LONG TERM GROWTH OF DIABETIC CHILDREN

Abstract

Most of the published studies on the growth of diabetic children appeared in the early years following the discovery of insulin.¹The authors all stressed the fact that diabetic children tend to be overheight at the onset of the disease. However, Boyd and Kantrow²and Boyd³more recently stated that there is no characteristic overgrowth of diabetic children when symptoms are first observed. It must be borne in mind that comparisons with "expected growth" are based entirely on comparisons of average growth of children of comparable age and for comparable periods of observation. Slight variations, therefore, cannot be considered significant. Joslin, Root and White^lacompared the growth of their patients in preinsulin and postinsulin days, and showed what a dramatic improvement had taken place. They felt that longer periods must elapse before conclusions could be drawn as to the extent of the increase in height that