Auxological and biochemical assessment of short stature.

Measurements of height and calculation of height velocity are highly accurate and sensitive to changes in a child's health. Definition of normality must be based on height velocity, and it is not acceptable to label a child as short and normal purely on the basis of a biochemical test unless this is substantiated with the demonstration of a normal height velocity. Response to therapy is dependent on the child's pretreatment growth rate and also on the amount of GH administered and the frequency of administration.