A longitudinal study of children from teenager mothers belonging to a middle-low socioeconomic level In their first 30 months of life, was done. Weight, height, height velocity, bone age, plasmatic levels of zinc, cooper and hemoglobin, food intake, socioeconomic level, and stature of parents were studied. There were not differences in nutritional status, caloric intake, bone age, plasmatic levels of zinc, cooper and hemoglobin, and stature of parents betwen children of teenage and adult mothers. A progressive decrement in stature and in growth velocity of children of teenage compared with children of adult mothers was observed. A lower socioeconomic level and protein intake was found in children of adolescent mothers that may be playing a role at least in part in the growth failure presented by this children. Etiologycal factors of this growth failure discussed. (