My daughter has always been one of the smallest children in her class, but I never thought of her height as a problem. Maybe this is because she has a good attitude about her petite stature. Plus, I keep thinking she will catch up with her peers.
If your child was exceptionally short for her age, would you consider growth hormones if your child was otherwise healthy?
Growth hormone therapy (GH) has been used to treat children with growth hormone deficiencies and certain geneitic disorders for years. Now parents can choose to take what many consider a drastic step and use GH to treat children who just happen to be short and are otherwise healthy. The U.S. is the only country that allows GH to be used for idiopathic short stature (ISS) and treat a child is short but does not have an underlying diagnosis that would cause the shortness.
Does being unusually short for your age cause challenges the necessitate trying growth hormones? Researchers disagree on this point. Some researchers believe very short children are shunned by peers. Others say our belief that taller is always better may not be true. According to an article in Salon Dr. Linda D. Voss, one of the authors of the Wessex Growth Study, says she saw no evidence of "maladaptation or psychological dysfunction, before, during or after puberty in these youngsters who were, by current standards, very short indeed."
How safe is GH? Endocrinologists say it is a remarkably safe treatment, but since it has only been used for 20 years they don't know all the potential risks and side effects. The treatment isn't cheap, costing from from $10,000 to $50,000 according to Msnbc.com
The therapy consists of injections of GH, three times a week, for up to four years. The results? According to a 2004 study noted in Salon, a child can gain 1.5 inches in height. A new Swedish study says GH can help children gain up to 8 inches. The MSNBC video below offers more insights on the topic.
