Objective      To evaluate the relationship of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-l (GH/IGF-1) axis with gross motor and cognitive development in cerebral palsy (CP) toddlers.       Methods      A total of 86 toddlers

who suffered from CP（n=71） or were normal (n=15) from 1 to 4 years old

were divided into control group and CP group. The CP group was further divided into CP with retardation group (CP-R group

n=50) and CP with normal growth group (CP-N group

n=21 toddlers). According to the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS)

the CP group were also designated into CP-GMFCS Ⅰ~Ⅱ group (n=20) and CP-GMFCS Ⅲ~Ⅴ group (n=51). According to Bayley scores

the CP was designated into mental development index (MDI)≥70 group (CP-MDI≥70 group

n=15) and MDI70 group (CP-MDI70 group

n=56). The base value and peak value of plasma GH

and the levels of IGF-1 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) were analyzed.       Results      The GH peak value of CP-R group was lower than that of CP-N group

and both GH peak value and IGF-1 level of the 2 groups were lower than those of the control group (P0.05). CP-GMFCS Ⅰ~Ⅱ group and CP-GMFCS Ⅲ~Ⅴ group showed lower GH peak value and IGF-1 level than the control group

and CP-GMFCS Ⅲ~Ⅴ group showed lower GH peak value and IGF-1 level than CP-GMFCS Ⅰ~Ⅱ group (P0.05). CP-MDI70 group and CP-MDI≥70 group showed lower GH peak value than control group (P0.05)

and CP-MDI70 group showed lower IGF-1 level than CP-MDI≥70 group and control group (P0.05).       Conclusion      The GH/IGF-1 axis damage exists in the toddlers with CP with retardation

gross motor function disorder and obviously low MDI

which predicts that low GH and IGF-1 levels may be one of the factors causing laggardly motor and cognition in CP toddlers.