For most people, growth hormone is produced naturally by the pituitary gland in the brain. As the name suggests, growth hormone helps us grow as children and affects our height. It also has many other important functions in the body, such as:
- Growing strong and healthy bones
- Regulating the body’s metabolism, specifically the balance between lean muscle and fat
- Developing and maintaining the body's organs
- General well-being and energy levels
There are many possible reasons why a child may seem to be growing
more slowly than their peers or siblings. Some are entirely harmless
and do not affect the child’s health. For example, some children
simply grow at a different rate from others and will eventually catch
up as they get older.
However, there are other, more serious reasons why a child might not be growing as they should. These reasons can range from poor nutrition to certain medical conditions, such as kidney or liver disease. Or, their body might not produce enough growth hormone to help them grow.
Growth hormone therapy (GHT) is a hormone replacement therapy. As a protein, it needs to be injected subcutaneously.
GHT is normally used to treat children with delayed or halted growth due to an underlying medical condition. It can also treat adults affected by growth hormone deficiency.
Improved device design has made a big difference for children who need growth hormone injections. Today, there are pens with many different useful features to choose from.
February 2024;IE23NNM00033
