Skeletal maturation of the hand and wrist in Jamaican children

ABSTRACT

The skeletal maturity of 812 Jamaican children aged 1-15 years was compared with that of British children, by the method of Tanner, Whitehouse and Healy (1962). Up to the age of 2.5 years, the skeletal development of the Jamaican children, was in general, more advanced than that of their British counterparts but over the age of 13 it was retarded in both sexes. From 2.5 to ten years of age the data showed no consistent differences between the two populations, but after this the Jamaicans fell progressively behind. At all ages the heights and weights of the Jamaican children were less than those of their British counterparts. The results support other evidence that children of African descent have a genetic potential for more rapid skeletal development in early life than European children. (Summary)