What Is Growth Hormone Therapy?
If your child is diagnosed with GHD, the pediatric endocrinologist will likely recommend treatment with growth hormone replacement therapy.
The major goal of growth hormone therapy is to return the amount of growth hormone to regular levels, so that your child can achieve an adult height that is as close to normal as possible.
The growth hormone used in treatment, called somatropin, is manufactured using biotechnology. This process yields a product nearly identical with the growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland.
How Long Does Growth Hormone Therapy Take?
Growth hormone therapy causes bones to grow, which causes an increase in height.
However, it doesn’t work overnight — the process takes patience.
It may be 3 or 4 months before you begin to see a distinct change.
During the first year of therapy, your child may grow as much as 3 to 4.5 inches. After that, growth tends to hold steady at about 2.75 inches per year.
You should know that growth hormone therapy is most often a long-term process. Just as it takes years of steady growth for a child to naturally attain adult height, treatment may take several years.
Children often take growth hormone until:
* Full adult height is reached
* Bone maturation has occurred
* Growth has slowed to less than less than an inch per year
Your pediatric endocrinologist will monitor your child’s progress and development. Your doctor can help address any concerns you or your child may have during the treatment process.
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