Babies who are slow to gain weight in the first months
of their lives generally catch up to their peers by age 13,a large UK study
shows, Researchers said the results would make parents whose babies fail to put
on weight quickly less worried.
The researchers looked at data from ,11,499 children
who took part in a large study, It showed that 507 who were slow to gain weight
in the first eight weeks of life recovered fairly quickly and had almost caught
up by age 2. Another group of 480 who were slow to gain between eight weeks and
nine months continued to put on weight slowly until they were seven years ,but
then had a sudden increase and caught up by age 13, The different pattems of
recovery between the two groups were likely due to different reasons for slow weight
gain ,the researchers said, All the children were still lighter and shorter
than their peers by the time they were teenagers ,but within the normal range.
The findings highlight the importance of monitoring a
baby’s weight and height gain during the first few weeks and months ,but not
creating anxiety with parents of slow-growing babies, said the study leader
Prof Alan Emond from the University of Bristol.
“In the past, a lot of parents have been caused
unnecessary anxiety by heaith professionals and this is a positive and reassuring
message.”He said in many cases of slow growth where children do not follow
the standard’curve’(曲线)it is just because they are following
their genetic potential.
Dr Simon Newell, vice-president of the Royal College
of Paediatrics and Child Health, said he broadly agreed with the concluslons of
the researchers but stressed that poor weight gain was something that needed to
be monitored closely, “I would encourage parents to use growth charts but if
measurements show your baby is smaller than averager it may be completely
normal, ”he said.
1.What can we know from the findings of the research?
A、All
the cases of slow weight gain in the first months of the babies’ lives are
caused by the same reason
B、Slow-growing babies will
have the same height and weight with their peers by age13
C、Many
cases of children whose growth don’t meet the growing standard curve cannot be
treated as abnormal
D、The
findings won’t cause parents’ anxiety so monitoring a baby’s growth from
his/her birth is unnecessary
2.Which of the following statements is true according
to the passage?
A、It’s important to monitor
a baby’s weight and height gain for new parents
B、New parents should feel
anxious about their baby’s weight and height gain
C、Researches still couldn’t
find the reasons for slow weight gain
D、All the children’s weight
and height became normal by age 13
3.What does the underlined word in the fourth
paragraph mean?
A、Making sure something is
certain to be true
B、Making someone calmer and
less anxious
C、Confirming something is
to happen again
D、Being sure that someone
can be attracted
4.Which of the statements would Dr Simon Newell agree
to?
A、To some degree, growth
charts can help parents monitor their babies’ weight gain
B、It’s abnormal for babies
are smaller than average
C、He agreed with the
researchers completely
D、Babies’ weight gain can
only be monitored and measured by using growth charts.
5.The writer wrote this passage in order to
A、tell us how to help
babies grow faster
B、explain why babies are
gain weight slowly
C、report on the findings of
a research
D、reduce the anxiety of
some parents
