Re: GH holiday and Bone Age

[Guest guest]

Beth, I just got back an incredible email from Stanhope on

this subject. I can't copy it here, since that would be a bit

unethical. But I will tell you that his belief, right now barring

any new research, is that this advancing bone age is inherent in

these RSS and SGA kids (why this doctor says he isn't SGA anymore

is beyond me -- he was BORN SGA; this stays). We have been trying

to decide whether or not to try aromitase inhibitors or not. I am

not going to write everything here. But I would NOT say that his

linear growth is a result of his weight gain, and not the GH.

All you can do is try stopping. The couple parents I know who

stopped ended up going back on, because their child's growth

velocity kept falling. The research I have read though says it can

take more than 6 months for the body to begin remembering again to

produce its own. So you may have to watch him have NO growth for 6-

9 months before the body begins to click in again, and then it will

probably click in again at the lower growth rate that he had before

starting GH. So you will lose some final adult height compared to

being on GH, but you can graph it out and see what makes sense. We

are doing this same discussion about -- are we fine with xx

height and no more GH versus ongoing GH and YY height.

's bone age has advanced more than 16 months and is now 6

months PAST her chronological age, and she only just turned 9.

Jenn

>

> Hi!

>

> I just got back from Matt's GI appointment. She is extremely

> pleased that we are no longer forcing him to eat, and that the

> feeding therapy has started and he is doing well. Unfortunately,

he

> has lost 3 pounds, but she is hoping he levels off and gains some

of

> that back. His height, however, is really taking off(almost an

inch

> in the last 4 months). The GI is ok with his weight as long as he

> continues to gain linear growth.

>

> I just got back Matt's bone age that the endo did at the end of

> December. Matt's bone age is almost his chronological age.

>

> The GI said to me, in an off hand way when she was charting his

> height/weight, that he can no longer be considered SGA? What? I

> thought once SGA, always? But, it does seem that his linear

growth

> is a direct result of his weight gain, since we haven't increased

> his growth hormone in over a year.

>

> So, has anyone tried to stop GH and see if the growth continues?

> Would that slow down his bone age from surpassing his

chronological

> age? I think I remember a conversation about this between

Harbison

> and STanhope at convention two years ago, but can't honestly

> remember if they agreed or not.

>

> Help!

> Beth H.

> Mom to Matt

[Guest guest]

Hi Jenn,

I am not following your mesage below very well. I guess I am being

rather slow witted to day.

You said: " But I would NOT say that his

linear growth is a result of his weight gain, and not the GH. " -- see

below.

What would you (or Dr. Stanhope)say? What am I missing?

Please explain.

Thanks

Ken M

> >

> > Hi!

> >

> > I just got back from Matt's GI appointment. She is extremely

> > pleased that we are no longer forcing him to eat, and that the

> > feeding therapy has started and he is doing well. Unfortunately,

> he

> > has lost 3 pounds, but she is hoping he levels off and gains some

> of

> > that back. His height, however, is really taking off(almost an

> inch

> > in the last 4 months). The GI is ok with his weight as long as

he

> > continues to gain linear growth.

> >

> > I just got back Matt's bone age that the endo did at the end of

> > December. Matt's bone age is almost his chronological age.

> >

> > The GI said to me, in an off hand way when she was charting his

> > height/weight, that he can no longer be considered SGA? What? I

> > thought once SGA, always? But, it does seem that his linear

> growth

> > is a direct result of his weight gain, since we haven't increased

> > his growth hormone in over a year.

> >

> > So, has anyone tried to stop GH and see if the growth continues?

> > Would that slow down his bone age from surpassing his

> chronological

> > age? I think I remember a conversation about this between

> Harbison

> > and STanhope at convention two years ago, but can't honestly

> > remember if they agreed or not.

> >

> > Help!

> > Beth H.

> > Mom to Matt

[Guest guest]

Ken,

I think what Jenn B.S. is saying that my GI doctor feels that Matt's

recent linear growth is really do to his weight gain because his GH

dose has stayed the same. Matt is still on the same dose of GH, but

has gained about 7 pounds or so since the spring, and his height has

sky rocketed.

What Jenn is saying, is that she doesn't buy into that premise. It

is probably the combo of GH and the weight gain. I guess I am

starting to worry as Matt's bone age catches up to his chronological

age. But I am just as worried about stopping GH and waiting to see

if his linear growth falls - he is too old to lose that kind of

time. PLUS, I am wondering if we stop GH to see, will insurance pay

for us to start again????

Just because I don't have enough things to worry about.....

Beth H.

> > >

> > > Hi!

> > >

> > > I just got back from Matt's GI appointment. She is extremely

> > > pleased that we are no longer forcing him to eat, and that the

> > > feeding therapy has started and he is doing well.

Unfortunately,

> > he

> > > has lost 3 pounds, but she is hoping he levels off and gains

some

> > of

> > > that back. His height, however, is really taking off(almost

an

> > inch

> > > in the last 4 months). The GI is ok with his weight as long

as

> he

> > > continues to gain linear growth.

> > >

> > > I just got back Matt's bone age that the endo did at the end

of

> > > December. Matt's bone age is almost his chronological age.

> > >

> > > The GI said to me, in an off hand way when she was charting

his

> > > height/weight, that he can no longer be considered SGA?

What? I

> > > thought once SGA, always? But, it does seem that his linear

> > growth

> > > is a direct result of his weight gain, since we haven't

increased

> > > his growth hormone in over a year.

> > >

> > > So, has anyone tried to stop GH and see if the growth

continues?

> > > Would that slow down his bone age from surpassing his

> > chronological

> > > age? I think I remember a conversation about this between

> > Harbison

> > > and STanhope at convention two years ago, but can't honestly

> > > remember if they agreed or not.

> > >

> > > Help!

> > > Beth H.

> > > Mom to Matt