title: Sexual maturation in girls with severe mental handicap.
abstract: It is becoming accepted that sex education of handicapped adolescents should not be neglected. For such education to be effective, it should begin before sexual maturity. In an attempt to provide a starting guideline for girls attending ESN(S) schools in the Manchester area, a cross-sectional survey was performed to determine mean age of menarche. The results showed the group as a whole to be on average 13 months later than normal. However, Down's syndrome formed a large identifiable subgroup with a mean menarcheal age 11 months earlier than normal, leaving the non-Down's group 21 months later than normal, and 2 years 8 months behind the Down's group. The implications for education are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: McKinlay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008572:Menarche; D012736:Sex Education