Non-Invasive Measurements of Physical Maturity in Children

Abstract Serial data for 268 normal children (144 boys, 124 girls) have been used to calculate predicted adult statures without using skeletal age. Present statures at an age have been used with these predicted values to obtain ratios that are significantly correlated (p <.05 or < .01) with accepted measures of physical maturity from 5 to 15 years in boys, and from 3 to 13 years in girls. Reference values for this ratio are provided. It is recommended that this non-invasive method of measuring maturity be used when irradiation cannot be justified or when the invasion of personal privacy is inappropriate.