The practicing physician is frequently consulted because a child is not "growing normally." Sometimes the answer to this problem is simple, but frequently the practitioner is unsure of his next step after the physical examination has been completed. Should he adopt a conservative view and observe the child while he reassures the parents that he will probably catch up with his peers in the future; or, should he launch into a battery of expensive laboratory tests to determine if there is an organic explanation for the suspected growth disorder?