When a child does not grow, the first thought of parents is that they cannot keep up with nutrition, and the second is that they are growing late. In fact, this is a very common misconception, your child may be threatened by growth disorders, and once the best treatment period is missed, it will bring them a lifetime of pain. A number of authoritative experts in China call for “perception determines height” and hope that parents will acquire more knowledge about dwarfism so that they can grow up easily and happily.
Dwarfism has become a new enemy of children’s health. With the improvement of living standards, the average height of young people in China is gradually rising, and parents expect their children’s height to be “high”. However, dwarfism has become another major enemy of children’s health after obesity and premature maturity.
Generally speaking, if the height of a child of the same race, sex, and age is more than two standard deviations below the average height of the normal population or below the third percentile in a similar environment, he or she is diagnosed with dwarfism. In addition, the child’s height growth rate can also be used as a criterion. Infants and children under 3 years of age with a growth rate less than 7 cm/year; 3 years of age – before puberty, with a growth rate less than 3-5 cm/year; and puberty with a growth rate less than 5-6 cm/year are considered to have slow height growth.
However, early detection of dwarfism is completely curable. 3-12 years old is the “golden period” for children to grow taller and the best time to help dwarfism patients grow taller. Parents should keep track of their child’s basic growth pattern and record their height in detail every year. If your child grows slower than their peers during the growth period and does not reach the normal growth rate, it is time to be alert and take them to a regular hospital’s dwarf clinic.
With early detection and treatment, the child can reach the normal height. What is more important than normal height is that these children will have stronger self-confidence and a happier and healthier mind, and only comprehensive care can make them grow happier and easier.
Growth hormone deficiency is the main cause So, what causes dwarfism? The most common cause of dwarfism is pituitary growth hormone disorder, which is the main hormone that promotes the growth of bones and organs after birth, and its deficiency will directly affect the growth and development of children.
Most children with growth hormone deficiency start to show slow growth after the age of 1 year, and they often appear to be proportionally short. They may be adults in their twenties, but they always have a baby face and even still have a childish voice, yet they have the same intelligence as normal people. The growth hormone deficiency also makes the affected child a step behind in all development, especially in the reproductive system, and most have delayed puberty. If these children are not treated with growth hormone, i.e., artificial growth hormone injections to replace the pituitary gland, they will become what we call “little dwarfs,” usually only about 1.45 meters tall as adults for men and no more than 1.35 meters tall for women.
Short children are often ridiculed and teased, making them introverted, self-absorbed and even depressed. The latest research results show that children with dwarfism not only have physiological problems (can’t grow taller), but also generally feel that it has a psychological impact on them, nearly 60% of children with dwarfism have different degrees of hidden psychological problems, such as introversion, emotional instability, poor communication and social withdrawal. Many parents of children with the condition report that their children are not only getting to the front of the class, but also seem to be getting rusty with teachers and classmates, making them very anxious.
“If your child is really diagnosed with dwarfism, there is no need to worry too much, as we currently have very good clinical treatment measures and have received very satisfactory results in long-term application.” The only effective treatment for growth disorders at present is the injection of recombinant human growth hormone, and the earlier the treatment is given, the better the results.
Clinical studies show that the younger the child is, the more active the growth and differentiation of the cartilage layer of the epiphysis, the greater the growth potential and space, the more sensitive the response to treatment, and the better the growth effect. The younger the child and the lighter the weight, the lower the dose of medication and the lower the cost.
There is evidence that most children with this condition have more self-confidence as they grow in height. Total care for the child is the true goal of treatment. Perception determines height!