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Getting a diagnosis for growth hormone deficiency (GHD).

If you suspect your child has GHD it is important to speak to your doctor. Your doctor can help to diagnose GHD, and they will be able to rule out other causes. Your doctor may speak to you about your families heights and weights, your family medical history and your child's caloric intake.

If your doctor suspects you may have GHD, they will refer you to the hospital for testing. This usually involves blood tests to check your child's naturally occurring GH levels. The hospital team may also do x-rays, scans and other blood tests to make sure they get to the bottom of the cause of your child's growth hormone deficiency.

Options for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD)

Treating GHD can be quite straightforward. Your Paediatric Endocrinologist will prescribe Growth Hormone (GH) treatment, which will help bring your child's growth hormone levels back to a normal level for their age.

Growth hormone is usually prescribed in a specialist hospital. The Paediatric Endocrinologist in this specialist hospital will look after lots of patients with GHD, and will help you and your child's treatment journey.

GH treatment has to be given by injection. Your Paediatric Endocrinology team will monitor your child's progress very closely and adjust their dose depending on their weight as they get older. This also helps the team assess whether the treatment is having the desired effect.

You may notice an improvement in your child's growth in the first year of treatment; your child may even experience catch up growth. Your child may see other benefits too, such as increased strength.


There are two different types of GH treatment: 
 

• GH that is injected weekly, also known as long-acting GH

• GH that is injected daily
   

Both types of GH therapy can help your child to grow to their height potential.

Long-acting GH requires fewer injections so may help overcome some barriers to treatment associated with daily GH such as fear of needles, forgetting to take treatment or injections interfering with your child's lifestyle activities.

Both long-acting and daily GH may cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some common side effects of weekly GH may include: injection site reactions, headache and fever. Some common side effects of daily GH may include: injection site reactions, swelling in the extremities, joint pain or joint stiffness. Not all side effects are listed here.

If you want to find out more about dignosis or treatment options for GHD please speak to your doctor.