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Assessment of stature in children with orofacial clefting
T H Lipman1, I Rezvani, A Mitra
1Nursing of Children Division, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing 19104, USA. Lipmanpobox.upenn.edu
Insights
Children with orofacial clefting show significantly higher rates of growth failure. This highlights the critical need for careful growth monitoring in these children, regardless of other health concerns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Craniofacial anomalies
- Growth and development
Background:
- Orofacial clefts are common congenital conditions.
- Potential impact on child growth and development is not fully understood.
- Need to identify risk factors for growth abnormalities in affected children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate stature in children with orofacial clefting.
- To determine if this population is at risk for short stature.
- To investigate potential causes of growth failure, including hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction, age, sex, and cleft type.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Inclusion of children aged 3-12 years with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts.
- Measurement of stature and assessment of hypothalamic-pituitary function in cases of growth failure.
Main Results:
- Children with orofacial clefting exhibited significantly higher rates of growth failure compared to the general population (p < 0.005).
- Parental refusal for further evaluation in cases of growth failure due to perceived lack of concern from other healthcare providers.
- Data collected on sex, age, and type of cleft for correlation analysis.
Conclusions:
- The elevated incidence of growth failure in children with orofacial clefting necessitates precise growth assessment.
- Growth failure in this population should not be overlooked, even when managing other significant health issues.
- Emphasizes the importance of vigilant monitoring and intervention for growth disturbances in children with orofacial clefts.
Purpose:
To assess stature in children with orofacial clefting to determine whether this population is at risk for short stature and if growth failure is caused by hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction or if it is related to age, sex, or type of cleft.
Design:
Cross-sectional.
Methods:
All children 3 to 12 years old with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts who were evaluated as outpatients were measured; those who demonstrated growth failure were to have an evaluation of their hypothalamic-pituitary function. Data were also collected on sex, age, and type of cleft.
Results:
Children with orofacial clefting had significantly more growth failure than the general population (p < 0.005). The parents of four of the five children with growth failure refused further evaluation because "no one else was ever concerned about my child's height."
Clinical Implications:
The high rate of growth failure in this population emphasizes the need for precise growth assessment of children with orofacial clefting. Growth failure should not be ignored or minimized in populations of children having other significant health care problems.