Zinc and Iron in Children With Short Stature

Short stature is defined as height below 3rd centile or less than two standard deviations below the median height for that age and sex according to the population standard.

Approximately 3% children in any population will be short, amongst which half will be physiological (familial or constitutional) and half will be pathological.

It is estimated that approximately 60%-80% of all short children at or below 2standerd deviation fit the definition of idiopathic short stature.

The growth and development of human require an adequate supply of many different nutritional factors. Nutritional deficiencies causing short stature include: those associated with stunting as: protein and zinc, nutrient associated with rickts as :vitamin D, and those with bone abnormalities as: cupper,zin,and vitamin c Insufficient nutrition tends to lead to short stature with a delayed pattern of growth. Under-nutrition can be isolated (eg, caused by inadequate food supply or self-imposed restriction, such as fear of obesity), or it may be a component of an underlying systemic disease that interferes with food intake or absorption, or increases energy needs. The hallmark of under-nutrition is low weight-for-height .

Trace elements are dietary mineral that are present in very minute quantities (less than 0.01%),they divided into three groups (WHO classification): Essential elements such as iodine and zinc ,Probably essential elements such as manganese and silicon , Potentially toxic elements such as fluoride,lead,cadmium, mercury, & Lithium.

Trace elements play significant functions as growth,oregulation of gene expression, immunity,the endocrine system, brain development, and the cell protection system. An adequate micronutrient intake is crucial for health, particularly in infants, children and adolescents ,deficiency in micronutrients can affect growth and development, particularly during periods of rapid growth.

Inclusion criteria

• • children of both sexes.

• Age range: 4-18 years.
• patients fulfilling criteria of short stature.
• height is 2 standard deviations below normal .
• initial height below the third percentile on Egyptian growth chart. • Number of patients: will include 50 cases

Exclusion criteria

• Skeletal dysplasia.
• Chromosomal anomalies