Dr suggested growth hormones for my 4 year old..

[SarahFair]

I took my son to the Drs for his annual check up today. Everything is fine except she was a little concerned with his height because he has only grown 1 inch over the year.
His father and I are short people. Myself being a whopping 5'2" and my SO 5'8-9"

I just think 4 years old is SO early in development to determine whether or not we need to start injecting children with a hormone that they dont know much about.
The link I entered says that it could possibly cause leukemia and other cancers. They just dont know because they have not followed someone for 50 years. I knew a girl that went to my high school who was about 4'9" and taking GH and they only made her breasts and buttocks bigger.

I just dont think I am comfortable injecting something like this in my son when his 'problem' is genetic.
Does anyone else use GH on their childrens or selves?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

I wouldnt. He will have plenty of time to grow. I have a friend who is older than me by a month who is still in the 4 ft range, a bit less than five. I ended up being 6 ft. and im still growing!

 

[ksacres]

My sister's son gets them. He is not even two yet.

There's a reason they have growth charts, it's never too early in developement to spot an abnormality. Even before your child is born there are developement milestones. That's how they can tell so closely when a woman will deliver-it's by the size of the fetus, regardless of how big that child will be when full grown.

 

[LarryPQ]

I am the runt in my family at 5'11". My younger sister is 6'5". She is listed in the world's tallest women.

She also has back, hip, knee, and ankle problems. And she married a man 5'7" so she is constantly slouching. We are naturally tall from tall parents.

So no--don't inject your son with anything. He is naturally small from naturally small parents. One day he will grow up and marry an Amazon woman.

 

[SarahFair]

They said last year he was above normal in height. Somewhere in the 35% now hes down in the 5%..

 

[PIO-PIO]

I dont have any type of answer for you but I too would be concerned about giving my child injections like that. both my son and my nephew are 3 and only 1 week apart and they have a huge difference in size. my son is much smaller. I just think some kids grow faster and some slower.
Just make sure your TOTALLY comfortable with your decsion. you dont want to regret anything later.

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

I do not have children, sorry, cant help you there, BUT, I do know that Growth hormones taken too late have little to no effect, or adverse effects such as breast or butt development! Taken young, they can just kind of jumpstart or boost a process that is already taking place.

Being a 5'10" woman, living with a 5'8" man, I am aware of the impact that height can have on a persons bearing and self worth. It is harder on males to be the shortest in the class, than on females.

I would talk this over with your hubby, and your child, and let them mull it over. I know my SO has often commented that he would like to be taller, but that may be influenced by the fact that all the males in my family are over 6 feet.

Read more, get more literature from you doc'. He/she may be not so much as viewing it as a 'problem', as presenting you with an option that is available to you.... We are a society that values height, and it has been shown in studies that women unconciously choose larger males for potential mates.

See what your hubby thinks.

 

[Amyable]

I also would not follow this doctor's recommendations. If you're still concerned, seek another opinion. Any idea what you and your hubby measured at this age? That may help your decision. Not every child grows at exactly the same rate.

When I was pregnant, the doc was worried about my son's head measuring "small." I was referred to a specialist, who did yet another ultrasound, and finally said, "It's probably genetics, you have a smaller head too." Good grief, freak a new mom out over nothing! Wasted time and $.

 

[silkiechicken]

Ultimately it is up to you. If there is a real shortage of growth hormones for some reason or another, the hormone may actually help out in the long run over all, and not just a self confidence boost item. There are different types of growth and development hormones, so it's not like they'll be injecting random teen stage hormones into a 4 year old.

I think the "average height" estimates are based on the height of the child at an earlier point in development, and not to a general social average. In other words, "expected" is based off of your son's expected height, and not the expected height of basket ball player's children. I was predicted to be 5'4" while I turned out just over 5'2", I was never expected to be 5'10' as predicted for one of my friends, who turned out to be a hair under 6'. Many supplements are at such a low level that it's not going to turn your child into a freak or anything.

Read about it and make your own decisions. In doing so, be very careful about the sources you use, as there are A LOT of bias literature and propaganda. Consider the source of your reading, the year it was written, along with what you are reading. For example, read info about birth control dosages and side effects from the ones developed in the 70's, and you will get lots of crazy things vs the birth control dosages and side effects from the ones developed in the 90's. A lot has been learned in the mean time and with hormones, the bare minimum is now the norm.

 

[Blackbird]

I wouldn't listen to the doctor, but thats just me.

We are each made differently and are beautiful in our own ways. We need to learn to love ourselves the way we are, not feel inadequate or the need to change ourselves becase of what society says.

I realize often times growth hormones can be for the better and really help people, but if the child is healthy and getting adequate nutrition and is simply smaller because of genes, I see no reason.

I'm so corny.