Introduction

Originally published in 1986, Slow Grows the Child came out of a symposium held in Washington D.C. in 1984 which brought together researchers and practitioners in the field producing recommendations for future research. It was the beginning of an informal network among researchers.

Historical Context

In the 1970s and 1980s, the odds that a short-statured person would be socially and emotionally fulfilled were judged by some to be not very good. There was a pervasive belief that equated tallness with strength and shortness with weakness and a lack of social desirability.

Medical and Psychological Perspectives

The recognition that delays in growth could be modified by medical therapies had led to increased awareness of psychological and social effects on short stature children. There had been little consensus about how best to measure the psychological and social adjustment of short individuals.

Goals of the Book

It was hoped this title would advance understanding of the social and psychological experience of growth delay and increase the odds that medical and psychological intervention would produce the most desirable outcome.