Meaning of Auxology
According to its etymology, the word auxology means: a treatise on growth . And it represents a science in charge of analyzing the evolution of the growth and development of human beings. Understanding as growth, this entire process where the cell mass of individuals rises, this usually occurs through two possible methods that arise in all living beings: hypertrophy and hyperplasia.
Both procedures collaborate with human growth even when they work with different magnitudes at different times in life. Development, on the other hand, involves different aspects in the form, or in obtaining new functions, as a result of the increase in the maturity of certain structures of the body.
It is important to note that auxology is a really new term that was first introduced by the French physician Paul Godin, in an essay entitled "La méthode auxologique".
According to specialists, one of the general indicators of children's health is their growth, hence the importance of the analysis of their characteristics, since these will not only allow evaluating their health condition , but will also provide an optimal measure of differences, which affect people in terms of their development. In addition to this, it also offers information on everything related to the evolution of this process over time.
All this has made it possible to highlight two important uses of auxological studies:
1. Clinical use: since more and more children survive at birth, it is necessary to pay a little more attention to their ability to achieve efficient growth and development . Damages or wear and tear that the growth of infants may present, during the initial stage of their lives, could have a negative impact during the rest of their lives, affecting both their school performance and their opportunities to collaborate with society. .
Auxology is seen as a science that provides great contributions, which are used by experts, to protect people's health.
2. Epidemiological use: the data obtained by the auxological studies represent a very useful , very simple and reliable method for the control of the economic and social status of the populations.