Scammon Growth Curves
Write a short note on growth curves.
Or
Write a short note on Scammon’s growth curve.
Or
Write a short note on Scammon’s curve of growth.
Answer.
Scammon’s Growth Curve
The body tissues can be broadly classified into four types, i.e. lymphoid tissue, neural tissue, general tissue and genital tissue. Each of these tissues grows at different times and at different rates.
- Lymphoid tissue proliferates rapidly in late childhood and reaches almost 200% of adult size. This is an adaptation to protect children from infection as they are more prone to it. By about 18 years of age, lymphoid tissue undergoes involution to reach adult size.
“Understanding the role of Scammon growth curves in pediatric development: Q&A explained”

“Importance of studying Scammon growth curves for better developmental outcomes: Questions explained”
- Neural tissue grows very rapidly and almost reaches adult size by 6 to 7 years of age. Very little growth of neural tissue occurs after 6 to 7 years.
- General tissue consists of muscles, bones, and other organs. These tissues exhibit an “S” shaped curve with rapid growth up to 2 to 3 years of age followed by a slow phase of growth between 3 to 10 years. After the 10th year, a rapid phase of growth occurs terminating by 18 to 20th year.
- Genitally, the secondary sexual characters appear at the time of puberty and reach at its peak during 20 years of age.
Scammon’s Growth in the Facial Region

“Common challenges in interpreting Scammon growth curves effectively: FAQs provided”
By seeing the Scammon’s growth in facial region maxilla should be considered for earlier treatment as compared to mandible.
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