[Physical development of children with myelomeningocele].

The aim of this study was to assess physical development of 33 children at the age between 1 and 36 months, suffering of myelomeningocell. In each of patients the level of spinal damage and presence or absence of hydrocephalus were established. Somatic measurements were performed by means of the technique commonly accepted for children under the age of 3 years. The most delayed physical development was observed in children with the highest level of spinal cord damage (up to Th10); children with spinal damage cord located below L5 were slightly delayed in physical development. In comparison with healthy children, the patients were of short stature and light weight with shorter lower limbs and slightly shorter upper ones. They had also undeveloped skeleton, big heads and overgrown fat tissue. Analysis of the body proportions indicated that the length of trunk, shoulder and hip breath as well as circumference of chest did not differ from the values found in healthy controls but they were increased in the relationship to body height. Additionally, the body weight of children with undeveloped skeleton and muscles was close to the normal and it was due to overgrown fat tissue.