Idiopathic dwarfism is a specific growth disorder: the child does not look abnormal, just shorter than his peers in height. The clinical features of idiopathic dwarfism are the following: normal at delivery, no history of hypoglycemia during infancy, normal limbs and crest, normal body proportions, no chronic organic disease, no psychological disorders or severe emotional disturbances, normal diet, and growth hormone stimulation test in the normal range. If children with idiopathic dwarfism are not detected and treated early, boys can only reach a final height of about 1 meter 55, and most girls end up less than 1 meter 5, which may affect the quality of life for the rest of their lives. The prevalence of idiopathic dwarfism is about 2.5%, accounting for about 70% of the total prevalence of dwarfism.
What should parents do if their child is diagnosed with idiopathic dwarfism?
Since the cause of idiopathic dwarfism is not yet clinically clear, many parents literally believe that idiopathic dwarfism is not a disease and wait for their children to grow in adolescence with the traditional concept of “early growth and late growth” and “23 leaps and bounds”. It is not right to wait until the child is 14 or 15 years old, or even 17 or 18 years old. If idiopathic dwarfism is not treated, it can seriously affect the child’s lifelong height. Once a child is diagnosed, he or she must be treated promptly and not wait blindly. The younger the child is, the more active the growth and differentiation of the cartilage layer of the epiphysis, the more space and potential the child has for growth, the more sensitive the child is to treatment, and the more effective the medication is in promoting growth. Bone age determines the growth potential of the human body, and the younger the bone age is, the more space is left for doctors to treat the child, and the more height growth can be obtained. Therefore, for the sake of your child’s lifelong height, it is important to achieve “early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment”.
Currently, growth hormone is the treatment of choice for idiopathic dwarfism. The latest clinical studies at home and abroad show that children with idiopathic dwarfism can grow faster by long-term growth hormone injections before epiphyseal closure (less than 13~15 years old). Growth hormone replacement therapy is safe because it does not accelerate the age of the bones or cause early epiphyseal closure while increasing the height of the child. Of course, due to individual differences, the amount of adult height a child eventually achieves will vary from person to person. In addition to medication, general treatment is also important, such as adequate and balanced nutritional intake, strengthening exercise, improving one’s resistance to disease, getting enough sleep, and ensuring a happy spirit. Parents should give these children adequate psychological support and improve their self-confidence.