Premature pubarche and the growth of the trunk in paralysed children

In a hospital supervising prolonged orthopaedic treatment of children suffering from neurological affections, isolated premature pubarche appeared very frequently in children suffering from severe paralytic sequelae of acute anterior poliomyelitis. These subjects had a greater progression of scoliosis and segmental disproportion than comparable subjects of the same age. Supine length and crown-rump length were studied during growth in 16 paralysed boys and 22 paralysed girls with premature pubarche. The results were compared with those of two control populations, one normal group (274 girls, 246 boys), the other a paralysed group (49 boys and 38 girls). Paralysed children (group with premature pubarche and control group) all show considerable shortening of the legs. Up to age 11 for girls and 13 for boys, children with premature pubarche had longer trunks than normal, while supine length was normal. Premature slowing of growth then occurred, bringing the trunk to normal values and supine length to very low values for age. This is ascribed to premature pubertal growth of the trunk. The roles of hormonal changes and neurological damage are discussed.