Practical use of sex-maturity rating in adolescents
Daniel, W.A.
Practitioner 214(1280): 209-212
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0032-6518 PMID: 1144248 Document Number: 92758
We believe that the use of sex-maturity ratings as a routine part of physical examinations for adolescents is of value to all physicians caring for adolescents. The information is useful not only in following the growth of an individual patient but in detecting early abnormal patterns of adolescent development and also as a means of comparison with other adolescents. Because anaemia or a low haemoglobin-haematocrit value is a major concern during growth, we believe norms related to the sex, race, and maturity rating of an adolescent patient are of significant value. Caloric intake as well as dietary iron intake and percentage of transferrin saturation tend to increase with increasing maturity ratings and provide an indication for further evaluation if they are below the mean and standard deviation for the rating of maturity.