HGH Science

Human Growth hormone is created primarily by the pituitary glands and is a main hormone affecting a child's growth. Sometimes there is a lack of other glandular hormones resulting in Hypopituitarism. However, for this discussion we will restrict our study to HGH deficiency in children.

A child usually shows a growth pattern of 3 inches a year. In some cases the child who lacks HGH will grow normally until the age of 4 or 8 and then start to show signs of delayed growth. Sometimes children will experience a lack of growth earlier or later than this age range. Though much smaller, these growth hormone deficient children have status que body size and often tend to look less aged than other childrem.

Testing for Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) 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 L-dopa. 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.

Once diagnosed with GHD, treatment with human growth hormone therapy can be administered by your physician.
Though many children 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. Accurate annual measurements and plotting of a child's growth chart allows for identification of growth failure and treatment before the child's bones fuse. Once fusing has taken place, no additional growth is possible.
Short stature can be difficult for a child and their family. Some children much smaller than their friends experience many problems. Communicate with your child, offer assistance when necessary, but remember, act towards your child according to their age, not according to their size.

Contributing Medical Specialist
Allen G Darby, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinologist
St Josephs Hospital
Miami FL