Proper assessment of a child's growth as time passes is essential as a guide for treatment of disease or disability. The best possible progress for the child who has genetic or acquired handicaps is promoted in various ways, but principally by helping the parents to understand the particular needs of their child at each stage and to protect it from unfavourable environmental influences. A knowledge of growth and development of the child is of basic importance to the physician who would attempt to care for children and to advise parents as to normality of their progress. The index developed here is a step towards this goal. It helps the physician to assess the growth of the child from the clinical point of view and the parents to evaluate the development of their child. It is hoped that the index will increase the knowledge of both the physician and the parents in understanding the growth pattern of children.