Longitudinal study of body height, radius length and skeletal maturity in Danish boys with cleft lip and palate.

Body height, radius length and skeletal maturity were registered longitudinally in 48 boys with combined cleft lip and palate (CLP) and compared with measurements in a non-cleft control group. Age range was from 6 to 20 yr. Skeletal maturity was evaluated according to the TW2 method. Distance and velocity curves for radius length and body height were determined by means of a computer program which for each month calculated the median and percentiles of the distribution. Compared to the control group the CLP boys were slightly shorter from 6 to 18 yr of age. The velocity curves revealed that pubertal growth maximum occurred on an average 6 months later in the CLP boys and that the pubertal growth spurt was less marked. However, the total growth period was prolonged thus enabling the CLP group to catch up with the control group. Skeletal maturity was retarded during the whole period when compared to normal children. It is suggested that the early feeding problems and recurrent infections of the upper airways combined with the surgical procedures account for an essential part of the delay in the present CLP group.