Growth Outcome of Normal Short Children Who Are Retarded in Skeletal Maturation

The growth and adult stature of short normal slow maturing children (SNSMC) have not been adequately studied. We applied a well-known adult stature prediction method to SNSMC and average children (AC). The accuracy of adult stature prediction in SNSMC warranted its use as a guide to the effectiveness of treatment (average median absolute errors: 1.71 cm males, 1.61 cm females). Additionally, we derived biological parameters from the serial statures for SNSMC and AC. Several of the biological parameters differed significantly between the SNSMC and AC in both sexes (stature velocity and age at onset of the pubescent spurt, age at peak height velocity, and the increment in stature from peak height velocity to 18 years) and the differences between these groups in stature at onset of the pubescent spurt and at peak height velocity were significant for males. The differences were not significant in either sex for the rate of growth at peak height velocity or the increase in stature from the onset of the pubescent spurt to peak height velocity