Question:

Upper segment to lower segment ratio in a 3 year old child is:

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US:LS falls with age: 1.7 at birth, 1.3 at 3 yr, 1.0 at 7 yr.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
  • 1.6
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: The upper segment is measured from the crown to the upper border of the symphysis pubis, and the lower segment from the symphysis pubis to the heels. Their ratio changes predictably with age, which is the basis of this question.

Step 2: After birth the lower segment (the limbs) grows faster than the upper segment, so the upper-to-lower ratio falls steadily as the child grows older.

Step 3: The standard values are: at birth about 1.7:1, at 3 years about 1.3:1, at 7 years about 1.0:1, and thereafter the lower segment slightly exceeds the upper. Therefore at 3 years the ratio is 1.3, making option b correct.

Step 4: Options c (1.4) and d (1.6) correspond to younger ages closer to birth, and 1.2 is between the 3 and 7 year values, so they do not match a 3 year old exactly.
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