Immobilization Related to Early Linear Growth

ABSTRACT. This study shows that children with late-diagnosed congenital dislocation of the hip (CDH) have close to normal height development during the initial 6.0 years of life. The treatment consisted of immobilization for 0.5 to 1.3 years starting between 0.2 and 0.7 years of age. The present work addresses one specific issue that is related to the age at onset of the childhood component of the ICP growth model. The onset normally appears between 0.5 and 1.0 year of age, and is recognized as an increase in length/height velocity. The onset is thus found during a period of increasing motor activity. The normal successive change from sitting to walking position may have some influence on the onset of this tempo change in early linear growth. The present documentation implies that there is no such influence. In all 14 children with CDH, the onset manifested during the period of immobilization, and the average age at onset was found to be Virtually equivalent with that of the controls. Our conclusion is that immobilization has no significant influence on the age at onset of the childhood phase of growth. The onset is accomplished independent of body position, be it lying down or normal for the age.