BASIC programs for the assessment of skeletal maturity and the prediction of adult height using the Tanner-Whitehouse method

Abstract

A family of BASIC microcomputer programs is described that carry out the computations required for the assessment of skeletal maturity and the prediction of adult height according to the Tanner- Whitehouse techniques. These programs significantly reduce the tedious computations required for these assessments and present final data in a comprehensible format. Both the original, Mark 1, and the newer, Mark 2, prediction methods are included because even though the latter is intended to replace the former, this replacement will naturally take some time and comparability studies will inevitably be undertaken. The programs are written in Applesoft BASIC but may be easily modified for other microcomputers or main-frames with the facility for BASIC compilation.