Effect on Growth Assessment: Short stature

Short stature is associated with several specific conditions. When assessing the growth of children with these conditions, it is important to recognize this. Some children with short stature have problems with overweight and obesity. While their energy needs are likely to be less than those of their taller, typically-developing peers, caregiver expectations of what they should eat and portion sizes offered may not be smaller. This will be covered in more detail in Module 2.

Growth delays are often associated with genetic disorders including Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, trisomy 13 and 18 syndromes, deLange syndrome, Hurler syndrome, Russell-Silver syndrome, Turner syndrome, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, and Williams syndrome. A few non-genetic conditions, such as fetal alcohol syndrome and spina bifida are also associated with short stature and/or growth delays depending on the severity of the condition.