Growth hormone deficiency refers to abnormally short height in childhood due to the lack of growth hormone.
See also: Short stature
Alternative NamesPanhypopituitarism; Dwarfism; Pituitary dwarfism; Recombinant human GH (rhGH); Acquired growth hormone deficiency; Congenital growth hormone deficiency
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsAn abnormally short height in childhood (called short stature) may occur if there is not enough growth hormone produced. Growth hormone is produced in the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain.
Most of the time, no cause is found.
Growth hormone deficiency may be present at birth (congenital) or acquired as the result of an injury or medical condition.
Children with physical defects of the face and skull, such as cleft lip or cleft palate, can also have decreased growth hormone levels.
Growth hormone deficiency also can be caused by severe brain injury.
Growth retardation may first be noticed in infancy and continue throughout childhood. The pediatrician will usually plot the child's "growth curve" on a standardized growth chart. The child's growth may range from flat (no growth) to very shallow (minimal growth). Normal puberty may or may not occur, depending on how well the pituitary gland can produce hormones other than growth hormone.
Although it is uncommon, growth hormone deficiency may also be diagnosed in adults. Possible causes include:
Children with growth hormone deficiency have a slow rate of growth, usually less than 2 inches per year. The slow growth may not appear until a child is 2 or 3 years old.
The child will be much shorter than most or all children of the same age and gender.
Children with growth hormone deficiency still have normal body proportions, as well as normal intelligence. However, their face often appears younger than children of the same age. They may also have a chubby body build.
In older children, puberty may come late or may not come at all.
Signs and testsA physical examination including weight, height, and body proportions will show signs of slowed growth rate. The child will not follow the normal growth curves.
Tests may include the following:
Treatment involves growth hormone injections given at home. Patients may receive growth hormone several times a week or once a day.
Serious side effects of growth hormone therapy are rare. The most common side effects are:
The earlier the condition is treated, the better the chance that a child will grow to be a near-normal adult height. Many children gain 4 or more inches over the first year and 3 or more inches during the next 2 years. The rate of growth improvement then slowly decreases.
Growth hormone replacement therapy does not work for all children.
ComplicationsIf left untreated, growth hormone deficiency will lead to short stature and delayed puberty.
Growth hormone deficiency may occur with deficiencies of other hormones, including the following:
Call your health care provider if your child seems abnormally short for his or her age.
PreventionMost cases are not preventable.
Review your child's growth chart with your physician after each check-up. If your child's growth rate is dropping or your child's projected adult height is much shorter than an average height of both parents, evaluation by a specialist is recommended.
ReferencesParks JS, Felner EI. Hypopituitarism. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 558.
Reiter EO, Rosenfeld RG. Normal and aberrant growth. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2008:chap 23.
In bone formation, a deficiency of growth hormone will cause DECREASED PROLIFERATION OF THE EPIPHYSEAL PLATE CARTILAGE.
growth hormone
The medical term for a growth hormone deficiency is called Hypopituitarism Endocrinology. 1 in 4,000 children born are affected. The growth hormone deficiency can cause a cleft palate, electrolyte imbalances, delayed puberty, obesity that is not from overeating, ear problems, diabetes and joint pain can be possible.
GHD is an abbreviation for Growth Hormone Deficiency.
Dwarfism is caused by a deficiency of growth hormone
He had been suffering from growth hormone deficiency.
Some estimates show that there are between 10,000 and 15,000 children in the United States who have growth problems due to a deficiency of growth hormone.
Lack of growth hormone may cause dwarfism. Growth hormone is essential for stimulating growth in childhood and overall development. Deficiency in growth hormone can lead to stunted growth and a condition known as dwarfism.
Dwarfism occurs for a number of reasons. The most common causes are achondroplasia and growth hormone deficiency. The latter can be treated with exogenous growth hormone.
Yes, a lack of growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland can result in short stature, known as growth hormone deficiency. This condition can occur in children and adults and may be caused by various factors, including problems with the pituitary gland itself or genetic factors. Treatment with growth hormone therapy can help to promote growth in individuals with this deficiency.
Decreased proliferation of the epiphyseal plate cartilage
Human Growth Hormone. HGH