Growth hormone deficiency in children
What is growth hormone deficiency?
Growth hormone deficiency is a rare condition in which the body does not produce enough growth hormone. Growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain.
Growth hormone is necessary for normal growth, muscle and bone strength, and the proper distribution of body fat. Without growth hormone, a child is likely to grow slowly and be much shorter than other children of the same age and sex. Most children with growth hormone deficiency grow less than 2 inches (5 cm) each year.
It is important for parents to know that there are many reasons for below-average height in children. Sometimes growth retardation is normal and temporary, such as just before puberty begins. A pediatric endocrinologist can help you find out why a child is growing slowly.
What causes growth hormone deficiency?
Some children are born with growth hormone deficiency. Others develop it after birth due to a brain injury, tumor, or radiation therapy to the head. For some children, no cause can be found.
How is the diagnosis made?
Your pediatric endocrinologist will review your child’s history and growth charts. They may also need to do tests to help find the cause of the slow growth.
These include:
- X-ray of the hand to check bone development (bone age) and assess growth potential
- Blood tests and other laboratory tests to rule out other conditions that affect growth
- A blood test to check levels of IGF-1, a hormone that reflects growth hormone levels.
- Growth hormone stimulation test. The child is given medication that stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.
- An MRI (imaging scan) of the head to look for a problem with the pituitary gland or brain and to rule out a brain tumor.
How is a child with growth hormone deficiency treated?
Children with deficiency are treated with daily subcutaneous injections of synthetic human hormone. Growth is monitored every 3 to 6 months by a pediatric endocrinologist, who will adjust the dose as needed.
The best results occur when growth hormone deficiency is diagnosed and treated early. In some children, growth hormone can lead to a 10 cm increase in height in the first year of treatment. Others grow less, but usually faster than without treatment.
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