chronological age
The actual time elapsed since birth, used as baseline for developmental comparisons in pediatric assessments.
Full Definition
Chronological age refers to the amount of time that has passed since an individual's birth, typically measured in years, months, and days. In child development medicine, chronological age serves as the standard reference point for evaluating whether a child's development is progressing typically. However, for premature infants, chronological age may be less meaningful than corrected age (adjusted for prematurity) when assessing developmental milestones. Healthcare providers use chronological age to determine appropriate screening schedules, compare developmental progress against normative data, and establish treatment timelines.
Usage
Usage note: Always distinguish from corrected age in preterm infant contexts; express in years, months, days format.
In Context
- "At 18 months chronological age, the former 28-week preemie demonstrated skills consistent with 15 months corrected age." — neonatal follow-up report
- "The assessment compared the child's performance to norms for her chronological age of 4 years 3 months." — developmental evaluation