[Growth specific analysis of Schmid's (1983) data on Down syndrome carriers]

After a short introduction to the phenomena of children with Down's syndrome, values describing body status as gained by Schmid at the Aschaffenburg hospital for child disease (F.R.G.) are recalled. In a cross-sectional study values for body height, head circumference and body weight for 393 girls and 436 boys were gathered in 1983 reflecting the status for medically treated patients of the present. After insuring that the scattering of the data keeps within tolerable limits growth specific analysis became a challenge. Body length is approximated with the 2 step model by Sager (1981) comprising a basic function without a growth spurt superimposed by a spurt term. As a result, an usual but somewhat reduced growth spurt can be secured for the girls whilst the boys show no intermediate maximum in growth velocity. Nevertheless velocity keeps well above that for the basic function thus indicating a silent spurt after the definition of Pelez and Sager (1984). Head circumference too is treated with the same model after tests with Czech values for common and gypsy children. As a result, a reduced but acute growth spurt with a growth hump for the increase function has been found for both sexes. In contrast to height, however, a short term formula for values from birth to near pubescence cannot be applied due to the vivid head growth in the postnatal phase. Values for body weight W allow first conclusions after plotting log W against the body length L. In the case of the Down patients, 2 different forms of fundamental relations emerge, one of them related to normal growth, the other to impeded or less differentiated development as found in the rhesus for example. For both cases, mathematical expressions as proposed and used by Sager are applied. Results show near to normal behaviour for the girls and a less intricate course in weight growth for the boys. Results are given in graphs and tables allowing detailed calculations if desired. Quotients of momentary to finally attained values for body height and weight as well as head circumference are added.