GROWTH DELAY CAUSES

When a child's growth seems to be lagging behind, the cause may be a natural growth delay or a growth disorder. For infants, children, or teens, any type of problem that prevents them from meeting realistic patterns of growth may be a growth disorder. Disorders may include failure to thrive, failure to gain height and weight in young children, and short stature or delayed sexual development in teens.

Growth patterns in children vary. For example, baby boys grow faster than girls until about 7 months. After that, girls grow faster until about age 4. The growth rate then becomes the same for both sexes until puberty. A person's height is determined by several factors. Nutrition, genetics, and hormone production can all affect growth patterns.

When children younger than age 3 show slower than expected weight gain and growth, a condition known as failure to thrive may exist. It is usually caused by inadequate nutrition or a feeding problem, but may also be a symptom of another problem, such as an infection, a digestive condition, or even child neglect or abuse.

Malnutrition is the most common cause of growth failure around the world. Malnutrition on a continual basis prevents a child from reaching his full growth potential. The body becomes frail and weak with signs of muscle, bone, and tissue wasting. Symptoms associated with this type of growth disorder result from a lack of protein and other basic nutrients needed in the diet.

A child's size depends a great deal on heredity. Large parents usually have large children. Small parents, as a rule, have smaller children. A child with short stature, who has short parents, does not necessarily have poor health. Restricted growth may still result in normal development, but with a height that is below the average for the child's age. A child's weight is the best sign of health. Regular recordings of the child's height and weight are used to analyze the child's growth rate. While these children will have growth spurts and enter puberty at normal ages, they will usually reach only a height similar to that of their short parents.

Sometimes a child's bone growth is affected by bone age. This is called constitutional growth delay and means that the child's bones are a younger age than the child's age in years. Growth rate is normal, except that the child is smaller than the average size of children the same age. Puberty may be delayed until bone growth catches up. Often one or both parents or a relative has experienced a similar late-bloomer type of growth pattern.

A deficiency or excess of hormones caused by endocrine diseases can cause growth failure during childhood and teen years. A failure of the thyroid gland to make enough thyroid hormone, which is essential for normal bone growth, is called hypothyroidism. If the pituitary gland is damaged or malfunctioning, it may not be able to produce enough hormones for normal growth.

Chronic illnesses are another common cause of delayed or slower growth patterns. Growth can be impaired by illnesses like asthma, congenital heart disorders, chronic kidney failure, and poorly controlled diabetes. Persons with neuromuscular diseases, cleft palate, or some psychosocial problems may not get enough to eat. Some diseases such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, heart failure, and HIV interfere with the body's use of nutrients.

Growth can be affected by any number of causes. Children often compare themselves to their age-mates. This comparison can be a source of much distress to a child and his or her parents. It is important that a child's concern not be dismissed as unimportant. Parents who suspect a growth problem with their child should have the child examined by their healthcare provider.

Treatment for growth delay depends on the cause. Malnourished children may need high calorie supplements. A hormone shortage may be helped by shots or pills of the hormone. Continued medical observation and support may be all that is needed. For more information, contact The Hormone Foundation at (800)-HORMONE or visit their website at www.hormone.org.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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