[Body growth in the early diagnosis of Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome].

Growth charts of five children with Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome were examined. Clinical diagnosis was based on usual features of this condition. These included hypotonia in infancy, obesity, mental retardation, short stature, undescended testes in boys and typical physical features. Extensive investigations have failed to reveal pathognomonic abnormalities in this syndrome. Obesity and failure to thrive, beginning in early infancy and increasing with age is a precocious and typical feature. This pattern helps to early diagnosis. Only congenital hypothyroidism could show a similar pattern.