[Development of ossification centers in childhood. A supplement to diagnosis and therapy (author's transl)].

The development of ossification centers in the region of the knee, the head of the femur, in the hand and the ossification of the iliac apophyses is of great significance in childhood. Timely or delayed appearance of the distal femoral and proximal tibial epiphyseal centers is an aid to confirming the diagnosis of a neonatal hypothyrosis. The normal range of variation of the appearance of the center in the head of the femur is therefore important to avoid unnecessary treatment when other parameters of hip dysplasia are lacking. Excessive growth in length, prospective calculation in differences in leg length and therapeutic measures for scoliosis are indications for the determination of the bone age.