Continual change is the essence of life. The rapid changes in size that we call growth, and the rapid changes in form, function and behavior that we call development, are the core of pediatrics. A good working knowledge and the skill to evaluate growth and development are necessary in the diagnostic evaluation of any patient. Subtle changes—often the failure of some change or event to occur at an expected time—may constitute the earliest sign of disease. The early recognition of growth failure or maldevelopment may be the discovery that sets in motion the investigations necessary for effective intervention in the management of a patient's problem.
Copyright © 1990, Butterworth Publishers, a division of Reed Publishing.