Growth charts for Chinese Down syndrome children from birth to 14years

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 99; no. 9; pp. 824 - 829
• Main Authors: Su, Xuefen, Lau, Joseph Tak Fai, Yu, Chak Man, Chow, Chun Bong, Lee, Lai Ping, But, Betty Wai Man, Yam, Winnie Ka Ling, Tse, Philomena Wan Ting, Fung, Eva Lai Wah, Choi, Kai Chow
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 30-09-2014
• ISSN: 0003-9888
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2013-304494

ObjectiveTo establish Down syndrome (DS)-specific growth charts for Hong Kong Chinese children.Design and settingGrowth data were collected from (1) members of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association (cross-sectional); (2) DS children attending special schools or living in residential homes (cross-sectional); and (3) the paediatric departments of seven public hospitals (retrospective).Patients425 DS children (57% males and 43% females) born in 1977-2000, yielding 4987 observations.Main outcome measuresThe LMS method was used to construct reference centile curves of weight, height, body mass index (BMI) from birth until 14years and head circumference for the first 4years.ResultsThe median birth length was 49.8cm and height at age 14 was 146.7cm for DS boys. Corresponding figures for DS girls were 49.5 and 142.1cm. The median birth weight was 3.0kg for DS boys and 2.9kg for DS girls. At age 14, 26% DS boys (BMI >22.6kg/m2) and 12% DS girls (BMI >23.3kg/m2) were overweight. The median head circumference at birth was 32.8cm for boys and 32.0cm for girls.ConclusionsChinese DS children had a shorter stature, lower weight and tendency to be overweight than local non-DS children. Their growth patterns differed from those of Chinese DS children in Taiwan, and DS children in the USA and Sweden. Growth retardation was most salient during the first year of life.