Specialities › Growth & Puberty Disorders
Growth & Puberty Disorders in Children, Ahmedabad
If your child seems much shorter than classmates, is growing slowly, or is entering puberty too early or too late, a hormonal cause may be responsible. Dr. Moxit Shah, DM Endocrinology, evaluates children and teenagers with growth and puberty problems at Vishuddha Diabetes, Thyroid, Weight Loss Clinic, Ahmedabad. Early assessment matters, because treatment works best before the growth plates close.
Conditions We Evaluate
- Short stature: many short children are healthy (Familial Short Stature or Constitutional Delay of Growth), but some have a treatable hormonal or medical cause.
- Growth Hormone Deficiency: too little Growth Hormone from the pituitary, causing slow growth.
- Other causes of poor growth: Hypothyroidism, Coeliac Disease, Turner Syndrome, chronic illness, poor nutrition and Vitamin D deficiency.
- Precocious (early) puberty: breast development before age 8 in girls, or testicular enlargement before age 9 in boys.
- Delayed puberty: no breast development by about 13 years in girls, or no testicular enlargement by about 14 years in boys.
When Should You See a Specialist?
- Your child is growing less than about 4 cm a year after the age of 4
- Height is far below other children of the same age, or below what would be expected from the parents’ heights
- Signs of puberty appear earlier, or have not appeared by the ages given above
- Your child has a long-term illness, frequent tummy problems or poor weight gain along with slow growth
How We Evaluate Growth Problems
- Accurate height and weight measurement, growth chart review and comparison with parents’ heights
- Bone age X-ray of the left hand and wrist
- Blood tests: thyroid function, IGF-1, Coeliac screening, kidney, liver and Vitamin D tests, and a Karyotype in girls when Turner Syndrome is suspected
- Growth Hormone stimulation tests when Growth Hormone Deficiency is suspected
- Hormone tests (LH, FSH, Estradiol or Testosterone) and, if needed, pelvic ultrasound or an MRI of the brain for puberty problems
Treatment
- Treating the underlying cause, such as Levothyroxine for Hypothyroidism, a gluten-free diet for Coeliac Disease, and Vitamin D correction.
- Growth Hormone injections for confirmed Growth Hormone Deficiency and certain other conditions such as Turner Syndrome, with regular growth monitoring.
- GnRH analogue injections to pause puberty in central Precocious Puberty and protect final height.
- Short-term hormone treatment to start puberty in selected children with Delayed Puberty.
- Nutrition, sleep and exercise guidance to support healthy growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Growth Hormone injections help every short child?
No. Growth Hormone is effective for specific diagnoses such as Growth Hormone Deficiency and Turner Syndrome. Many short children are healthy and do not need treatment, which is why a proper evaluation comes first.
Can height increase after puberty ends?
Once the growth plates in the bones have closed, height cannot be increased with medicines. That is why growth problems should be assessed early.
Does early puberty always need treatment?
Not always. Treatment is considered when early puberty is progressing fast and could reduce final height. An evaluation, including a bone age X-ray, helps decide who benefits.
Related: Rickets & Metabolic Bone Disorders · Pituitary Disorders · Thyroid
Vishuddha Diabetes, Thyroid, Weight Loss Clinic, Elite Magnum, 104-105, Bhuyangdev Cross Road, Opp. Utsav Elegance, Vardhmannagar Society, Ghatlodiya, Memnagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380061. Call or WhatsApp +91 99799 92797. Open Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM.