Growth Hormone Human Treatment

Treatment with the human growth hormone can help short-statured children continue to grow when growth slows or stops prematurely. According to The Human Growth Foundation, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 American children have a hormone deficiency that affects growth. Some adults also suffer from a deficiency of the human growth hormone and require ongoing hormonal treatment.

Causes of Growth Problems in Children

• The pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, produces the human growth hormone. This gland is attached to the brain's hypothalamus, and damage or malformation to either the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland can result in a growth deficiency. In some cases, these organs don't form correctly during the fetal stage of development. In others, these areas are damaged during or after birth. A severe head injury or serious diseases, such as meningitis or encephalitis, can cause damage that affects growth. The cause of the growth deficiency can't be determined in every case.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Children with a human growth deficiency don't grow the normal 2 inches per year that other children grow. They may also look much younger than other children the same age and have a stocky or chubby build. The condition is diagnosed by reviewing the medical history of the child and the pregnancy, labor and delivery experience of the mother. X-rays of the hands and wrists are taken in order to determine how bone growth compares with the child's age and height. Blood tests and pituitary scans may be needed to detect abnormalities and hormone deficiencies.

Treatment

• Growth deficiency is treated with hormone injections at home. Depending on the situation, your doctor may recommend that your child use the injections every day or a few times each week. Some growth can usually be seen in three to four months. Treatment continues over the course of several years until the child reaches an acceptable adult height or it has been determined that future growth is not possible.

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency

• Pituitary gland tumors, head injuries, or radiation treatment or surgery to the pituitary gland or base of the skull can cause adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). Adults who have AGHD may experience decreased muscle strength, increased fat mass, decreased bone density, a greater risk of cardiovascular problems, low energy levels and irritability. Daily injections of the human growth hormone are used to reduce the symptoms of this disorder.

Other Uses

• People seeking to enhance athletic performance or slow aging may be tempted to use human growth hormone, a practice that presents serious health risks, according to Dr. Alan Rogol, professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Virginia and Indiana University School of Medicine. Rogol testified before the United States House of Representatives Government Reform Committee on behalf of the Endocrine Society in February 2008 and told the committee that users' ignorance of correct human growth hormone dosages could lead to problems. At higher dosages, hormone levels may approach those found in acromegaly, an endocrine disease. Acromegaly can cause severe muscle weakness, heart disease and even death. Rogol also expressed concern that off-label hormones may contain other ingredients, such as anabolic steroid hormones that could promote the growth of tumors.