Children with a deficiency of human growth hormone are generally given additional growth hormone, to help them grow taller. Let’s learn more from the following article.
The human growth hormone is a hormone produced by the pea-sized pituitary gland, present at the base of the brain. The role of this hormone is to stimulate a child’s growth, stimulate the immune system, increase calcium retention, increase muscle mass, etc. Increasing the height of a child is the most widely known effect of this growth hormone.
Deficiency of Human Growth Hormone in Children
It so happens that sometimes the pituitary gland fails to produce adequate amounts of growth hormone. This can happen due to some kind of abnormality or syndrome. Low amounts of growth hormone production results in slower growth of the child. The child develops a shorter stature, with increased amounts of fat around the waist, low growth velocity, delayed tooth development, etc. The child may also appear younger than his or her age. The doctor diagnoses the deficiency by testing the amount of growth hormone in the child’s blood.
Growth Hormone Treatment for Children
Human growth hormone treatment is basically meant for children who suffer from a growth hormone deficiency, especially those affected by Turner’s syndrome, chronic renal insufficiency, and Prader-Willi syndrome. Children with these conditions are predicted to attain a height of not more than 5’3″ (adult males) or 4’11” (adult female). Thus, to increase the height of these children, synthetic human growth hormone injections are available. However, they are only available by prescription.
Taking these injections will cause the pituitary glands to stop producing whatever little hormone it was producing earlier. The body will depend on the injections to fulfill the demand of the hormone in the body. Often parents want to try out this treatment on their children, even if they don’t have such a deficiency. The FDA does not recommend this injection for children without a deficiency.
Growth hormone injections cost a bomb! They range somewhere between USD 10,000 to USD 25,000 a year. A person needs six shots a week for many years; so you know it’s going to burn a hole in your pocket!
This treatment is only recommended for those with a deficiency or a syndrome. So, if you are short, just embrace the fact and move on, appreciating the way you are made. If you spend your life trying to be fairer, taller, slimmer, etc., you are going to miss out on the joys of simply being alive!
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace expert medical advice.
