Canalization of Growth in Down Syndrome Children Three Months to Six Years

Document Type

Article

Authors

Christine E. Cronk, Wright State University, Yellow Springs, Ohio
Robert B. Reed, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Abstract

While growth of children with Down syndrome has been noted to be retarded, several studies have suggested that phenotypic development is also more poorly canalized. The present study compares the degree of canalization of growth in a group of Down syndrome and normal children 3 months to 6 years. Data for each sample are analyzed by longitudinal principal components analysis. The first component is a centile position component and the second component is a centile shift component. The remaining three retained components summarize deviations around the curve of growth described by the first two components. Using parameters based on the component scores from a joint analysis of the two groups, the Down syndrome group has significantly lower component scores for the first and second principal components indicating that, as documented in other studies, they are smaller and show markedly deficient growth velocity. The Down syndrome group show greater variability than the control group for the remaining components indicating a tendency to greater deviations around the curve of growth described by the first two components. This difference is interpreted as manifestation of poorer canalization of growth in the Down syndrome group.

Recommended Citation

Cronk, Christine E. and Reed, Robert B. (1981) "Canalization of Growth in Down Syndrome Children Three Months to Six Years," Human Biology: Vol. 53: Iss. 3, Article 11.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol53/iss3/11