A comparative study of the growth status of children with and without SS disease at Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

An anthropometric study was conducted to determine the growth status of 1698 children with and without SS disease. Of the total subjects, 979 (57.7%) were from the University of Ilorin elementary school. Children with SS disease made up 42.3% (719) of the total sample. Children with SS disease had anthropometric values which were lower than the 50th percentile of the Unilorin sample. Of all the parameters assessed, the weight-for-age for children with SS disease was particularly deficient compared with that of the Unilorin pupils and with the Harvard standard. Although subjects were from the same Ilorin urban areas, effort was made to match the socio-economic class of children with SS disease with the Unilorin children. The need for the prompt medical management of children with SS disease and the provision of health counselling services for them were recommended.