The Small-for-Date Infant I. Later Growth Patterns

In a prospective study, 96 of a possible 131 full term small-for-date (SFD) infants have been followed for a minimum of 4 years. Serial measurements for weight, height, and head circumference have been compared with the Stuart growth percentiles. By 4 years of age the mean weight and height were between the 10th and 25th percentiles with 35% below the 3rd and only 8% above the 50th percentiles. Increase in head circumference paralleled linear growth. Bone age showed a high positive correlation with height age. Siblings of normal birth weight tended to be larger than the study children with 3% below the 3rd and 45% above the 50th percentiles. Heights of parents were normal, mothers were slightly underweight. There was no difference in the 6-year height or weight between the most severely intra-uterine retarded babies and their less affected counterparts. The growth pattern of the SFD children was similar to the normal child with the greatest velocity of growth occurring in the first 6 months. Those children whose 4-year height exceeded the 3rd percentile showed an accelerated velocity of growth in the first 6 months.