Pediatricians measure a child's growth not only by weight and height but also by skills mastered. These skills often develop at predictable ages and go by the term developmental milestones. Toddlers have a wide range of normal, according to the BabyCenter website.

In order to assist doctors in plotting children's height and weight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed growth and weight percentile charts. These charts show how the size and growth patterns of one child compare with other children of the same age and gender.

When a child fails to gain weight at the same rate as others her age and gender, it’s known as a failure to thrive. Yet, a parent might not be able to adequately tell if her child is actually suffering from this condition.

As your toddler grows and develops, she will add both weight and height to her stature. Growth charts enable physicians and parents to compare an individual child to population statistics of typical children of the same age.

There are a few symptoms that are frightening for parents to see their toddler experiencing. Shortness of breath, medically referred to as dyspnea, is best described as a sensation of feeling suffocated or like the chest is tightening. This symptom may occur only once, or it may occur often.

With each new milestone your toddler reaches, you may become more certain that she’s the brightest toddler you’ve ever seen. Parental biases aside, you could be onto something.

Language is an important skill that allows a person to communicate. A child begins to develop language even before she can use words, as seen by a baby who cries to get her needs met. A delay in language skills can cause frustration for a child as well as miscommunication about what she may be trying to convey.

As your little one moves past babyhood and into toddlerhood, her hair might need some extra attention. You may encounter challenges as your child’s hair goes through a stage of uneven wispiness. Stay the course if you’re growing it out, though.