THE THYROID GLAND AS A MAJOR CAUSATIVE FACTOR IN GROWTH ABNORMALITIES OF MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN.

This article focuses on a study which was conducted to assess the involvement of the thyroid in the causation of retarded growth. Data on serum thyroxine-iodine, creatinine phosphokinase, cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase in 54 mentally retarded girls and 73 mentally retarded boys aged 4-18 years are analyzed with reference to linear growth, weight and skeletal development. Of the 127 cases, 15 were found to be hypothyroid, 13 of which were on or below the 25th percentile of normal height for age. In an attempt to ascertain whether or not the hypothyroidism was a transient feature of childhood, 330 unselected adult males were also investigated, of which 22 cases could be classified as hypothyriotic.