Concerns, expectations and perception regarding stature, physical appearance and psychosocial functioning before and during high-dose growth hormone treatment of short pre-pubertal children born small for gestational age.
Horm Res
; 69(6): 334-42, 2008.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18504392
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS:
Few data are available about parental concerns and psychosocial functioning of young children born small for gestational age (SGA) treated with growth hormone (GH). The present study focused on the perception of short stature and the concerns and expectations of the parents regarding GH treatment.METHODS:
Forty prepubertal short SGA children, randomized into a GH-treated and a GH-untreated group, and their parents were evaluated by a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview at start and after 2 years of follow-up.RESULTS:
Before start, 85% of the parents were concerned about short stature, 76% expected an increase in adult height of > or =10 cm and 81% expected a positive impact on well-being. Half of the parents expressed fears regarding GH treatment. After 2 years, more parents of treated children reported obvious growth and physical changes, and fewer parents reported teasing because of short stature. An improvement of well-being was reported by half of the parents of treated and untreated children. Fears about GH treatment disappeared almost completely.CONCLUSION:
The perspective of GH treatment induced major adult height expectations. In treated children, the physical effects of GH treatment became obvious, teasing because of short stature decreased and initial concerns about short stature and GH therapy decreased.
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Perception
/
Psychomotor Performance
/
Body Height
/
Infant, Small for Gestational Age
/
Human Growth Hormone
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
/
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Newborn
Language:
En
Year:
2008
Type:
Article