Reach your
true potential

"They'll catch up" ... we've all heard it.

Sometimes, they don't always catch up. Growth takes a long time, and children all grow at different speeds, so it can be very hard to identify the symptoms of GHD. However, there are a number of tell-tale signs beyond your child being short for their age:
 

• A chubby build
• Underdeveloped bridge of nose
• An immature appearance for their age

GHD can also mean that your child goes through puberty late, or doesn't go through puberty at all. This is one of the reasons why it's so important get your child diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Remember, GHD isn't the only reason your child is short. Other causes, such as decreased nutritional intake, can be the reason for short stature. It's important to remember that GHD has no impact on a child's intelligence.

There are three types of GHD - Idiopathic, Congenital and Acquired.

Idiopathic GHD is the most common form of GHD. This is when there is no known or diagnosable cause for a child's GHD. When the child is tested for growth hormone deficiency the test will show that the child has low levels of growth hormone, but there isn't a clear reason for why this is - the cause is unknown.

Congenital GHD is caused before birth. Sometimes your child may have a mistake in one of their genes which affects the way their pituitary gland develops or works. This can affect the production of growth hormone and sometimes other hormones. 

Acquired GHD happens during or after birth. There are a number of causes for acquired GHD such as head injury, a brain tumour or due to another condition a child may have. These are just the more common causes for acquired GHD - there are many more.