Growth and achievement of large- and small-headed children in a normal population

Growth and school achievement were examined at regular intervals in the 926 children enrolled in the Prospective Longitudinal Study on the Development and Growth in Nagoya City, conducted from 1964 to 1981. Among these children, 10 had head circumferences of more than 2 standard deviations (SD) above the mean and 6 ones of less than 2 SD below the mean at least once in each infancy and adolescence. The heights and weights of the large-headed children were greater than the means, and those of the small-headed children lower than the means. These physical characteristics were already observable at birth. Achievement in primary and secondary schools over 9 years was excellent in 5 (50%) and average in the other 5 of the large-headed children, and average in 5 (80%) and poor in the other one of the small-headed children. Therefore, head size is correlated to both physical growth and school achievement.