Sex Steroids Do Not Influence Somatic Growth in Childhood

• The influence of sex steroids on somatic growth during childhood was evaluated by reviewing linear growth characteristics of 18 agonadal patients with normal sex chromosomes. None of the heights throughout childhood and before the onset of sex steroid therapy were below 2 SDs of the mean. Based on the normal z scores of these patients, we concluded that somatic growth throughout the childhood and prepubertal years is not sex-steroid dependent. ( AJDC . 1989;143:942-943)