Children’s Growth Awareness Week 2024: Professors Justin Davies and Helen Storr’s X takeover
Hello this is Helen (@QMUL) and Justin (@unisouthampton), Professors in Paediatric Endocrinology and Medical Advisors of @ChildGrowthUK.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
We are excited to be taking over the CGF X account again for the next hour.
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Childhood short stature can be a major concern for caregivers.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
Although many healthy children are short because they have short parents, short stature can also be the only sign of a serious underlying condition.
-Helen and Justin#ChildrensGrowthAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/erwQLI9uin
If you are concerned, it’s important to ask your health visitor or family doctor for advice without delay as early identification of short stature and in some cases, early referral to a hospital specialist is very important to improve long term health and height outcomes! pic.twitter.com/m2R7of9YKZ
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
Did you know that some groups of children are more often overlooked for assessment of childhood stature compared to others?
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
Girls and children from ethnic minority groups are often disadvantaged because their short stature is sometimes taken less seriously.
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The likelihood of an underlying rare condition causing short stature increases the shorter the child is on their growth chart. This is also true if the child is much shorter than expected compared to other members of their family for example their parents and brothers or sisters. pic.twitter.com/Mvk2sccE3q
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
If a child is short and was born with a birthweight below the second centile on their growth chart, this also increases the chance of a rare condition – another reason to seek advice and ask for a referral!
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
-Helen and Justin#ChildrensGrowthAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/RUs57L4Feb
Many rare growth conditions require health management strategies beyond improving the child’s height, so early referral to paediatric specialists is very important.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
Some rare conditions require long term specialist input and follow-up.
-Helen and Justin#GrowthConditions pic.twitter.com/zm4yE9qXH2
#GrowthHormoneDeficiency is a rare cause of short stature.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
Children with this condition usually start growing normally then their height growth slows down.
Treatment with growth hormone treatment is effective and can increase height by on average 8-11 cm.
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Some children can be given growth hormone to help them grow even if they do not have growth hormone deficiency. #GrowthHormoneDeficiency #ChildrensGrowthAwarenessWeek
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
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Sometimes children have a specific cause for their short stature and can be treated with growth hormone with excellent results.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
For example, short children with #TurnerSyndrome, #NoonanSyndrome or a #SHOX gene change can be prescribed growth hormone to improve their height.
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Our advice is-if you are worried about your child’s height, don’t delay in getting it assessed by your health visitor or family doctor. This is particularly important to remember for girls and children from ethnic minority groups.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
-Helen and Justin#ChildrensGrowthAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/jR5X1YqNZb
Thanks so much to the @ChildGrowthUK for allowing us to take over their X account, we have loved sharing this information with you for #ChildGrowthAwarenessWeek.
— Child Growth Foundation (@ChildGrowthUK) September 19, 2024
For more information visit the #ChildGrowthFoundation website https://t.co/nM7ymNy9Dl.
-@hlstorr1 and @JustinHDavies pic.twitter.com/eVrHIyNTdS
