Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children

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Introduction

The growth and development of any child is of utmost importance to any parent. Every parent marks or notes every milestone that the child surmounts. However, it is noteworthy that not every child undergoes normal growth. There are instances when the early life of a child will not undergo the normal growth and development. In some cases, a child will grow at a much different rate from that of his or her age-mates. This may signal at a problem with their growth hormones, a condition known as growth hormone deficiency. Growth hormone deficiency refers to a disorder in which a child would have an abnormally short height thanks to the deficiency of the growth hormone (Joss 1975).

It is a disorder involving a minute gland situated at the brain’s base called the pituitary gland that is involved with the production or secretion of growth hormone among other hormones. In some cases, the pituitary gland may produce insufficient growth hormones, a situation that would negatively affect the growth of a child (Joss 1975). In essence, the child’s growth and development will be much slower than normal. It is noteworthy that the growth hormone comes as extremely crucial for any child’s normal growth and development. Nevertheless, growth hormone deficiency would not only occur in children but may occur at any age.

The growth pattern of any child is an extremely crucial part of determining whether he or she is undergoing normal growth. Under normal circumstances, a child would grow by approximately two inches every year (Joss 1975). However, for a child who has growth hormone deficiency will have a growth pattern that has less than 2 inches every year? More often than not, the child will undergo normal growth until he or she attains the age of 2 or 3 years, after which the indicators of delayed growth would start showing. However, there are instances where the child experiences delayed growth later or earlier than this stage. As much as the child may be much smaller than his age mates, his body proportions would still be normal. However, he would look some years younger than his age mates (Bengt-Åke 1999).

CAUSES OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

There are varied causes or roots of growth hormone deficiency. In some cases, the condition can be congenital, or rather occur at birth. In such cases, the growth hormone deficiency would be associated with abnormal pituitary gland or even a component of another condition or syndrome.

In some cases, growth hormone deficiency is acquired after birth. As noted before, growth hormone deficiency not only occurs in children, but also in adults, as well. Acquired growth hormone deficiency (GHD) may result from infections, diseases affecting the head, such as brain tumors, trauma, as well as radiation of the head and optic gliomas (Peter 2010). The most common cause of acquired growth hormone deficiency is craniopharyngiomas. Irradiation of the central nervous system may impair the functioning of the pituitary glands. It is noteworthy that, young children who have been given radiation in high doses in treating brain tumors stand the highest risk of growth hormone deficiency (Bengt-Åke 1999).

Apparent growth hormone deficiency occurs in instances when body’s responsiveness to the growth hormone is limited. In such instances, the pituitary gland would be producing high levels of growth hormones, which would be circulating in an individual’s blood but are ineffective (Peter 2010). As much as such a condition runs through families, it can occur even to individuals who do not have a family history with the condition. In fact, there are instances when the cause is not found.

Children, who have physical defects touching on the skull and the face such as cleft palate and cleft lip, stand a higher likelihood of having decreased levels of growth hormone than those without such physical defects (Peter 2010). Severe head injuries and hormonal problems, involving the hypothalamus, as well as the pituitary glands may also cause a deficiency in growth hormone.

Growth retardation may also result from chronic renal insufficiency. Unfortunately, renal transplantation would not entirely reverse this condition. However, growth hormone therapy would improve it. Children with chronic renal insufficiency usually have heights that are over 2 SD lower than the mean heights for children their age (Bengt-Åke 1999).

Turner’s syndrome in girls has also been associated with retarded growth. Such girls will have a mean final height of 143 cm. the syndrome results from mutations or deletions in one X- chromosome.

SYMPTOMS OF GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY IN CHILDREN

Growth hormone deficiency affects every aspect of growth, in which case the symptoms would pertain to the developmental characteristics. There is no uniformity as to the symptoms that different individuals will exhibit. Nevertheless, there are symptoms that will be common across the board (Bengt-Åke 1999). The child will have a shorter height than he should have at his age. In addition, such children have increased amounts of fat in their faces, as well as around their waists. In essence, such children would be upset or emotional about their weight and height. Human growth hormone deficiency may also cause the child to look younger than children his or her age. It may also be exhibited by delayed development of teeth, as well as the onset of puberty.

DIAGNOSIS AND REMEDIES FOR GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

In most cases, growth hormone deficiency is tested for and diagnosed after ruling out all the other possibilities. It is extremely crucial that, a growth hormone deficient child be diagnosed early so that the best results may be obtained and allow for treatment at an early age. Once a child has been diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, treatment would be availed as Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy (Peter 2010). As much as there are variations in the reaction of different children to the treatment, most children reach normal height of adults or almost their full potential for growth after undergoing treatment. This therapy is administered through injections, which are given several times in a week or usually, daily. A medication known as growth hormone (Genotropin, Saizen, Norditropin, Nutropin and Humatrope) or somatropin is administered through injections into the fat under one’s skin. In addition, a growth hormone preparation (Nutropin Depot) is administered twice or once a month (Peter 2010).

Surgical procedures have never been considered an option for treating human growth hormone deficiency, unless a tumor is affecting the secretion of the growth hormone.

In conclusion, growth hormone deficiency is a serious condition that poses serious implications on the growth and development of a child. It is mainly characterized by an abnormal shortness of the child, where the child would not grow by the normal 2 inches. This condition may be congenital or be acquired in the course of one’s life. This may be from head trauma, radiation of the head area and other factors. In treating the condition, growth hormone replacement therapy is carried out, with medication administered through injections. However, surgical procedures may be used in cases where the condition results from a tumor.

References

Joss. E. 1975. Growth hormone deficiency in childhood: evaluation of diagnostic procedures. New York: S. Karger

Bengt-Åke B, 1999. Growth Hormone. London: Springer

Peter. C. H. 2010. Current Indications for Growth Hormone Therapy. New York: Karger Publishers