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Behind the restricted height of children: How does growth hormone deficiency change children's lives?
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition caused by insufficient growth hormone in the body. One of the most obvious symptoms is a height that is significantly lower than that of people of the same age. However, the effects of this condition extend beyond height and can have a profound impact on a child's overall health and quality of life.
Causes of Growth Hormone Deficiency
Growth hormone deficiency can occur due to a variety of causes, including genetic factors, injury, infection, tumors, or radiation therapy. Certain genes, such as GH1, GHRHR or BTK, are associated with this condition.
The condition can be present at birth or develop at different stages of life. According to reports, about one-third of the conditions have no clear cause, making diagnosis and treatment more complicated.
Symptoms and effects in children
In the early stages of a child's life, a deficiency of growth hormone may not noticeably affect fetal growth, but if it is severe, it may cause health problems after birth, such as low blood sugar or abnormal development of the genitals.
From the first few months of life to the early teenage years, the main symptoms of growth hormone deficiency are slow growth and lack of height.
Children who are deficient in growth hormone often reach skeletal and sexual maturity several years later than their peers, leading to social and psychological consequences. They may suffer from loneliness, anxiety and self-esteem issues.
Symptoms and effects in adults
Growth hormone deficiency in adults can also lead to a number of health problems, including loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, low energy, and psychological problems such as depression. In this condition, the patient's quality of life may be severely affected.
Many adults who experience GHD face not only physical challenges but also emotional distress.
Diagnostic Process
The process of diagnosing growth hormone deficiency is complex and requires multiple tests, including blood tests to measure growth hormone levels. Because growth hormone levels vary greatly throughout the day, testing with a single blood sample often cannot accurately reflect actual conditions. Therefore, doctors use a range of indirect and direct criteria to assess the condition.
Treatment Options
Treatment of growth hormone deficiency usually involves daily injections of synthetic human growth hormone. This treatment poses considerable challenges in terms of cost and impact on life, especially for families with limited financial resources.
ConclusionDuring treatment, with the supplementation of growth hormone, patients will see an improvement in growth rate within a few months, however, this does not guarantee that the previous growth deficit will be completely compensated.
Growth hormone deficiency not only affects height, but also involves all aspects of physical and mental health. Although current therapies can improve patients' growth and quality of life to some extent, we still need to continue to explore better treatment options and social support so that children can fully enjoy healthy growth. Given this complex and challenging situation, how can we help children facing growth hormone deficiency?
