Growth is an important objective parameter of general health of a child. Short stature is a common problem encountered by practicing pediatricians. The etiology of short stature ranges from normal variants like familial short stature (FSS) & constitutional growth delay (CGD) to pathological conditions like endocrine & systemic disorders. Fortunately, the normal variants form the commoner causes and can be suggested by basic tools like anthropometric data and bone age. However, the distinction between normal & abnormal growth can be difficult at times

Short stature may sometimes be the only obvious manifestation of endocrine conditions & systemic diseases

Definition :

A child is considered short if :-

Useful point to note : 80% of children with height less than 3SD below mean have pathologic Short Stature whereas 80% of children with height less than 2SD usually have normal variant Short Stature.