Growth Hormone Deficiency and Stunted Height

We all need the human growth hormone to get us through our period of growth and development and help us reach our potential height. Our growth hormones contribute to lots of different functions around the body and as such we would find it very difficult to do without it. Growth hormone deficiency can cause lots of problems for developing children and so it must be identified as soon as possible. The sooner the growth hormone deficiency is discovered the more can be done to overcome it and deal with the difficulties it presents. Growth hormone deficiency does not just impact height of course. As the human growth hormone has other responsibilities to fulfill, if it is found to be lacking then all other functions it is involved in will be impacted too.

Given its importance, it is good to know that growth hormone deficiency is treatable and your medical professional can advise you as to how. Here we will look at what growth hormones do, what problems a deficiency will cause and what can be done to overcome the problem.

The human growth hormone is secreted from the pituitary gland and is primarily involved in growing our bones and helping children to grow taller. Children typically increase their height by around 2 inches every year and so if a child was to grow at a rate that was lower than this then their medical professional would be alerted to the possibility of a growth hormone deficiency. Some children with growth hormone deficiency though, will grow normally just as other children in their peer groups and so it might not be until after their toddler years that a growth hormone deficiency may be picked up. There are also some children that present this problem from early on and so it can be difficult to predict how each child might be affected. It has been suggested that there may be implications for weight in children with growth hormone deficiency although again, this is subject to debate.

If parents are concerned that their child may not be growing as they should be and decide to seek a professional opinion then it will not always be the case that their child will be tested for a growth hormone deficiency straight away. It may also be the case that they have a thyroid problem or another issue, and so other options will be investigated.
Parents who have concerns about whether their child is growing at a normal rate or not should look to get an opinion from their doctor as soon as possible. Whilst many diagnoses may be given because lots of things can impact height, it is important to get the right diagnosis, and therefore the right treatment as early on as possible. Growth hormone treatment is one option for children who are found to have a growth hormone deficiency, and for a great number of children, the therapy will be shown to work and have lasting results. It can be given by injection and parents can be shown how to administer this before the child becomes familiar with this and learns how to do it themselves.

A parent may find that their doctor is unable to offer a diagnosis straight away but this is because growth hormone levels must be tested over time and at different times to make sure that the readings are accurate and not simply due to the time of day the child was initially tested etc. Growth hormones are at their highest for the time right after a person has fallen asleep and so taking an average from readings taken at this time would not be an accurate measurement.

If a child is found to definitively have a growth hormone deficiency it can be tough for a child and their family but it is better to establish early on. If you are an adult that is unhappy with their height but has never been diagnosed as suffering with this deficiency then there may be options you can consider. You could try HeightGrowth Plus Grow Taller Pills too to supplement your diet and any lifestyle changes you have thus far made in your aim to reach a greater height.