The Study on Correlationship between Parent's Height and Adult Height Prediction according to TW3 Method

Objectives The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between parents' heights and predicted height of the children who had been treated in the growth clinic of oriental medical hospital. Methods The study was conducted with 253 children who visited Oriental Medical Hospital from July 2010 to June 2012. They were analyzed by reviewing the children's chart and correlation analysis to find out the relationship between the two heights. Results In distribution of the sex and the age, sex were similar, but boys who came to the clinic were averagely younger than the girls. In predicting adult height by TW3 method and mean parent's height, correlation in the girls was higher than the boys, especially the girls after their first menstruation. Parents' heights were related to both the boys and the girls, but mother's height was more closely related. Predicted heights of the boys before secondary sex characteristics were correlated with the child's height, but rather correlated with parent's both heights after secondary sexual character and found to be more relevant to father's height. The girls' predicted heights before their menstruation were not correlated with father's height, but with mother's. Their heights after their first periods were correlated with parents' both heights, but more correlated with father's height. Conclusions This study helps set proper periods and goals of growth treatment based on the correlation between parents' height and predicted adult height according to TW3 method.