Growth patterns, health and illness in preschool children from a multi‐ethnic, poor socio‐economic status municipality of Melbourne

There are little longitudinal data available for sample populations of Australian children. Previous findings from the Brunswick Family Study, unlike earlier overseas studies, have shown that adverse family and social factors were not associated with growth abnormalities. Follow-up of 224 children from the cohort at 4 years of age has confirmed absence of significant growth disturbances, no mortality between 1 and 4 years, and serious morbidity due to organic illness in only 4% of the sample. However, 22% of the 4 year olds were found to have behaviour disturbances. These findings from a multi-ethnic, poorer socio-economic status population sample illustrate the importance of behaviour disturbances as one aspect of the new morbidity in Australian paediatrics and indicate that the once prevalent growth failure and organic morbidity consequent to family and social disadvantage have all but disappeared.