Re: Growth issues (Can someone PLEASE help)

[Guest guest]

Just bumping this in the hope someone will read this and can answer my

questions...I got several responses when I last posted on this topic

from people who seemed to have some experience with it. Thanks in advance

>

> Hi all,

>

> A couple of months back I posted about my concerns about my

> almost-ten-year-old son's growth suddenly slowing; he went from being

> in the 45th percentile for height at age 8 years and 3 months, and now

> he's in the 5th percentile, having only grown about 1/2 inch since

> then...plus he didn't start losing baby teeth until after age 8.

>

> I just received the results of his bone age test. His bone age is

> three standard deviations below the norm, actually comparable to that

> of a 7-year-old. As I understand it, in some ways, I guess this is

good news

> in that it means his growth/development isn't permanently stunted by

> medications; it's just delayed. On the other hand, the written

> interpretation clearly indicates that this is an " abnormal " finding.

> I've been given a referral to an endocrinologist.

>

> To those of you who have had experience with this kind of thing...what

> can cause delayed bone age? Is this possibly an HGH thing? Someone

> here mentioned a deficiency in arginine. I know HGH is injected; what

> about arginine? Or could there be some other cause?

ETA: **We are SERIOUSLY at a crossroads here and wondering if all this

medication is having a detrimental effect...or could this be a diet

issue? I worry all the time about getting enough protein and calcium

into him. Of course he can't drink milk, is sensitive to soy, won't

eat sheep's milk or goat's milk cheese, gags on ground beef, Dr.

Goldberg doesn't permit nuts, etc.**

>

> TIA,

> Donna

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/10/2008 11:34:29 A.M. Central Standard Time,

donnaaron@... writes:

<<To those of you who have had experience with this kind of thing...what

> can cause delayed bone age? Is this possibly an HGH thing?>>

Low growth hormone can cause delayed bone growth. It can be easily tested

with a growth hormone stimulation test. Nutritional problems can also delay

growth.

<< Someone here mentioned a deficiency in arginine. I know HGH is injected;

what

> about arginine?>>

I mentioned that arginine boosts HGH levels. It is one of the things they

use to test if the body can make HGH. My son's eating significantly

increased right after his growth hormone stimulation test that used arginine.

He

had not eaten very well for a few years and hadn't gained any weight. The

dietary manipulations we went through with Dr. G in an effort to reduce his

chronic high EOS counts just made the lack of weight worse. We ended up

adding

back in some of the higher calorie foods we had removed when working with Dr.

G just to get some weight on him. We never saw a clear trend of this

affecting EOS counts. Interestingly, after years of extremely high EOS counts,

all

of the blood tests run over the past year have suddenly shown at the level

Dr. G says is optimal. I'm not sure why.

My son's endocrinologist prescribed Periactin about a year and a half ago

which jump started his eating and growth. He's still behind but has gone from

weighing between 60-65 pounds with us constantly trying to shove food down

his throat to now weighing 110 pounds (at age 16).

<<**We are SERIOUSLY at a crossroads here and wondering if all this

medication is having a detrimental effect...or could this be a diet

issue? I worry all the time about getting enough protein and calcium

into him. >>

Funny thing, after discovering the arginine thing, I learned that milk is

one of the best sources for arginine. That explains why so many people believe

that giving kids milkshakes helps them grow (we heard that ALOT when

floundering through this growth problem). One downside to arginine is that it

can

feed some viruses, which isn't good for a person. However, we have never

seen any negatives at all (return of viral symptoms, higher titers, etc)

since he starting taking it.

Gaylen

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5

48)

[Guest guest]

Gaylen, thank you so much -- this is very helpful. We have definitely

had feeding problems too, with his oral sensitivity, and the more

things that he likes that Dr. G takes out of his diet in an effort to

calm his stressed immune system (he doesn't test with high EOS levels,

but he often gets those RED RED RED cheeks and ears after eating), the

more difficult it becomes to get the proper balance of nutrition into him.

Thanks again!

Donna

>

> In a message dated 2/10/2008 11:34:29 A.M. Central Standard Time,

> donnaaron@... writes:

>

> <<To those of you who have had experience with this kind of

thing...what

> > can cause delayed bone age? Is this possibly an HGH thing?>>

>

> Low growth hormone can cause delayed bone growth. It can be easily

tested

> with a growth hormone stimulation test. Nutritional problems can

also delay

> growth.

>

>

> << Someone here mentioned a deficiency in arginine. I know HGH is

injected;

> what

> > about arginine?>>

>

>

>

> I mentioned that arginine boosts HGH levels. It is one of the

things they

> use to test if the body can make HGH. My son's eating significantly

> increased right after his growth hormone stimulation test that used

arginine. He

> had not eaten very well for a few years and hadn't gained any

weight. The

> dietary manipulations we went through with Dr. G in an effort to

reduce his

> chronic high EOS counts just made the lack of weight worse. We

ended up adding

> back in some of the higher calorie foods we had removed when working

with Dr.

> G just to get some weight on him. We never saw a clear trend of this

> affecting EOS counts. Interestingly, after years of extremely high

EOS counts, all

> of the blood tests run over the past year have suddenly shown at

the level

> Dr. G says is optimal. I'm not sure why.

>

> My son's endocrinologist prescribed Periactin about a year and a

half ago

> which jump started his eating and growth. He's still behind but

has gone from

> weighing between 60-65 pounds with us constantly trying to shove

food down

> his throat to now weighing 110 pounds (at age 16).

>

> <<**We are SERIOUSLY at a crossroads here and wondering if all this

> medication is having a detrimental effect...or could this be a diet

> issue? I worry all the time about getting enough protein and calcium

> into him. >>

>

>

> Funny thing, after discovering the arginine thing, I learned that

milk is

> one of the best sources for arginine. That explains why so many

people believe

> that giving kids milkshakes helps them grow (we heard that ALOT when

> floundering through this growth problem). One downside to arginine

is that it can

> feed some viruses, which isn't good for a person. However, we

have never

> seen any negatives at all (return of viral symptoms, higher titers,

etc)

> since he starting taking it.

> Gaylen

>

>

>

>

> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

Music.

>

(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002\

5

> 48)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna,

I have been looking at this area recently, there is a study funded by

autismspeaks that shows that in autism they are either tall or short - it

suggests that there is a problem at a biological juncture. It would be

helpful if you could explain the neuro and other symptoms / diagnosis - I

don't want to presume autism if it is CFS. Presuming Autism; Try to imagine

that a disorder (which may be a deficiency of something) can result from

defective processing of a particular thing - which will lead to a build-up

of whatever isn't being converted into the beneficial product. Likewise,

deficiency of necessary biological precursors for conversion will lead to

the same ultimate outcome. - I hope that explanation makes sense!

For starters; Thymulin (which is related to secretin) is an immune

regulator from the Thymus, it also regulates the Pituitary which is a big

player for growth regulation. I know of another listmate who is 40 and only

just stopped growing a few years ago - it is a very complex and unusual case

that is very immune related.

Do you have any data on CD4 + T-cells. Has Strep been a problem?

Jon.

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi Donna,

> >

> > I have been looking at this area recently, there is a study funded by

> > autismspeaks that shows that in autism they are either tall or short

> - it

> > suggests that there is a problem at a biological juncture. It would be

> > helpful if you could explain the neuro and other symptoms /

> diagnosis - I

> > don't want to presume autism if it is CFS. Presuming Autism; Try to

> imagine

> > that a disorder (which may be a deficiency of something) can

result from

> > defective processing of a particular thing - which will lead to a

> build-up

> > of whatever isn't being converted into the beneficial product.

Likewise,

> > deficiency of necessary biological precursors for conversion will

> lead to

> > the same ultimate outcome. - I hope that explanation makes sense!

> >

> > For starters; Thymulin (which is related to secretin) is an immune

> > regulator from the Thymus, it also regulates the Pituitary which is

> a big

> > player for growth regulation. I know of another listmate who is 40

> and only

> > just stopped growing a few years ago - it is a very complex and

> unusual case

> > that is very immune related.

> >

> > Do you have any data on CD4 + T-cells. Has Strep been a problem?

> >

> > Jon.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I think delayed growth is very complex but one of the things that concern me

and I hope to research is malnutrition. I believe that most of the kids that

come to us are malnourished for a plethora of reasons ranging from sensory

issues resulting in a limited diet to a gut that is so damaged that absorption

is not taking place as it should.

Kathy on

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