Catch-down growth during infancy of children born small (SGA) or appropriate (AGA) for gestational age with short-statured parents

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed postnatal growth in children with familial short stature (FSS) with regard to small (SGA) or appropriate (AGA) for gestational age status at birth. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 96 otherwise healthy short-statured children (58 males; SGA: n = 41, AGA: n = 55). At least one of the parents was short-statured. Cross-sectional data for length/height and weight for the first 4 years of age were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: AGA children had a mean length of 0.09 +/- 1.02 standard deviation score (SDS) at birth, -1.57 +/- 1.16 SDS after 1 year of age, and -2.36 +/- 0.72 SDS after 4 years. SGA children had a mean length of -2.04 +/- 1.06 SDS at birth, -2.70 +/- 1.12 SDS at 1 year of age, and -3.05+/-0.86 SDS at 4 years. The loss of length SDS within the first 2 years of life was greater in AGA than in SGA children. SGA children were significantly shorter than AGA children at all of the study points (p <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Children with an FSS background born AGA show catch-down growth to their lower familial range during the first 2 years of life. SGA children did not catch up to their AGA peers at any time.