> About Growth

Let's talk about growth.

If you or your child's doctor have noticed a slowdown in his or her growth rate, you may be wondering if you should be concerned. Here, we'll tackle that and more of your growth questions, to help you determine what the next steps might be for your child, and what to expect at each step.

(Uses Norditropin®)

> About Growth

Let's talk about growth.

If you or your child's doctor have noticed a slowdown in his or her growth rate, you may be wondering if you should be concerned. Here, we'll tackle that and more of your growth questions, to help you determine what the next steps might be for your child, and what to expect at each step.

(Uses Norditropin®)

Is my child growing normally?

Everyone is different, so it is impossible to define “normal” for any one individual. You may notice your child is not growing as you might have expected. Or, by tracking growth on a growth chart, your doctor may detect a slowdown in your child’s growth rate. Together, you and your health care provider can determine what normal growth might look like for your child.

Generally speaking, most children grow about 4 inches per year between ages 1 and 4, and about 2–2.75 inches per year from ages 4–8. To put it another way, a child who is growing normally will generally reach certain milestones over the months and years:

Outgrowing clothes and shoes

Losing "baby" teeth
and getting "adult" teeth

Progressing along the
doctor's growth chart

A few basics about growth.

Why is growth important? A child’s growth is much more than just how tall he or she is, or how tall they are compared to their friends. Growth can be an important indicator of overall health and physical development. If your child is not growing as he or she should be, it can signal a possible medical condition.

How can I tell if my child is growing enough? Make sure that your child is measured at least once per year, and that you understand his or her percentile. Make a note about whether it’s changed since previous measurements. If you have concerns about your child’s growth, talk to their doctor.

How do children grow? Growth has two main components: genes and hormones. Height is mostly determined by genes, which is why a person’s adult height tends to fall within the range of other family members’. Hormones, which are chemical messengers produced in the glands, send signals throughout the body, telling it to perform certain tasks—like “grow.”

What is growth deficiency?

“Deficiency” simply means a shortage, or not enough. So, the general term “growth deficiency” refers to lack of growth. In some cases, lack of growth is not related to your child’s health. For other children, the cause may be a disease, genetic syndrome, or growth hormone deficiency.

See Types of Growth Disorders

When should I take action?

The bottom line is, if there are any issues with your child’s growth, talk to your doctor. A prompt referral to a specialist may offer the best chance for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. That’s why it’s important to find out as soon as possible. The sooner your doctor knows what’s happening, the sooner you can start working on it—together.

Talking to Your Doctor

What should parents know about growth hormone?

While slower growth can be caused by a number of problems (such as emotional stress, poor nutrition, or disease), it may be that the child’s body is not making enough growth hormone.

As the name suggests, growth hormone is the hormone responsible for making a child grow. It is produced by the body in the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, just behind the nose in the center of the head.

From about 6 months of age and throughout childhood, growth hormone is a critical factor in a child’s growth.

If, after examining your child, a pediatric endocrinologist determines your child’s growth patterns are unusual, he or she may choose Norditropin® to help your child grow and develop.

Diagnosing Growth Disorders

Selected Important Safety Information

Do not use Norditropin® if: you have a critical illness caused by certain types of heart or stomach surgery, trauma or breathing (respiratory) problems; you are a child with Prader-Willi syndrome who is severely obese or has breathing problems including sleep apnea; you have cancer or other tumors; you are allergic to somatropin or any of the ingredients in Norditropin®; your healthcare provider tells you that you have certain types of eye problems caused by diabetes (diabetic retinopathy); you are a child with closed bone growth plates (epiphyses).

Indications and Usage

What is Norditropin® (somatropin) injection?
 
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat:
  • children who are not growing because of low or no growth hormone 
  • children who are short (in stature) and who have Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome, or were born small (small for gestational age-SGA) and have not caught-up in growth by age 2 to 4 years 
  • children who have Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS) 
  • children who are not growing who have Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) 
  • adults who do not make enough growth hormone

Important Safety Information (cont’d)

Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have had heart or stomach surgery, trauma or serious breathing (respiratory problems) 
  • have had a history of problems breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea) 
  • have or have had cancer or any tumor 
  • have diabetes 
  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Norditropin® may affect how other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Norditropin® works.

How should I use Norditropin®?

  • Use Norditropin® exactly as your health care provider tells you to 
  • Do not share your Norditropin® pens and needles with another person even if the needle has been changed. You may give another person an infection or get an infection from them.

What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:

  • high risk of death in people who have critical illnesses because of heart or stomach surgery, trauma or serious breathing (respiratory) problems 
  • high risk of sudden death in children with Prader-Willi syndrome who are severely obese or have breathing problems including sleep apnea 
  • increased risk of growth of cancer or a tumor that is already present and increased risk of the return of cancer or a tumor in people who were treated with radiation to the brain or head as children and who developed low growth hormone problems. Contact the healthcare provider if you or your child start to have headaches, or have changes in behavior, changes in vision, or changes in moles, birthmarks, or the color of your skin 
  • new or worsening high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or diabetes 
  • increase in pressure in the skull (intracranial hypertension). If you or your child has headaches, eye problems, nausea or vomiting, contact the healthcare provider 
  • serious allergic reactions. Get medical help right away if you or your child has the following symptoms: swelling of your face, lips, mouth or tongue, trouble breathing, wheezing, severe itching, skin rashes, redness or swelling, dizziness or fainting, fast heartbeat or pounding in your chest, or sweating 
  • your body holding too much fluid (fluid retention) such as swelling in the hands and feet, pain in your joints or muscles or nerve problems that cause pain, burning, or tingling in the hands, arms, legs and feet. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these signs or symptoms of fluid retention. 
  • decrease in a hormone called cortisol. Tell your or your child’s healthcare provider if you or your child has darkening of the skin, severe fatigue, dizziness, weakness or weight loss 
  • decrease in thyroid hormone levels 
  • hip and knee pain or a limp in children (slipped capital femoral epiphysis) 
  • worsening of pre-existing curvature of the spine (scoliosis) 
  • severe and constant abdominal pain can be a sign of pancreatitis. Tell your or your child’s healthcare provider if you or your child has any new abdominal pain. 
  • loss of fat and tissue weakness in the area of skin you inject 
  • increase in phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid hormone levels in your blood

The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:

  • injection site reactions and rashes, and headaches

Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.

Norditropin® is a prescription medication.

Novo Nordisk provides patient assistance for those who qualify. Please call 1-866-310-7549 to learn more about Novo Nordisk assistance programs.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800- FDA-1088.

Talk to your health care provider and find out if Norditropin® is right for you or your child.