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Longitudinal evaluation of growth, puberty, and bone maturation in children with Williams syndrome

C J Partsch1, G Dreyer, A Gosch

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 8, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Children with Williams syndrome (WS) exhibit distinct growth patterns, including slower early growth and a premature pubertal spurt. This study defines syndrome-specific growth curves for WS, aiding in understanding their unique development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Human Genetics
  • Growth and Development

Background:

  • Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder associated with characteristic facial features, cardiovascular problems, and developmental delays.
  • Growth patterns in children with WS are not well-defined, necessitating syndrome-specific growth charts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish syndrome-specific growth rate (GR) curves for children with Williams syndrome.
  • To characterize bone maturation and pubertal development patterns in WS.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective longitudinal study collected growth data from 244 children with WS between 1990 and 1997.
  • Growth rate (GR) values were calculated from collected data for both girls and boys.

Main Results:

  • Children with WS showed below-normal mean GR in early childhood.
  • A premature pubertal growth spurt was observed in girls (at 9 or 11 years) and boys (at 11-12 years).
  • Bone age was delayed in childhood and accelerated during puberty, with final heights differing between sexes.

Conclusions:

  • Syndrome-specific GR curves for WS reveal a premature and abbreviated pubertal growth spurt in both sexes.
  • The observed growth spurt correlates with bone age acceleration during puberty.
  • This longitudinal data provides insights into growth dynamics and progression in children with WS.
Abstract

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