Short stature is a common physical developmental abnormality in children. Without timely and accurate diagnosis, as well as early intervention, it can impose a heavy burden on the children and their families. There are numerous causes for short stature, and the diagnostic process essentially involves identifying its underlying causes. Based on a thorough understanding of the regular patterns of child physical development and the characteristics of individuals at high risk of short stature, a scientific definition of short stature needs to be established, along with standardized diagnostic and treatment protocols, to achieve early diagnosis or referral for short stature. Furthermore, it is necessary to enhance scientific awareness of short stature among parents and primary care pediatricians, in order to avoid over-treatment, missed diagnoses, and misdiagnoses arising from "misconceptions", and to improve the scientific assessment of short stature.
Humans ; Child ; Dwarfism/diagnosis* ; Child Development ; Parents ; Body Height ; Growth Disorders/etiology*

BACKGROUND: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health is an ongoing study consisting of two birth cohorts of different population sizes: the Sapporo cohort and the Hokkaido cohort. Our primary objectives are to (1) examine the effects that low-level environmental chemical exposures have on birth outcomes, including birth defects and growth retardation; (2) follow the development of allergies, infectious diseases, and neurobehavioral developmental disorders, as well as perform a longitudinal observation of child development; (3) identify high-risk groups based on genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals; and (4) identify the additive effects of various chemicals, including tobacco. METHODS: The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the progress of the Hokkaido Study, summarize recent results, and suggest future directions. In particular, this report provides the latest details from questionnaire surveys, face-to-face examinations, and a collection of biological specimens from children and measurements of their chemical exposures. RESULTS: The latest findings indicate different risk factors of parental characteristics on birth outcomes and the mediating effect between socioeconomic status and children that are small for the gestational age. Maternal serum folate was not associated with birth defects. Prenatal chemical exposure and smoking were associated with birth size and growth, as well as cord blood biomarkers, such as adiponectin, leptin, thyroid, and reproductive hormones. We also found significant associations between the chemical levels and neuro development, asthma, and allergies. CONCLUSIONS Chemical exposure to children can occur both before and after birth. Longer follow-up for children is crucial in birth cohort studies to reinforce the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. In contrast, considering shifts in the exposure levels due to regulation is also essential, which may also change the association to health outcomes. This study found that individual susceptibility to adverse health effects depends on the genotype. Epigenome modification of DNA methylation was also discovered, indicating the necessity of examining molecular biology perspectives. International collaborations can add a new dimension to the current knowledge and provide novel discoveries in the future.
Biomarkers/blood* ; Child ; Child Health ; Child, Preschool ; Cohort Studies ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Environmental Health ; Environmental Pollutants/adverse effects* ; Female ; Fetal Blood/chemistry* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Growth/drug effects* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity/etiology* ; Infant ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Male ; Neurodevelopmental Disorders/etiology* ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/etiology* ; Prevalence ; Smoking/adverse effects*

To explore the effects of intrauterine infection on early growth and neurobehavioral development in neonatal rats. (E. coli) was inoculated into uterine cervix of pregnant rats with gestation of 15 d to establish the intrauterine infection model, and the effect on the delivery of pregnant rats was observed. The neonatal rat brain tissue was stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and the cerebral white matter damage was assessed. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis were performed to evaluate the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), 2', 3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and neurofilament (NF) in pup brains. Birth weight and early growth development indices were monitored,and neurobehavioral tests were performed to access the change of neurobehavioral development in neonatal rats. The white blood cell count increased significantly in the uterus and placenta of the pregnant rats after intrauterine E. coli infection and no significant impact was observed on the delivery of pregnant rats. Weak staining and focal rarefaction of cerebral white matter from rats at P7 in intrauterine infection group were observed. The expression of GFAP markedly increased (<0.05) in infection group, while the level of CNPase and NF in pup brains at P7 significantly decreased (<0.05 or <0.01). Compared with control group, the neonatal rats in infection group had lower birth weight and slower weight gain during the suckling period (<0.05 or <0.01), and the completion times of ear opening, eye opening, surface righting, negative geotaxis, acoustic startle and swimming test in infection group were significantly delayed (<0.05 or <0.01). Intrauterine infection in pregnant rats can induce cerebral white matter damage and retardation of early growth and neurobehavioral development in neonatal rats.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Behavior, Animal ; Body Weight ; Disease Models, Animal ; Escherichia coli ; Escherichia coli Infections ; complications ; physiopathology ; Female ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; genetics ; Growth Disorders ; etiology ; Leukoencephalopathies ; etiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Child ; Child Nutrition Sciences ; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; China ; Food Supply ; Growth Disorders ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Malnutrition ; epidemiology ; Poverty ; Sanitation

Anterior disc displacement is a common subtype seen in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients. It may cause mandibular movement disorders, such as clicking of joint, intermittent closed lock, limitation of mouth opening, etc. These disorders may affect the life qualities of patients. Anterior disc displacement may also cause mandibular malformations, especially among adolescents, which may affect the growth of condyle, therefore may have a correlation with mandibular retrusion or mandibular deviation when grown up. This paper going to review the influences of anterior disc displacement on oral mandibular function and morphology and their biological mechanisms.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Mandible ; abnormalities ; pathology ; Mandibular Condyle ; growth & development ; Mandibular Diseases ; etiology ; Movement ; Retrognathia ; etiology ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; etiology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of R bone age, C bone age, and T bone age in children with different causes of short stature based on the Tanner and Whitehouse skeletal age assessment system 2 (TW2), and to provide a reference for the etiological diagnosis of short stature.

METHODSThree hundred and sixty-three children with previously untreated short stature were classified into four groups according to the causes: growth hormone deficiency (GHD; 27 cases), idiopathic short stature (ISS; 280 cases), small for gestational age (SGA; 41 cases), and Turner syndrome (TS; 15 cases). The X-ray films of their left hand-wrist bones were taken to determine the bone age. R bone age, C bone age, and T bone age were assessed by the TW2 method and compared with their chronological age (CA).

RESULTSR bone age, C bone age, and T bone age were over 2 years less than CA in both boys and girls from the GHD group. In the ISS group, R bone age, C bone age, and T bone age were about 1 year less than CA in boys, while there were no significant differences between the bone ages and CA in girls. In the SGA group, there were no significant differences between the bone ages and CA in either boys or girls. In the TS group, R bone age and T bone age were significantly lower than CA, while there was no significant difference between C bone age and CA.

CONCLUSIONSThe children with different causes of short stature have different characteristics of R bone age, C bone age, and T bone age assessed by the TW2 method. The assessment of R bone age, C bone age, and T bone age by the TW2 method is helpful for the etiological diagnosis of short stature in children.

Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton ; Body Height ; Child ; Female ; Growth Disorders ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Male

Body Height ; Child ; Craniofacial Dysostosis ; diagnosis ; Female ; Growth Disorders ; etiology ; Humans

Biomarkers ; blood ; Child ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Growth Disorders ; etiology ; Humans ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Puberty, Precocious ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Teratoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Testis ; pathology

INTRODUCTIONAt present, about 1% of newborns are delivered through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the growth parameters of children born in assisted and natural conception at 5 years of age.

MATERIALS AND METHODSIn a cross-sectional case control study, weight, height and head circumference of 5-year old children were assessed. The case group consisted of term, singleton babies who were products of ART in the Center for Infertility of Shahid Sadoughi University, Yazd, Iran in 2005. The control group consisted of term, fi rst child, singleton and spontaneously conceived 5-year-old children who were referred for vaccination to primary health care center of Shahid Akbari in 2010.

RESULTSFifty-eight girls (47.5%) and 64 boys (52.5%) "with equal numbers in each of the 2 groups" were evaluated. Sex distribution, mean ages of fathers and mothers were not statistically significant different in both groups. Children born after ART tend to have lower birth weight, smaller birth head circumference and lower weight at 5 years of age. Having low birth weight (<2500 g), being underweight and having short stature at the age of 5 were more common in babies born through ART.

CONCLUSIONGrowth retardation is more prevalent in babies born through ART. Thus, growth assessment, parents' knowledge about child physical development, and timely and accurate follow-up of these children are necessary for early detection of any growth disorders.

Body Height ; Body Weight ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Growth Charts ; Growth Disorders ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Head ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Male ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; adverse effects

Body Height ; Child ; Gitelman Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; Growth Disorders ; etiology ; Humans ; Male