hospital based study on the physical growth of children

ABSTRACT

This study includes 1320 children who visited Nishtar Hospital, Multan for medical care on various occasions during November. 1980 to February 1982. The data obtained on the standard indices which serve as an important guide to the physical growth of a child are summarized in terms of percentiles. The percentiles are then modelled in adequate mathematical functions and graphically represented alongwith those of Hansard standards. It is concluded that a hospital based study has no comparison with that of Hansard reference standards and it is emphasized that a large scale epidemiological survey is required to establish the growth pattern of the community