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Growth charts for Down's syndrome from birth to 18 years of age
A Myrelid1, J Gustafsson, B Ollars
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Insights
Swedish growth charts for children with Down syndrome (DS) reveal distinct growth patterns, including impaired head growth and increased BMI in adulthood. These charts aid in diagnosing associated conditions affecting growth in DS individuals.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Genetics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Growth patterns in children with Down syndrome (DS) significantly deviate from typical development.
- DS-specific growth charts are crucial for identifying associated conditions like celiac disease and hypothyroidism that can further impact growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and present novel Swedish growth charts specifically designed for individuals with Down syndrome.
Main Methods:
- The study utilized a combined dataset of longitudinal and cross-sectional data.
- Data encompassed 4,832 examinations from 354 individuals with DS (203 males, 151 females) born between 1970 and 1997.
Main Results:
- Mean birth length was 48 cm for both sexes; final adult heights were 161.5 cm (males) and 147.5 cm (females).
- Head circumference showed significant impairment, with SDS decreasing from -0.5 at birth to -2.0 by age 4.
- A body mass index (BMI) exceeding 25 kg/m² at 18 years was observed in 31% of males and 36% of females.
Conclusions:
- Despite overall growth retardation, the height difference between sexes in DS individuals mirrors that of healthy populations.
- Puberty may initiate earlier, but the pubertal growth rate is reduced in individuals with DS.
- Swedish growth charts indicate European boys with DS are taller than American counterparts, while European girls with DS have similar heights but are lighter than American girls.
Background:
Growth in children with Down's syndrome (DS) differs markedly from that of normal children. The use of DS specific growth charts is important for diagnosis of associated diseases, such as coeliac disease and hypothyroidism, which may further impair growth.
Aims:
To present Swedish DS specific growth charts.
Methods:
The growth charts are based on a combination of longitudinal and cross sectional data from 4832 examinations of 354 individuals with DS (203 males, 151 females), born in 1970-97.
Results:
Mean birth length was 48 cm in both sexes. Final height, 161.5 cm for males and 147.5 cm for females, was reached at relatively young ages, 16 and 15 years, respectively. Mean birth weight was 3.0 kg for boys and 2.9 kg for girls. A body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m(2) at 18 years of age was observed in 31% of the males and 36% of the females. Head growth was impaired, resulting in a SDS for head circumference of -0.5 (Swedish standard) at birth decreasing to -2.0 at 4 years of age.
Conclusion:
Despite growth retardation the difference in height between the sexes is the same as that found in healthy individuals. Even though puberty appears somewhat early, the charts show that DS individuals have a decreased pubertal growth rate. Our growth charts show that European boys with DS are taller than corresponding American boys, whereas European girls with DS, although being lighter, have similar height to corresponding American girls.