What is small for gestational age?
Small for gestational age means that a fetus is measuring smaller than it should, taking into account norms for its sex, and gestation date (week or month of pregnancy). It is measured as anything less than the interval in which 90% of fetuses of the same gestational age measure.
Understanding growth and weight gain/loss-related symptoms and features.
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
Symptoms which affect the growth and or weight gain/loss of an individual may also affect the ability of their body to function properly. This might affect their movement, their brain development and the other organs of their body including the heart.
Growth charts help to track a child’s physical development, including weight and height, and flag any issues or concerns. An issue with under or over growth may be the result of an underlying medical condition, or may trigger a secondary medical problem. In some cases a physical growth problem may be due to environmental factors, including under or over feeding.
Symptoms relating to physical growth may be many and wide ranging.
What should I do next?
In some instances, small for gestational age may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Small for Gestational Age, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.
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