What do parents of children with short stature need to know about their child before a visit?
During the consultation, the following information should be explained to the attending doctor: 1. the mother’s pregnancy 2. the time when the child was found to be short 3. the child’s sex/age/height/weight 4. the height/weight at birth 5. the change in height in the last year 6. the child’s intelligence 7. the parents’ height 8. the current development of sexual characteristics 9. any family history of tumors, diabetes, genetic diseases, etc. 10. previous visits to the doctor and related test results (bring the child’s case and previous test results) What tests are needed for children with short stature?
There are many causes of dwarfism, and in order to treat it, we must find out the cause, make a correct diagnosis, and then consider how to treat it. In order to find out the cause of the disease, we must firstly take a medical history, ask about the physical condition, and conduct laboratory tests. Based on the detailed information and laboratory results, we will analyze and judge the cause of the child’s short stature and finally determine the treatment plan.
Parents of children with short stature should provide the following information when they visit the hospital: 1. the condition of the baby at birth, whether the birth was difficult, asphyxiation, and what kind of delivery method was used, height and weight at birth, etc.
2. The annual rate of height growth; shoes should be removed for the measurement.
3.Family members’ height and developmental age, whether there are genetic diseases.
4.Intellectual development, the presence of chronic hepatitis, kidney disease and asthma.
5.Whether drugs affecting growth and development have been used, such as prednisone (prednisone), dexamethasone and other glucocorticoids, etc.
When the child arrives at the hospital, the first thing that needs to be done is an X-ray of the metacarpal finger of the left wrist to understand the bone age and to determine the child’s bone growth, the degree of epiphyseal closure and growth potential. Secondly, blood and urine tests, liver and kidney functions, calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase will be done, and thirdly, growth hormone stimulation tests (thyroxine, growth factor levels, etc.) will be performed. For girls, blood chromosomes will be checked to determine if the condition is “congenital ovarian hypoplasia”, and other special tests related to short stature should be recommended by the treating physician.