Incidence of short stature in children with hydrocephalus.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize heights and growth velocities of non-referred children with shunted hydrocephalus.

METHODS

Accurate home height measurements of 94 subjects (age 1-18 yr); repeated in 54 after one year. Heights were compared with those of general population, and with sibling and target height.

RESULTS

31% were below population 5th percentile, 34% were short for target height, and 25% were short for siblings. Slow growth velocity was present in 41%. Short stature (SS) was present in 40% with concurrent medical problems, and in 24% with no such problems. Medical problems with increased risk of SS included spina bifida or meningomyelocele, Dandy Walker syndrome, brain tumor, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, impaired vision, mental retardation, and pulmonary disorders. Finally, history of premature birth, seen in 31%, led to higher incidence of SS for target height (54%) than did term birth (28%). Accelerated growth was present in 37%.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with hydrocephalus are at increased risk for short stature, slow growth velocity, or accelerated growth. Observation of premature entry to puberty, or accelerated or slow growth velocity should prompt an endocrine evaluation.