Communalities for rates of diaphyseal elongation of short bones of the hand of children with Down syndrome.

Communality indices for rates of elongation of diaphyses of short bones of the hand were computed from serial data for children with Down syndrome, 7 to 14 years of age. Communalities were larger for adjacent than for nonadjacent bones and also larger for bones grouped in rows rather than rays of the hand. This pattern is similar to that reported for normal children. Communality indices for rates of diaphyseal elongation for girls with Down syndrome were lower than those of boys with Down syndrome and normal children.