Percentiles..how do they work?

[nic]

Can someone explain to me how the percentiles work? With ante natal classes with DD, it was explained to us that if they are on the 95th percentile, then they are in the group of 5% of children who are..(whatever measurement it applies too)
But recently it was explained to me in the opposite way. That if they are for eg, in the 95th percentile, then 95% of children are in that range.

So which one is it? Can anyone explain please?

Nic

[Nai]

At the 95th percentile only 5% of children will be greater than (whatever the measurement is) this child and 95% of children will be less than (whatever the measurement is) of this child. So if a child is at the 95th percentile for height only 5% of children the same age are taller.

[Nelle]

Your first explanation (and Nai's) is right.

[BellyBelly]

It's all based on mathematics... and if your CHN is using the standard charts that would be on 1970's bottlefed babies in labtests. There are WHO breastfed baby charts now. But its all silly, it takes a small baby and a big baby to make an average baby. All maths schmaths.

[satya]

Or another way of putting it..... 10th percentile for say height would mean that 10 out of 100 kids would be shorter than your bub but 90 out of 100 would be taller.

[Jaycee]

Kelly, would you happen to have a link for the WHO baby charts?
I'd be interested to have a look if you do!
Thanks