GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY IN CHILDHOOD oo
One cause of children’s growth failure is Growth Hormone Deficiency. Growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary and is one of a number of hormones affecting a child’s growth. This hormone is also effective in maintaining the youthfulness of the skin and body. Many people nearing or at middle age tend to use this substance since it helps slow down the bad effects of aging which include having wrinkles and sagging muscles. Sometimes there is a deficiency of other pituitary hormones resulting in Hypopituitarism. However, for this segment we will restrict our discussion to growth hormone deficiency in children.
A growth hormone deficient child usually shows a growth pattern of less than 2 inches a year. In many cases the growth hormone deficient child will grow normally until the age of 2 or 3 and then begin to show signs of delayed growth. Other children will experience growth failure earlier or later than this age range. Though much smaller, these growth hormone deficient children have normal body proportions and often tend to look younger than their peers. Some may appear to be on the higher percentile in weight, though cases of Growth Hormone Deficiency have been diagnosed for children of low weight.
Testing for Growth Hormone Deficiency will occur when other possibilities of short stature have been ruled out. A child’s growth hormone secretion will be stimulated by one of several agents such as clonidine and Ldopa. The release of growth hormone may also be measured over a period of 8-12 hours, since growth hormone secretion varies throughout the day and is greatest after falling asleep. Growth hormone is produced in large amounts by both males and females during puberty and assists with the growth of the entire body, including the breasts.
Once diagnosed with GHD, treatment is with human growth hormone, now available in unlimited quantities. Though every child may not react similarly to growth hormone treatment, the majority of children under therapy today reach a normal adult height or nearly their full growth potential. Growth hormone therapy is given by injection, either daily or several times per week. Parents are trained to give these injections and children, once they are comfortable with it, continue on their own.
Early diagnosis is extremely important for a growth hormone deficient child. To obtain the best results, a child must be diagnosed and treated at a relatively young age. Many children much shorter than their peers experience both physical and emotional problems. Communicate with your child, offer assistance when necessary, but remember, act towards your child according to their age, not according to their size.
