Growth decelerations among under 5-year-old children in Kasongo (Zaire). I. Occurrence of decelerations and impact of measles on growth. Kasongo Project Team.

The occurrence of growth decelerations in children was studied in more than 16 000 two-to-four-month time intervals, ending at ages 6 through 59 months, during a multi-round survey in Kasongo. Decelerations were measured as changes in standard deviation scores which were compared with international and local weight-for-age, weight-for-height, arm-circumference-for-age and arm-circumference-for-height reference data. Decelerations were strikingly frequent, particularly at younger ages. An important number of decelerations was related to infection with measles which provokes initial wasting; later, recuperation was partly through increase of weight and arm circumference, and partly through delayed stunting. The measurement of growth decelerations has the advantage over isolated weight-for-age or arm-circumference-for-age measurements in that the impact of age-dependency-induced errors is largely eliminated. The relative merits of the local and international reference curves are discussed.