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The ripening of a fertilized human ovum through the stages of embryonic and fetal life, infancy, childhood and adolescence has physical, behavioral, intellectual, emotional and cultural aspects. Growth and Development don't take place independently in discrete areas or systems.

The steadily progressive trend in the pattern of growth of a child is a reliable index of the state of his health. Parental problems concerning the growth and development are really endless. The term "growth" pertains to "physical or structural increase in the size and development to functional or physiological increase in capacities." 'Development' is meant the "development of mental and intellectual capacities". One thing needs to be borne in mind is, that growth and development cannot be separated from each other and are closely and reciprocally inter-related. Retardation of one necessarily regards the other and viceversa. Growth and development is generally given a unitary meaning implying both the magnitude and is, quality of maturational changes.

Though in assessing the growth and development of a child it is the height and weight which usually are stressed, a few other facts known like head, chest circumference, differential length ratio, the bone age, eruption of teeth etc go a long way in determining physical growth. A study of the attainment of development milestones is also necessary.