Should Children Take Growth Hormone?

If your child is growing at a slower rate than their classmates and friends, start a conversation with your pediatrician. Height, weight and other physical markers are key indicators of child and adolescent development.

Kids who are growing slowly compared to their peers may have an underlying medical condition that’s delaying their growth. Others are simply short-statured, and there may be no cause for concern.

Society focusses on this single physical characteristic, giving us the false impression that being taller is always better. Intervening with injectable growth hormone (GH) isn’t always a simple fix and is often not medically necessary. But, when children are diagnosed with a condition that’s stalling their expected growth, early diagnosis and treatment can help them reach their full developmental potential.

Should your child see a specialist?

“If you have concerns about your child’s short stature, it’s valid to bring up these concerns with your provider,” says Patricia Gomez, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist with the University of Miami Health System. “Ask questions regarding why your provider is not concerned. Sometimes it takes several evaluations to determine that growth is problematic. Therefore, it is important to continue follow-up as recommended.”

A pediatric endocrinologist should evaluate a child if:

• they are below the growth curve for height
• they have an abnormal growth velocity for their age or pubertal stage
• their height percentile is significantly different than expected for their family
• they have a chronic condition known to affect growth

When is human growth hormone appropriate for children?

For medical reasons:

The FDA has identified the following medical conditions that qualify children to receive GH therapy, under the guidance of a pediatric endocrinologist, as part of their care plan. For these patients, treatment with synthetic (man-made) GH can stimulate height and related developmental features.

• human growth hormone deficiency
• Turner syndrome
• Noonan syndrome
• SHOX gene haploinsufficiency
• Prader-Willi syndrome
• chronic renal insufficiency
• small for gestational age (SGA): children born significantly small and do not catch up to the normal range for their age

For non-medical reasons:

In 2003, the FDA approved GH for children with idiopathic short stature (no medical cause) who are not expected to reach an adult height in the normal range.

Studies show that, following years of GH therapy, these patients generally gain less height (an average of 2.36 inches when fully grown) than pediatric patients being treated with GH for a medical condition. Some children with idiopathic short stature experience no response to synthetic growth hormone therapy.

Giving GH to children without a medical cause is controversial because it’s an elective, aesthetic choice. Children who receive this treatment without medical necessity may get the impression that something is wrong with them, being short is undesirable, and if they don’t ultimately reach a certain height, they are defective and disappointing in some way. On the other hand, many adults who were treated with GH for idiopathic short stature as children are pleased with the results and grateful for the tough decision their parents made.

How does GH therapy work?

Synthetic growth hormone works much like the body’s hormone it’s modeled after. It stimulates cellular development and impacts metabolism, which increases bone and tissue growth.

“For children with diagnoses that may benefit from GH, treatment should begin once there is evidence of suboptimal growth velocity or adult height prediction,” Dr. Gomez says. “For some diagnoses (like Turner syndrome), earlier initiation of GH treatment is recommended (starting at age 4 to 6 years old), especially if the child’s growth failure is already evident.

“It’s too late to start GH treatment once growth is complete and the child’s growth plates are fused.”

Children on synthetic growth hormone therapy should receive the injections daily or weekly, depending on the product. How long they continue this treatment depends on the child’s diagnosis and their response to the hormone. For the best outcomes, most pediatric patients receive this therapy for a few years, until their bones fuse. Patients should visit their doctor regularly for checkups and bloodwork, to manage any side effects and to track the child’s growth and development during this treatment.

“Growth hormone, when used appropriately, is generally effective in helping augment growth,” Dr. Gomez says. “The typical goal is to help children reach a normal adult height — close to their genetic potential, if possible.”

How much growth a child experiences with GH treatment depends on many factors, including underlying conditions, the child’s age when treatment begins, their estimated height potential based on their sex and genetic factors, and the dosage and duration of treatment.

Is growth hormone safe for children?

“GH is generally safe,” Dr. Gomez says, “but there are potential side effects associated with its use.”

Potential side effects and risks of GH therapy include:

• headaches
• Pseudotumor cerebri
• worsening or development of scoliosis
• thyroid dysfunction
• slipped capital femoral epiphyses, which presents as hip and/or knee joint pain or limping
• abnormal blood glucose levels (may increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time)
• allergic reaction or swelling at the injection site

Most of these side effects go away once the child stops receiving the GH injections.

“It is important to discuss your child’s individualized risks and benefits with your physician prior to starting GH therapy.”

Dana Kantrowitz is a contributing writer for UMiami Health News.

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Last reviewed in January 2025 by Patricia Gomez, MD, an endocrinologist with the University of Miami Health System.

Originally published on: January 31, 2022

Tags: Dr. Patricia Gomez, growing kids, growth hormone benefits and risks, growth hormones for kids, healthy kids, human growth hormone