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Starting the conversation with friends and family.

Starting the conversation with friends and family.

Once you’ve made the decision to treat your child with Norditropin®, you might wonder when and how to talk to family and friends about your choice. It may be helpful for you to learn how other parents have handled this situation.

Amanda, Shannah, and Shauna—three moms of kids taking Norditropin®—shared their experiences in answering some common questions that you may be facing, too:

Who needs to know my child is taking growth hormone?

PARENT TIP:

“My advice is: There is no “right” or “wrong” approach. First, tell any teachers, coaches, or school nurses who may need to know. Then, it’s up to you and your family to decide. Just trust your gut.”

Amanda is the mom of Emmy, who’s an active gymnast. “When Emmy started using Norditropin®, I informed her teachers and gymnastics coaches. Because of the time she spends in their care, I want them to know she’s on medication and the possible side effects,” she said. “I also discussed it with close family—my mother is trained to give Emmy her injection. And if it comes up in a conversation with a friend, I don’t hesitate to tell them. We don’t actively tell people, but we’re not secretive, either.”

Josh’s mom, Shannah, said, “For us, it made sense to tell the school nurse about his medication.” When it comes to other kids, that’s completely up to Josh. “Now that Josh is older, we let him take the lead about which of his friends he tells about his treatment,” she said.

Aria’s mom, Shauna, has a “the more, the merrier” approach. “I definitely wanted Aria’s teachers to know about her medication, should there be an issue at school, she said. “And we discussed it with parents of her close friends, in case they were around during injection time. Our friends know, as well. Sharing information and being open through the process has been helpful for us.”

What should I say?

Amanda says they typically keep things simple, telling people that Emmy has growth hormone deficiency (GHD), which is a medical condition that she takes medication for.

Shannah’s family was already familiar with GHD—her husband has two friends who were treated for it as children. “We knew about GHD and that it was treatable. So, Josh’s diagnosis was not a surprise,” she said. “When discussing it with others, we just say that for us, the treatment isn’t anything to be concerned about.”

Shauna goes into a bit more detail about growth hormone and why Aria needs Norditopin®. “We find that most people are not familiar with growth hormone,” she said. “So we just explain that her body wasn’t making enough and she needs it to grow in a healthy way. For me, the key was to equip myself with information so I could fully understand and explain the diagnosis and the treatment to others.”

What if I get a negative reaction?

Amanda said, “I’ve never been concerned about the possibility of negative feedback. For me, there is no stigma attached to treating with growth hormone because there was never a question about whether we were doing the right thing. I know that I understand GHD and the treatment much better than whoever might be a little skeptical about our decision.”

Shauna agrees. “We’ve had no negative reactions at all. We made sure everyone in the family had the right information and then went about it in a positive, proactive way. People have understood our decision,” she said.

Go your own way.

Everyone has their own way of discussing personal issues like their child’s health. If you’re thinking about how to tell the people in your life about your choice to treat with Norditropin®, it may help to know you’re not alone, and that these moms have been there, too.
 

The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:

  • injection site reactions and rashes, and headaches

There are other possible side effects, too. See the complete list in the Prescribing Information. For more information, talk to your health care provider or pharmacist.

Please note that the situations, experiences, and tips described in this article are not intended as medical advice. They are unique to the families depicted and are not necessarily the typical experiences of families with children who have growth hormone–related disorders or are being treated with Norditropin®. Talk to your health care provider regarding the treatment of growth disorders or any health concerns you have.

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The stim test.


Featuring: Emmy (Child) and Amanda (Mom)
Diagnosis: Growth hormone deficiency

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.