Growth assessment in abnormal children

The purpose of growth assessments in children with abnormal growth is to determine the status of their present size and development, to monitor their progress by serial assessments, and, when possible, to predict their adult stature. Growth assessments also provide the means by which the effects of disease and its treatment upon growth can be evaluated. For these purposes statistical treatment of the data are required.The assessment of physical growth is primarily concerned with statural growth. Weight gain and changes in body composition, however, are other useful indices of growth itself; these also correlate with statural growth. Skeletal and sexual maturation are important developmental landmarks which are used to predict adult stature.This report describes the measurements commonly used in growth assessments, how the measurements are made and expressed, and how they might be treated for serial and for statistical purposes. Other recent articles provide this information in greater detail [1, 2]