Understanding Growth Disorders
Actor portrayal
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) means that the body does not make enough growth hormone. In children, growth hormone is necessary to help bones and other parts of the body grow. So children with GHD may not grow as quickly or fully as their peers.
Actor portrayal
Actor portrayal
There are many possible causes of GHD. In some cases, GHD results from a genetic disorder and is present at birth. In other cases, children can develop GHD after birth as a result of damage to the pituitary gland that secretes growth hormone, or it can develop without an identifiable cause. Sometimes GHD happens along with other hormone deficiencies, and sometimes it happens alone.
Josh, born with GHD
Common signs of GHD in children include:
At first, a family doctor or pediatrician may check for other causes of poor growth, like diet or emotional stress. They may take measurements and use a growth chart to compare your child’s growth to other kids the same age and sex.
If a growth-related disorder is suspected, your child may be referred to a specialist called a pediatric endocrinologist. The specialist may use a combination of tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as:
A stim test measures the body’s ability to release the appropriate amount of growth hormone. The test involves artificially stimulating your child’s pituitary gland. Then your child has a series of blood tests, to see how much growth hormone their pituitary gland produces over a period of time.
Children diagnosed with GHD may be prescribed growth hormone therapy. This involves taking regular doses of growth hormone to make up for their deficiency and stimulate growth. Your child may have regular follow-up visits to monitor their growth and make sure that treatment is working well.
Actor portrayal
Childhood GHD
Idiopathic short stature
Small for gestational age
Turner syndrome
Noonan syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome
Adult GHD
Do not use Norditropin® if:
Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
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®?
What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:
The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:
Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat:
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat:
Do not use Norditropin® if:
Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
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®?
What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:
The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:
Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.
Do not use Norditropin® if:
Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
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®?
What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:
The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:
Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat: