Normal growth and growth disorders in children

Abstract

Growth in children is influenced by innumerable factors, and to achieve optimal final height, the child has to be healthy, its nutrition sufficient, and the psychosocial environment stimulating and positive. During the 1st year of life nutritional factors and thyroid hormone seem to be the most important regulators of growth; during the following years growth hormone increases in importance. Puberty and its timing are factors of greatest importance during the 2nd decade of life; disturbances in puberty will compromise final height. Increased understanding of factors influencing growth and increased access to growth hormone and analogs of hormone that influence the timing of puberty have made it possibly to increase final height in some groups of patients predisposed to short stature.