Growth Hormone Deficiency

What are growth hormone deficiency signs and symptoms?

The signs and symptoms may show up at any age. Children may have any of the following signs and symptoms:

• Slower growth than other children their age (They may have always been short or their height moves to the shorter end of the growth chart.)
• Low blood sugar in babies
• Look younger than other children their age
• Look chubby, especially around the face and abdomen (belly)
• Have a cleft palate or cleft lip
• Have slower than usual growth during puberty

What tests are used to diagnose growth hormone deficiency?

Your doctor will need to look at your child’s growth chart and medical history. If they are worried about growth hormone deficiency, they may do tests. Some of the tests include:

• X-ray of the hand to evaluate bone age
• Blood tests:
• Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)
• Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGF-BP3)
• Growth hormone stimulation test: The child is given medicines that cause the pituitary to increase production of growth hormone. If the growth hormone level does not rise, it may mean that your child is not making an appropriate amount of growth hormone.
• If results from the tests listed above suggests growth hormone deficiency, we may recommend a brain MRI.

How is growth hormone deficiency treated?

Your child will need a growth hormone shot that goes just under the skin every day. These shots are given at home.

Why choose us for growth hormone deficiency treatment?

At Children's Colorado, your child has access to the experts they need, all in one place. Our pediatric endocrinology experts provide holistic, family-centered care for children with growth hormone deficiency.

Are there side effects of growth hormone shots?

Side effects are not common, but they may include:

• Headaches
• Muscle or joint pain
• Low thyroid levels
• Swelling of hands and feet
• Worsening of a pre-existing spine curvature, known as scoliosis
• Worsening of a pre-existing difference between the length of both legs
• Insulin resistance

There are a few rare, but serious, side effects:

• Severe headache with trouble seeing (pseudotumor cerebri)
• Hip slips out of place (slipped capital femoral epiphysis)

How long will my child need the shots?

This will be different for each child. Some children will need the shots until they are teenagers. Other children will need the shots even as adults. Your doctor will watch to see how well your child grows with the shots and talk to you about how long your child will need them.

When should our doctor see my child?

Most children with growth hormone deficiency are seen by a pediatric endocrinologist every 4 to 6 months while they are taking growth hormone shots. At each visit, they will measure your child’s height and weight to make sure the shots are helping them to grow well. The doctor will occasionally order hand X-rays for bone age and blood tests. The doctor will then decide if your child needs to change the dose of growth hormone. Never change the dose of growth hormone yourself. Ask your doctor for more details.

What is the future for our child?

After starting growth hormone, most children begin to grow better. Unfortunately, there are some children who are diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency but do not grow even after getting growth hormone shots. The earlier growth hormone deficiency is diagnosed and treated, the better the chance that the child will grow to their genetic potential. It is important to follow your doctor’s orders for giving growth hormone shots and try not to miss shots.

Helpful resources

• The National Institutes of Health, Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center provides information about treatment options, research efforts and organizations that provide support.
• The Pediatric Endocrine Society provides helpful information about growth hormone deficiency such as diagnosis, symptoms and treatment options.
• The National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD) provides information about the signs and symptoms, causes, affected populations, diagnosis and standard therapies of growth hormone deficiency.