What should I look for in children with short stature?

  Growth is a complex biological phenomenon whose basic processes are regulated by genetic factors, and the expression of genes is influenced by the internal and external environment. If the undesirable factors affecting gene expression can be eliminated, the child can eventually obtain the genetic height he/she deserves. However, we have found in our clinical practice that many children’s height growth is more or less influenced by some undesirable factors. These adverse factors usually include: psychosocial factors, such as poor family and social factors, stressful study, lack of sleep, etc., which can lead to mental depression and affect the function of GH-IGF axis and gonadal axis, which regulate growth; nutritional factors, such as unreasonable diet and zinc deficiency; some of them are only discovered when the child comes to the hospital for treatment of “dwarfism Some of the factors affecting height, such as digestive and absorption problems, liver and lung insufficiency, chronic infections, hypothyroidism, diabetes, Turner’s syndrome, etc., are only discovered when the child comes to the hospital for treatment of “dwarfism”. For children whose parents are short, many of them can reach their ideal height if they can eliminate the factors that affect their genetic height, according to the current medical and living standards. There is no evidence to date that the so-called “height enhancement drugs” advertised by the health department have been tested and approved to help increase height. The above-mentioned children’s premature height growth is often a sign of precocious puberty, which eventually affects their adult lifetime height, and such examples are common in clinical practice.  To allow children and adolescents to give full play to their genetic potential for height growth, so that they can grow taller scientifically, the following measures can be taken.  1, bone age measurement: bone age is the most reliable indicator of human maturity. Abnormally early or backward bone age can reflect the adverse factors affecting growth and development, and give timely treatment for the cause.  2.According to bone age, actual age and height, adult lifetime height can be predicted. Predicting height can avoid missing the best time for treatment or unnecessary treatment. For children with delayed physical growth, predicting height can often eliminate the concern about short height in the future.  3.Establish a dynamic observation file of growth and development. Combining the bone age and predicted height values at different times, we can judge whether the development is normal and eliminate the adverse factors affecting growth that are exposed in time.  4.For the different situations of children and adolescents’ height, we can develop targeted guidance and treatment programs. If the height is not ideal, but the bone age has basically matured, even if the growth space is not large, still through reasonable guidance, the final growth potential.