Height and Weight Screening

POLICY:

NOCAC Head Start children will have an initial height and weight screening within 90 days of enrollment.

PROCEDURES:

1. Height and weight screenings obtained from the child’s qualifying Physical Exam will be entered into Child Plus for tracking by the Health Data Systems Specialist.  In order for a physical exam to “qualify”, it must be done on July 1st or later.
2. If a height and/or weight are not available from the child’s Physical Exam, NOCAC staff will conduct an initial height and/or weight on the child within 90 days of enrollment.
3. All children are measured in accordance with standardized rules provided and recommended by the HSAC.
   1. See the attached NOCAC Head Start Weighing Children Procedures.
4. NOCAC Head Start staff will refer children according to the policy entitled “Nutrition Child Status”
5. Based on current recommendations from the HSAC, the following cases will be followed up on/referred:
   1. Children who fall above the 95th percentile
   2. Children who fall below the 5th percentile for BMI will
   3. Children with stature-for-the-age below the 5th percentile will receive follow up.
6. The Health and Safety Assistant will assess the children who are referred and provide appropriate intervention including any or all of the following:
   1. Providing an informational packet for the parent
   2. Providing counseling to parents regarding nutrition concerns
   3. Discussing nutrition issues with other NOCAC staff members
   4. Making referrals to other NOCAC Head Start service are experts.
   5. Requesting staff for child and caregivers
   6. Making periodic weight checks to monitor progress.
7. To meet the 90-day screening requirement, heights and weights are conducted twice annually for Head Start center based children and per EPSDT guidelines of home base.
   1. During the months of September and March the Health Data System Specialist will print ChildPlus reporting forms for each child and distribute to centers.
   2. Center staff will perform height and weight and return to Health Data System Specialist at the Central Office for data entry within 2 weeks.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

• Weighing Children Procedures Handout
• Nutrition Child Status