[Physiologic, pathologic and manipulated body growth]

Abstract

On the basis of the Zurich growth studies the following aspects of growth are discussed: Multifactorial dependency. Secular trend in young men still present but no longer in infants. Normal distance and velocity curve. Sex dependency of skeletal maturation, pubertal growth-spurt and adult size, but sex independency of the mid-growth spurt around age 7. Independency of adult size from timing and height of the pubertal growth spurt. Growth standards, perinatal standards for intra- and extra-uterine growth, growth chart for each child. Correlation of present height with future adult height and with mean parental height. Estimation of future adult height and comparison with target height estimated from mid-parent-height. Extreme normal variations of height and velocity, hormonal interventions. Catch-up-growth as compensatory growth acceleration after elimination of the cause of pathological growth retardation, and catch-down-growth as compensatory growth retardation after elimination of the cause of pathological growth acceleration.