Growth hormone: who needs it and who does not?
Growth hormone is an important treatment for some children, but it is not a shortcut to being tall. Common questions from families.
Few families with a short child have not heard of growth hormone. Some ask with hope and some with fear. Both deserve a clear answer.
Who is it used for?
Growth hormone is for children with a clear reason for it. These are known examples:
- Growth hormone deficiency
- Turner syndrome
- Chronic kidney failure
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Some children born small whose growth has not caught up
Family short stature and late development usually do not need it. The decision cannot be made from one number; it needs the growth chart, an examination and tests.
How is treatment given?
The hormone is given by injection under the skin, usually every day, at home. Treatment lasts years, and height, tests and side effects are checked every few months. If a child does not respond well, the doctor reviews the treatment.
How much height does it add?
That depends on the cause, the age at the start and how the child responds. With a true deficiency the result is usually clearer. Nobody can promise a set number of centimetres, and the more closed the growth plates are, the less benefit there is.
Does it have side effects?
Most children tolerate it well, but there are side effects to know about: headache and raised pressure inside the head, hip pain or a limp, worsening of a spinal curve, and changes in blood sugar. That is why regular follow-up is part of treatment. Report severe headache, vomiting, changes in vision or a limp to the doctor early.
What if it is offered online or at a gym?
Growth hormone is a prescription medicine and has no place in a healthy child. Do not buy or inject it without a doctor’s prescription and follow-up. The same applies to supplements sold as “growth hormone” or “height boosters”.