Parents are most concerned about their children's growth problems, and being too short, overweight, or underweight can cause parents great anxiety. Just like Messi, who recently won the World Cup for Argentina, he was diagnosed with "dwarfism" – growth hormone deficiency – as a child and required nightly injections of growth hormone. Regarding children's growth problems, paediatric specialist Dr. Xu Ziyun shares the various factors that affect height.
Being short is a lack of growth hormone.?
The pituitary gland in the brain secretes growth hormone, which is an important component for healthy development and growth in children. Growth hormone continues to regulate various physiological and metabolic processes throughout different stages of life.
Growth Hormone Deficiency, while not common, can lead to short stature, brittle bones and poor physical performance if left untreated. According to research data, approximately one in every 4,000 to 10,000 people suffers from GHD, resulting in short stature. Children with GHD may also have different facial features compared to normal children, with higher body fat and a more prominent abdomen. Fortunately, intellectual development is not affected.
Understanding Growth Charts Understand the impactChildren's height or body shape, major factors.
There are many reasons for being short, which can generally be divided into non-pathological or pathological causes. Non-pathological causes include: genetic factors, slower individual maturation, developmental delay, and idiopathic short stature. Pathological causes include: low birth weight, malnutrition, chronic illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, as well as genetic or chromosomal abnormalities, and even endocrine diseases, such as hypothyroidism or growth hormone deficiency, etc.
Growth charts are generally used as an objective measure to assess a child’s growth and development.This is a percentile chart based on gender, age, weight and height. Generally speaking, during infancy, a baby’s growth measurements falling between the 97th and 31st percentile growth lines are considered within the normal range.However, if a child’s growth measurements persistently deviate from, or deviate excessively from, their previous percentile on the growth chart, it is advisable to consult a paediatrician as soon as possible for further examination and assessment.
Doctors also refer to growth charts to determine if a child has dwarfism. If a child’s height is at or below the 3rd percentile on the growth chart, they are considered to have dwarfism.
Small for gestational age (SGA) refers to infants whose birth weight is 10% or less than the average weight for the same gestational age. This is one of the causes of short stature.
DwarfismHow can it be diagnosed and treated?
Regarding the diagnosis of dwarfism, doctors will conduct detailed examinations on children and inquire about their past health conditions and family medical history. Subsequently, based on each child's situation, they will arrange corresponding blood tests, X-ray examinations, and even brain imaging scans. The aim is to find the underlying causes of short stature.
If parents are concerned about their child's height, they can measure their child's height regularly every 4-6 months. Generally, children aged 4-10 years before puberty grow 4-6cm per year. If parents notice that their child is shorter than children of the same age, or that their growth rate is slow, it is recommended to consult a paediatrician as soon as possible.
Treatment for short stature depends on the underlying cause. For example, if it's due to malnutrition/poor lifestyle habits or medication, then attention should be paid to a balanced diet, rest, and exercise, as well as checking if the medication can be adjusted. If it's due to endocrine disorders or hypothyroidism, then replenishing thyroid function will restore normal growth. If growth hormone deficiency is detected, receiving growth hormone generally has a noticeable effect on height increase.
If it is decided that a child will be given growth hormone injections, what should one be aware of?
The cost of growth hormone therapy depends on the dosage of medication required for the child.
Growth hormone is most effective when used in suitable short children before puberty, with earlier treatment yielding better results. Regarding the duration of treatment, doctors usually advise stopping the use once the child has finished puberty, meaning after their growth plates have closed.
Although injecting growth hormone can potentially help children grow taller, it is also important to ensure that children have a balanced diet, appropriate exercise, and sufficient rest.
