A Clinical Inquiry into 200 Cases of Children Coming to the Clinic Due to the Symptom of Growth Deficiency

성장장애(成長障碍)를 주소(主訴)로 내원(來院)한 환아(患兒) 200례(例)에 대(對)한 임상적(臨床的) 관찰(觀察)

Over the period between January 1997 and December 1998, herbal medicine was more than three times administered to the patients coming to Na dong gyu's Oriental Medical Clinic on account of the symptom of growth deficiency. According to radiological opinions about the patients providing cooperation for measuring their height and weight as well as their bone age every three months, it was found that the growth plates were not closed. A research was conducted for 200 children randomly selected of patients in prepuberty (they grew by less than 5cm a year before treatment at a age of 12years for female children and 14years for male children). As a result, the following conclusion was drawn: 1. The randomly selected subjects were made up of 116 male and 84 female children in terms of gender. The age direstribution was most 10 to 12 years in 86 children(34.00%), followed by 8-10 years(27.50%) and 12 to 14 years(19.50%). 2. Considering the distribution of sick children's parental height, the fathers of 141 children(70.50%) measured less than 170cm high, the subaverage height, while the mothers of 172 children(86%) measured less than 160cm high, the subaverage height. It was shown that sick childen's height was genetically influenced by their parents. 3. Children patients's weight at a time of birth was most 3.1-3.5kg for 85 children(44%) and less than 2.5kg which came under the range of growth dificiency for 19 children(9.5%). 4. The highest proportian of the children patients with growth dificiency(56.33%) had the symptom of digestive disorders, of which 77 children patients(18.78%) had anorexia, 16.59% of children patients had the high level of respiratory disorders. Both the digestive disorder and the respiratory disorder put together, they had the high rate of 72.92%. Therefore, this indicates that both the digestive disorder and the respiratory disorder have a great effect on children's growth dificiency. 10.74% of chilren patients were shown to have allergic disorders, which indicates that they also exert an effect on growth deficiency. Specifically, 7.07% of the children patients had the high level of obesity, which shows that an excessive uptake of nutrition may rather induce children to have growth dificiency though an appropriate amount of nutritional uptake is necessary. 5. Comparing their bone age and their chronological age, 58 children patients(29.00%) showed that they were the same at the highest percent. 79 children patients(39.50%) showed that thier bone age was lower than their chronological age. And 63 children patients(31.50%) showed that their bone age was higher than their chronological age. 6. As regards the prescription administered to children patients for treating their growth dificiency, Growth tang A related to the kidney, the congenital factor, of the causes for growth dificiency in traditional Oriental Medicine was administered to 108 children patients(54%), whereas the Growth tang B related to the spleen, the acquired factor, was administered to 92 children patients(46%). 7. 116 male children patients with growth dificiency had the average value of growth for one year before treatment, 4.39cm, while 84 female children patients had the average value of growth for one year before treatment, 4.24cm. A total of 200 children had the average value of growth for one year before treatment, 4.33cm. The annual average value of growth in growth curve surveyed by the Korea Pediatrics Society was 5.79cm. Compared to this value, the one year average value of growth for 108 male and female children patients taking Growth tang A was shown be 8.44cm, which indicates a greater growth by 4.12cm(95.37%) in comparison with the average value of growth before treatment, 4.32cm, and a greater growth by 2.65cm(45.77%) compared to 5.79cm, the average value of growth in growth curve surveyed by the Korea Pediatrics Society. Also, the average value of growth before treatment for 92 male and female children patients taking Growth tang B was shown to be 8.47cm, which indicates a greater increase by 4.15cm(96.06%) compared to 4.32cm, the average value of growth before treatment and a greater increase by 2.67cm(46.29%) in comparison with 5.79cm, the average value of growth in growth curve surveyed by the Korea Pediatrics Society. Considering the average value of growth for male and female children patients taking Growth tang A and B, it was shown to be 8.46cm, which indicates a greater increase by 4.14cm(95.81%) compared to 4.32cm, the average value of growth before treatment, and a greater increase by 2.67cm(46.11%) compared to 5.79cm, the average value of growth in growth curve surveyed by the Korea Pediatrics Society.