Timing and sequence of eruption of primary teeth were studied longitudinally in 164 healthy Australian children. Eruption of primary teeth typically began between 7 and 8 months and was completed by 28 months. Tooth eruption was not significantly related to growth rate or to psychomotor maturity. Comparison of the eruption ages in this study with those from longitudinal studies in other countries suggests that no real changes in these have occurred over 40 yr despite increased affluence in industrialised countries over that period.

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Growth data collected from 394 healthy infants were analysed in relation to feeding practices. Infants were grouped on the basis of sex, if breast fed or artificially fed, and duration of breast feeding. From birth to 3 months, weight gains were similar for boys (2.5 kg) and also for girls (2.3 kg) irrespective of feeding method. From 3 to 6 months weight gains were greater in infants who were artificially fed from birth (2.0 kg both sexes) or breast fed for only a short time (1.9 kg) than for those exclusively breast fed for 6 months (1.6 kg) or longer (1.7 kg). Weight gains continued to be greater in artificially fed infants after 6 months. Over 12 months, artificially fed boys gained 410 g and girls 750 g more than those who were breast fed from birth. These differences occurred even though the artificial feedings that prevailed to 6 months and longer were low-solute ('humanized') formulas.

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