Posted on 06/12/2018 3:18:27 AM PDT by dangus
My son has pretty much stopped growing about 2 years ago. He gained about 2 inches at a time when he should have gained about 8. He was already short for his age. He just graduated Kindergarten, but looks more like he's just ready for pre-school.
He's extremely smart, and has a WAY higher "EQ" than I do. So, he manages to enjoy school and especially aftercare; he has very good friends, is very popular, and has the girls fawning at him straight up to the eighth grade. With such good friends, and an inventive mind, he finds ways to participate in sports and play. But he can't really compete.
We're going to find out if the issue is Human Growth Hormone Deficiency. I suspect it is, because HGHD is often caused by an interruption in the brain's air supply during birth, and, as a preemie, he did have significant difficulty transitioning to breathing air.
I love him so much just the way he is, and, truth be told, I'm a little afraid of him growing up so much so quickly. But HGHD has health issues which affect people in their adulthood, significantly increasing the chances of medical problems which may result in early death, but it's not clear that HGH treatments improve life expectancy. And in the meanwhile, he has very low muscle tone, and can run only about half the speed of other kids.
Does anyone know whether there are any ethical issues with Human Growth Hormone treatments? I understand the HGH is synthetic now, but are there cloning issues nonetheless? Anyone with good or bad experiences with HGH?
My oldest daughter took HGH for 3-1/2 years, age 11 to 14. She grew from 4’5” to 5’2”. She had no complications and is in good health at 27.
It’s just another chemical. Our society uses them all the time. It’s no different than a multivitamin. I have at various times been prescribed testosterone and prednisone.
You have a narrow window for using this option as once his bone ends seal no amount of hormone will make him taller.
Thanks. Did she have hypopituitarism, or mere short stature?
Recombinant HGH is, I think, grown in bacteria using a cloned gene.
There is no ethical issue here.
The issues are the cost, since HGH treatment is expensive. Also, do not be tempted by scammers trying to sell their version of HGH, which is fake and may be dangerous. Your child should be monitored medically throughout the treatment process.
Thanks. That helps confirm what I expected, but it’s good to hear.
My stepson took it for about 2 years. He was the size of a 8 yr old when he was 12. He started to grow immediately. Due to some other behavioral issues he moved back in with his lazy drunk dad who didn’t monitor him and the boy quit taking it. Once we got him back it was already too late. He topped out at 5’ 7”.
have you considered or tried natural ways to stimulate the pituitary or other related glands involved with growing? (private message me if you’d like info)
or have you considered maybe God has reasons for some people being taller or shorter than average and messing with that may mess with His plan?
Why are you asking others about a decision only you can make? The only ethical question here is if it will help your child grow. No hand-wringing on this one. This is easy
5’7 is not a bad height. My younger son is 5’8. Many men are in that range.
I am 5’6”. I will work my back against any guy 6’2” any day. And I am 65. Don’t over look the benefits of a nicely formed, strong body. Do your friends mind hearing about your son? Talk to those who have seen the boy and the specialness he possesses.
Absolutely, but his growth track showed him continuing to grow. He basically didn’t take his meds for 15 months. Whe he restarted the growth track slowed and the gains were minimal.
If it were merely a matter of being short, I’d be more inclined to accept the situation as it is. But there are significant health effects, so I would consider it akin to denying a child medicine.
Any decision should be an informed decision.
We did not give our son HGH on the “whatever will be” costruct. I wish feverently now that we had. “ Short guy” emotional isses.
We did not give our son HGH on the “whatever will be” costruct. I wish feverently now that we had. “ Short guy” emotional isses.
If your son has a GH deficiency, it may be caused by a pituitary tumor, which is almost always benign but can grow and cause pituitary dysfunction and damage to the optic nerve or even a stroke. An MRI with contrast is the standard diagnostic test.
again, there are natural ways to stimulate glands to do their job which includes more then height - private message me for info.
Also God may have plans and purposes for a person, even a child, to have a condition for life or shortened life span. It happens a lot.
Not trying to be cold, it’s just God’s plan is his and He has his reasons. We mess with it, some times it works out ok but may alter his best plan, and some times we mess with it and it doesn’t even turn out as we hoped let alone how HE had planned.
I do pray for God’s best for your son and for you to have peace of mind and trust God and His lead.
Get all the best info you can and then go with what your loving heart tells you to do.....
Prayers up for "Little dangus"....
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