Discussion on Childhood Growth and Later Outcomes, Policy Implications and Treatment of Short Stature

摘要

This session focused on three presentations, all addressing the question of identification, consequences, and interventions around child growth. Child growth is the result of interactions between the child's genotype and environment, broadly defined. We study growth because it is an indicator of the outcomes of these interactions, but primarily because it is an easily recognizable (and measurable) phenotype. Variation in attained height has cultural meaning - being shorter than average has adverse consequences for economic productivity, and because men tend to marry women shorter than they are, shorter men have a more limited marriage market. Dr. Rosenfeld described the specific circumstances of severe growth retardation and role of recombinant growth hormone in its treatment. Dr. Ferraro highlighted several clinical consequences of variation in growth. For all these reasons, there is intense legitimate interest in identifying the underlying determinants of attained size. Dr. Wise discussed the underpinnings of public health policy, and the need to translate research findings to a wider audience.