Re: some questions...

[Guest guest]

Hi Ann,

I can answer some of your questions.

First, as far as I know, growth hormone does increase height -- just

ask Jodie Z. about her son Max.

Second there are other advantages, -- increased muscle tone and

appetitte.

I cannot answer questions 3 and 4. On question 5, I don't think the

majority of RSS kids have early puberty but it is more common than in

the general population.

If I am wrong about any of these, I'm sure someone will correct me.

I hope this helps.

Ken M

> 1.Can someone please tell me have I got my facts straight - the use

> of hormone will NOT make a childs adult height any taller than if

> they did not take hormone - it just speeds up the rate of growth-so

> they keep up better with their peers thru childhood?

>

> 2.Are there any other pros to taking it?

>

> 3.Does the use of growth hormone cause or increase the incidence of

> anderche? early puberty? or is that just part of rss?

>

> 4.Once they go into early puberty it means the full emotional deal?

>

> 5.Do the majority of rss kids go thru early puberty? Am bit worried

> as my 9 year old daughter has just had an incidence at school with

a

> boy taking advantage of her " naiivity " (thats not spelled right!!??)

> Has (hopefully) been dealt with but has been really upsetting.She

is

> not showing any outward signs of going into anderche - but the

> possibility of early puberty combined with emotional immaturity is

> a pretty scary combination - (Dad will have to sit on the porch

with

> the shotgun earlier than expected!!LOL) Thanks for any replies -

Lee-

> Anne mum to Georgia-May 9 rss and Buster 5 NZ

[Guest guest]

Anne - your questions are a good reason that I need to finish our

Guidebook!!! I will try and briefly answer your questions, but full

data will be out in the Guidebook, with the studies that back up the

data.

> 1.Can someone please tell me have I got my facts straight - the

use > of hormone will NOT make a childs adult height any taller

than if > they did not take hormone - it just speeds up the rate of

growth-so > they keep up better with their peers thru childhood?

ANSWER:

NOT TRUE. Growth hormone absolutely and substantiated DOES increase

the RSS/SGA child's final adult height. How much is dependent on

many intermingling factors -- dose levels, if the child was seen

every 3 months and dose was adjusted, age at beginning, parents'

adult heights, bone age advancement, and others.

>

> 2.Are there any other pros to taking it? ANSWER: Absolutely. I

encourage you to do an archive search on growth hormone and read

past posts. Also, Dr. Chernausek, probably the most published US

researcher on GH use in RSS/SGA kids, and the head of the SGA

symposium, will be speaking on what the studies have found. In a

nutshell, GH increases body mass, lowers body fat, increases muscle

mass, lowers lipid levels (abnormally high for our kids), lowers

blood pressure. The negative side effect is that GH also raises

their fasting glucose and insulin levels; studies have found that

within 6 months of stopping GH the levels return to normal.

However, during GHT, the child's levels must be monitored annually,

and the child should be monitored with balanced diets to ensure no

hypoglcyemia.

>

> 3.Does the use of growth hormone cause or increase the incidence

of > anderche? early puberty? or is that just part of rss? ANSWER:

Studies have found that GH has NO significant affect on RSS or short

SGA kids' pubertal stages.

>

> 4.Once they go into early puberty it means the full emotional

deal? ANSWER: This varies for all children, regardless of RSS/SGA.

>

> 5.Do the majority of rss kids go thru early puberty? Am bit

worried > as my 9 year old daughter has just had an incidence at

school with a > boy taking advantage of her " naiivity " (thats not

spelled right!!??) ANSWER: Not true. The original Silver study

thought the kids had early puberty. Today, studies have found that

there is actually no " significant " different in the age of

gonadarche onset (breast bud development/testicular size change) or

menarche for girls. RSS and short SGA kids may start a bit earlier

on average but still well within the overall normal age timeframe

(can't recall but something like 10-13 for girls). Studies did find

that their pubertal start WAS early based on where their bone age

was though!!! This being said, I would like to see a study that

looks at ADRENARCHE -- because way too many RSS kids are going

through early adrenarche from the MAGIC families.

I know I type fast and tend to type chopped short answers (I am

always in a hurry - I live life fast forward). Let me know if

anything wasn't clear. Salem