Abstract

Abstract: Two growth parameters Weight and Height of 110 (55 boys, 55 girls) Thalassemic children were compared with 110 (60 boys, 50 girls) Non Thalassemic siblings, ICMR, and NCHS norms. Weight and Height were restricted in thalassemic children, was evident from 9 years in both boys and girls. Growth parameters seemed to be adversely affected with the advancing age. Weight and Height of both Thalassemic and Non Thalassemic children was above standard values of ICMR but below standard values of NCHS. Having subjects been grouped agewise into 6 to 11 and 12 to 18 years. This grouping revealed that differences mean scores of Thalassemic and Non Thalasemic children is more conspicuously evident in second age group. This means that growth spurt is delayed in Thalassemic compared with Non Thalassemic siblings. No statistically significant difference was found between Thalassemic Boys and Girls. Difference between incidance of growth restriction in Iranian and Indian Thalassemic children was not statistically significant. However in Indian Thalassemic children with mean hemoglobin levels of preceding 6 months below 8mg/dl incidence of weight (but not of height) restriction was higher than that of those with mean hemoglobion levls of preceding 6 months above 8 mg/dl. Such difference was not found in thalassemic children if hormozgan neither for weight nor for Height . Incidence of Weight Restrion (IWR) and height Restriction (IHR) in Indian and Iranian Thalassemic children conveys no statistically significant differences. Indian IWR=0.687 Iranian IWR=0.728(P=0.5) Indian IHR=0.712 Iranian =0.738(P=0.5)