title: Growth decelerations among under 5-year-old children in Kasongo (Zaire). I. Occurrence of decelerations and impact of measles on growth. Kasongo Project Team.
abstract: The occurrence of growth decelerations in children was studied in more than 16 000 two-to-four-month time intervals, ending at ages 6 through 59 months, during a multi-round survey in Kasongo. Decelerations were measured as changes in standard deviation scores which were compared with international and local weight-for-age, weight-for-height, arm-circumference-for-age and arm-circumference-for-height reference data. Decelerations were strikingly frequent, particularly at younger ages. An important number of decelerations was related to infection with measles which provokes initial wasting; later, recuperation was partly through increase of weight and arm circumference, and partly through delayed stunting. The measurement of growth decelerations has the advantage over isolated weight-for-age or arm-circumference-for-age measurements in that the impact of age-dependency-induced errors is largely eliminated. The relative merits of the local and international reference curves are discussed.
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications*