The infancy-childhood-puberty model of growth: clinical aspects.

The infancy-childhood-puberty (ICP) growth model describes human growth from the latter half of the intrauterine life to maturity as three additive and partly superimposed components--infancy, childhood and puberty. Each component can be analysed mathematically and appears to be controlled by distinct biological mechanisms. The infancy component is largely nutrition dependent, the childhood component is mostly dependent on growth hormone (GH) and the pubertal component depends on the synergism between sex steroids and GH. The ICP model offers a method for detecting abnormalities in the three components, so that early intervention can be targeted and therapy monitored.