Multiplier App can predict mature height and bone length in children

A free mobile application developed by the International Center for Limb Lengthening (ICLL) at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics (RIAO) of Sinai Hospital can predict the future mature height and bone lengths of children with the input of basic information. The Multiplier App, available for Android, iPhone and iPad devices, is based upon the Multiplier Method, a series of formulas used to calculate and predict height and bone length in children. These formulas were developed by a team that included members of the ICLL.

According to John Herzenberg, M.D., the director of the ICLL, the app was created to give both medical and non-medical people alike an accessible, simple way to tap into the Multiplier Method.

"The Multiplier Method has been a trusted resource for predicting mature height and bone length in children for more than a decade," noted Herzenberg. "But getting these results often required calculating complicated formulas, frequently by hand. We developed this app to eliminate complex calculations and to give anyone with a smart phone or tablet an easy and accurate way to find the result he or she wants within seconds."

To calculate height and bone length with the Multiplier App, the user needs only to input a child's gender and birth date and the length of his or her body or specific limb. Using this basic information, the app then utilizes the Multiplier Method to make its predictions.

The app is not only useful for those interested in finding out how tall their child will be, but is especially helpful for physicians who treat children with limb length discrepancies. For instance, ICLL physicians use the app to help predict ultimate leg length discrepancy in a child born with short legs.