The low size In boys and girls it is a common cause of concern for families and one of the most frequent causes of medical consultation. However, Dr. José Ignacio Perales, pediatrician at Quirónsalud Zaragoza, explains that this “usually corresponds to variants of normality.”
As the main causes, the specialist highlights short family stature and constitutional delay in growth and development. “Only a small percentage may be due to a growth hormone defect or other endocrine pathologies,” adds the specialist.
FOLLOW-UP AND POSSIBLE TREATMENTS
Primary care pediatricians track height throughout the pediatric age. In this sense, “if at any time they detect any alteration in it, the patient is referred to pediatric endocrinology consultations, in order to perform a more specialized evaluation,” says the doctor.
Although the majority of children with short stature do not require any treatment, it is considered especially important to monitor the growth speed. In some cases, however, it may be necessary to resort to growth hormone, which, according to the specialist, is “an effective and safe treatment both in the short and long term.”
In the following #SALUDitos video, the specialist provides a series of tips to deal with short stature in children.
