 14 and the scales 17 and 18, the scales 19 and 20
respectively representing height and weight. It will be
appreciated that the scales 19 and 20 can extend laterally
across their members to a width not less than that of the
respective windows, or they can, as shown, be duplicated
adjacent the longitudiral edges of their members.
1~34 791
The member 10 has two further rectangular windows 21
22 in its rear, these windows being respectively located above
the members 11 and ~2. The member 10 bears an index 23 adjacent
a longitudinal edge of the window 21, and another index 24
similarly ]ocated adjacent window 22. The rear face of member 11
bears a scale 25 exposed by window 21 and juxtaposed to the
index 23, and the rear face of member 12 bears a scale 26
similarly located relative to the window 22 and index 24, the
scales 25 and 26 respectively representing percentage height-
for-age and percentage weight-for-age.
In use of the calculator as so far described in
relation to a child of known sex, age,.height and weight,.
the member 11 is slid within member 10 to align the relevant
height on scale 19 with the relevant age on scale 15 or 16, and
the member 12 is similarly slid to align the relevant weight
on scale 20 with the rele~ant age vn scale 17 or lo. The
calculator is then turned over and the indices 23 and 24
respectively indicate the percentages height-for-age and
weight-for-age relative to the relevant child population on
which the calculator is based.
Additional data is also available from the rear of
the calculator by way of two rectangular windows 27 and 28
provided in the member for respective location above members 11
and 12. These windows extend with their longitudinal dimensions
transverse to those of the members, and the member 10 bears a
\
~13479~
respective scale 29 and 30 adjacent a longitudinal
edge of the windows 27 and 28. The rear faces of
the members 11 and 12 each bear a respective pairs
of series of graphical traces 31, 32 and 33, 3~
representing selected percenti~es of the relevant
male and female child population. T}-e traces 31
and 32, and 33 and 34, are similarly distinguished
by colour coding, this being denoted in the accompanying
drawings by use of solid lines and dotted lines. When
the calculator members are aligned as described above,
the age of interest on the scales 29 and 30 respectively
indicates by reference to the traces 31 or 32, and
33 or 3~, which percentile or percentiles the height
and weight of interest lie on or between.
Further data relating the height and weight of
interest is also available from the front of the calculator.
For this purpose yet another rectangular window 35 is
provided extending longitudinally along the member 10,
this window being located over the adjacent edges of the
members 11 and 12. One of these last two members, in
this instance 11, bears an index 36 adjacent to the edge
in ~uestion, and the other member 12, bears a scale 37 along
its exposed edge which scale represents percentage weight-
for-height. Again then, alignment of given weight, height
and age~ as described above, provides an indication by way
1134791
of the index 36 and scale 37 of the percentage
weight-for-height relative to the re]evant population~
While the invention has been described with
particular reference to the illustrated embodimerlt. t
will be appreciated that variation is possible within
the scope of the invention as described more generally
in the foregoing introductory passages. In particu]ar
the locations of associated pairs of scales, and
graduation and indices, can be interchanged. Also,
not all of the data given by the illustrated calcul.ator
may be required. Alternatively9 the data can be amplified
by the provision of graphical traces and an associated
scale between members 11 and 12 to indicate percentile
weight-for-heightS for e~ample. Another variation can
involve the provi.sion of parameter value sca~es in
different units of measurey such as lmperial and Metric.
