Growth hormones..

[No.5]

Our pead wants us to consider growth hormones for DD probably next year some time (in the process of getting bloods to rule out chromosome issues and to check hormones to see if hormones would even help etc) at the moment.

The girls on my side of the family are all tiny (shortest is 4'9, tallest about 5'3!) so chances are its genetic and there's nothing that can be done anyway. When we were children, my sisters pead wanted to do the exact same thing but Mum refused and is telling me to do the same.

Long story cut (kind of) short, after any experiences you've had or know of with growth hormones (good and the bad!).

[Rosebud]

Sorry no actual experience with growth hormones but we have just recently been down the testing track with DS.

He had a wrist x-ray to establish 'bone age' and blood tests to rule out any mineral / vitamin deficiency or hormone imbalance. The Paed then monitored his height & weight over a 6 month period. His 'bone age' had him about 12 months behind his actually age (4) but, if she took his corrected age into account, it would only have his 'bone age' 8.5 months behind which is to be expected considering the extent of medical intervention his body has had to deal with.

DS's blood tests all came back within a range that our Paed was happy with. His growth over the six month period has been consistent and if based on his 'bone age' brings him up to the 10th percentile (otherwise below chart range). Based on his overall test results, it was decided that there was no need to proceed with growth hormones. DS's Paed is more than confident that he will catch up to his peers in the next few years.

Maybe contact your NICU/paediatric outpatients clinic and ask if they have any info available. I was advised that if DS needed growth hormones, it would be the staff at the outpatients clinic that would be administering the hormones.

Best of luck with your DD's testing. Hope all goes well.