27
in Section [V. The other physicai findings, which
Table 15
have been carefully tabulated in the individualre-
ports for each survey, indicate no definite pattern
Composition of Pediatric Groups, 1972
Age at exposure,yTRongelap group
<i0d
10-19
In utero
Ailingnae group
<10
Unexposed group
Born 1945-1954
Born 1935-1944
of abnormalities that would differentiate the ex-
No. males
No. females
10
3
3
9
9
1
2
4
22
il
19
7
skeletal development (left hand and wrist) was
initiated, *! and systematic documentation of anthropometric data was started. The documentation was continued during the succeeding exami-
nations on subjects considered to be in the growth
phase (generally through age 20). The data recorded regularly included standing height(stature), body weight, head circumference, head
width, head length, chest circumference, biacromial width, and calf circumference, and sporadically included sitting height, chest width, chest
depth, and buttocks circumference. (See Appendix 7.)
The development of secondary sex characteristics was qualitatively assessed according to the
standard criteria generally accepted in growth
studies (Greulich et al.,*? Shuttleworth43). Such
posed children from the unexposed comparison
children. The usual spectrum of infectious and
noninfectious diseases, congenital anomalies, and
physiological variations has been noted in both exposed and unexposed children.
3. Growth Status
Interpretation of the anthropometric data and
assessment of the growth status of the exposed
Rongelap children have been complicated by (a)
radiation injury to the thyroid gland, (b) partial
or total thyroidectomies in the children who de-
veloped thyroid neoplasia, and (c) the administration of thyroid hormoneto the entire exposed Rongelap population since September 1965. If the
data on the three children (Nos. 3, 5, and 63) who
were obviously hypothyroid and had markedly
small body measurements are excluded, comparisons of mean stature and skeletal age indicated no
statistically significant difference between the exposed and unexposed children for either boys or
girls.
Compared with American norms, the mean
skeletal ages at given chronologicalages for each
group were,for unexposed girls, quite similar, but
for unexposed boys, they appeared to be delayed
opmentin girls; estimation of the type, pattern,
by 6 to 7 months at each chronological age.
Earlier preliminary comparisons had suggested
that boys exposed at age <5 years were retarded
etc.); and staging of the growth of penis andtestes
in boys. During several examinations, photographic documentation was doneas part of the
The current analysis excludes those with a specific
diagnosis ofhypothyroidism. The individual growth
and development curves for 13 children exposed
procedures included the staging of breast devel-
and amountof body hair (facial, pubic, axillary,
assessment of growth status and physique.
The roentgenographic evaluation of skeletal
development was doneby the inspectional technique of Greulich and Pyle,*! and the American
standards were used for comparison.
—
2. Physical Findings
The early post-exposure examinations indicated
that the younger children, in general, manifested
more extensive and more severe radiation injury
than the older children and adults. Followingre-
covery from the acuteeffects of radiation, the over-
all physical status of the children appeared to be
normalexceptfor the subsequent development of
thyroid abnormalities, which are discussed below
200Gb} 24
in statural growth compared with unexposed boys.
at age <©5 and their controls are shown in Figures
21 and 22. The effect of thyroid treatment on the
two boys (Nos. 3 and 5) is evident. Several other
children (Nos. 2, 19, 65, 42) had a tendency to-.
ward retarded development, which may have been
improved by thyroid medication.
On the 4 children exposed in utero, careful examinations have resulted in no unusual physicalfindings. The growth progress of 3 of them has been
similar to that of age peers (see Table 16). One
boy (No. 85) has had a head circumference
smaller than the average for unexposed maies and
a slightly retarded pattern of skeletal maturation,
buthis statural growth curve was comparable with
that of unexposed males.