Dr. Henry CliffIn kids growth problems are not easy to troubleshoot due to a number of reasons. Mainly the reason is that there is no clear sign of any kind of growth problem visible during the initial years which can provide clear information about any growth problem. I have seen many parents having nightmare about the growth of their children. Well there are a couple of views I definitely want to share. First is that most of these parents are worried without any reason. Most kids do not have any kind of growth problems it is normal for them to grow slowly. Therefore next time you panic about the height of your kid or anything else make sure you definitely have a reason to do so.
The next important thing is to understand how children grow. Here I am going to provide you information about child growth and role of growth hormones in it.
What is growth?
For all your life you may have just looked at growth with use of scale and rulers. It is very wrong procedure to calculate the growth of kids. Increase in height is not only a parameter but inbuilt organ development is also important. In the lifecycle of children there comes a point when there is internal mass gain in their bodies. At this time their height gain is lower than the gain in muscle mass. This phase does not mean that your kid has a growth problem but simply it is time for mass growth and development. There are three main hormones which control growth in children:
- Growth hormones which are secreted by the pituitary gland are most important
- Thyroid hormone
- Sex hormones which are namely testosterone and oestrogen which affect the puberty
In any case if there is any growth related problem faced by your kid then any of these 3 hormones are the culprit. Proper medical checkup and diagnosis can help in getting the right information.
Deficiency of HGH
Reduced level of growth hormones in kids is a common reason for their poor physical and mental growth. It is always advised by doctors to keep the levels of HGH in kids under check. Many genetic factors like Turner’s syndrome can also lead to growth problems. Taking consultation and help at the right time can help in dealing with various growth related problems in kids.
HGH medication is available which is clinically tested to cure most of the growth problems in kids successfully. You can consult with your doctor about use of the right HGH medication. It is given based on the medical health and body type of children as there can be side effects as well from improper use of such products.
One important recommendation for parents to understand is the normal growth rate of children in their community. Based on race, lifestyle and ethnic groups the height range of kids differs widely. There is no standard scale of what normal growth is and only doctors can help you to understand whether your kid lacks in growth or not.