We assessed the effect of zinc supplementation on growth velocity in 79 children and adolescents (48 males, 38 females) with idiopathic short stature. Their height-for-age was < 5th percentile (NCHS standards) and their weight-for-age was normal. Patients were assigned randomly to a supplemented group (S) to receive Zn 10 mg/day or to a placebo (P) group, according to gender and age, and were followed-up for 12 months using a double-blind design. Weight, height, armspan, length of lower segment and plasma and hair concentrations of Zn were measured at 0, 3, 6 and 12 months. On admission and at 6 months, energy, protein, dietary fiber and zinc intakes were similar for groups S and P; mean zinc intake was < 6.5 mg/day. No differences were found in plasma zinc, hair zinc, weight, armspan or lower segment increments. Pre-adolescent males in group S had a significantly greater increase in stature compared with group P (6.2 +/- 2.1 versus 4.5 +/- 1.2 cm/year p < 0.025); z score improved from -2.42 to -2.24 in group S and from -2.63 to -2.61 in group P. For adolescent males, the difference was also significant (8.3 +/- 1.5 versus 6.2 +/- 2.1 cm/year; p < 0.025). No differences were noted in females. In Chilean male schoolchildren and adolescents with idiopathic short stature, zinc supplementation increases growth velocity over a 12-month period.

The socio-cultural factors that might be influencing the normal psychomotor development of the undernourished infant are studied. The sample consisted of 32 mother-infant dyads: 16 having normal DQ (Group A) and 16 having a below normal DQ (Group B) according to Bailey's Test applied to infants who entered a Nutritional Recuperation Center. Results showed that there were some differences in the infants' backgrounds: infants of Group A were the product of a wished-for pregnancy (p less than .05), and were separated less from their mother's side (p less than .007) than was the case in Group B. No differences were found in the socio-cultural and demographic background of the mothers. The infants' external environment was different in aspects observed within the neighborhood: there were fewer negative aspects in Group A than in Group B (p less than .003) and more positive in Group A than in B (p less than .001). The infant's internal environment as related to the mother was also different. Mothers of Group A perceived more affection from their partner (p less than .008), were more sensitive (to feelings of joy and suffering) (p less than .003) and stimulated their infant (p less than .004) more than those of Group B. These results show that the internal and external environments in which the infant with normal and below normal DQ evolves were different between the two groups. This could explain the differences in psychomotor development among undernourished infants belonging to the lower socioeconomic strata.

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