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Growth charts for Chinese Down syndrome children from birth to 14 years
Xuefen Su1, Joseph Tak Fai Lau1, Chak Man Yu2
1School of Public Health and Primary Care, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, PR China.
Insights
New growth charts for Hong Kong Chinese children with Down syndrome (DS) reveal shorter stature and lower weight compared to non-DS peers. Growth retardation is most pronounced in the first year of life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Genetics and Human Development
- Public Health and Epidemiology
Background:
- Establishing accurate growth references is crucial for monitoring child development.
- Existing growth charts may not adequately represent children with Down syndrome (DS), a genetic condition affecting growth patterns.
- There is a need for localized growth data for specific ethnic and clinical populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present novel, DS-specific growth charts for Hong Kong Chinese children.
- To provide a reference standard for assessing the growth of children with Down syndrome in this population.
- To identify growth patterns and potential deviations in Hong Kong Chinese children with DS.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional and retrospective study design was employed, collecting data from DS children via the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association, special schools, and public hospitals.
- Growth parameters including weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), and head circumference were measured.
- The LMS (Lambda-Mu-Sigma) method was utilized to construct reference centile curves from birth up to 14 years for height and weight, and up to 4 years for head circumference.
Main Results:
- The study analyzed data from 425 DS children (57% males), yielding 4987 observations.
- Median birth length for DS boys was 49.8 cm and 146.7 cm at 14 years; for DS girls, it was 49.5 cm and 142.1 cm, respectively.
- Overweight prevalence at age 14 was 26% for DS boys and 12% for DS girls, with significant growth retardation noted in the first year.
Conclusions:
- Hong Kong Chinese children with Down syndrome exhibit shorter stature and lower weight compared to their non-DS counterparts.
- Growth patterns in this cohort differ from those reported in Taiwan, the USA, and Sweden.
- The findings highlight the critical need for DS-specific growth monitoring, particularly during infancy, to ensure optimal health outcomes.
Objective:
To establish Down syndrome (DS)-specific growth charts for Hong Kong Chinese children.
Design And Setting:
Growth data were collected from (1) members of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association (cross-sectional); (2) DS children attending special schools or living in residential homes (cross-sectional); and (3) the paediatric departments of seven public hospitals (retrospective).
Patients:
425 DS children (57% males and 43% females) born in 1977-2000, yielding 4987 observations.
Main Outcome Measures:
The LMS method was used to construct reference centile curves of weight, height, body mass index (BMI) from birth until 14 years and head circumference for the first 4 years.
Results:
The median birth length was 49.8 cm and height at age 14 was 146.7 cm for DS boys. Corresponding figures for DS girls were 49.5 and 142.1 cm. The median birth weight was 3.0 kg for DS boys and 2.9 kg for DS girls. At age 14, 26% DS boys (BMI >22.6 kg/m(2)) and 12% DS girls (BMI >23.3 kg/m(2)) were overweight. The median head circumference at birth was 32.8 cm for boys and 32.0 cm for girls.
Conclusions:
Chinese DS children had a shorter stature, lower weight and tendency to be overweight than local non-DS children. Their growth patterns differed from those of Chinese DS children in Taiwan, and DS children in the USA and Sweden. Growth retardation was most salient during the first year of life.
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