The human growth hormone is made by the pituitary gland, which also produces other hormones and is located at the base of the brain. Human growth hormone is needed by the body for growth. For children, size charts can be used to monitor growth. A lack of normal growth could be an indication of an inadequate level of human growth hormone. A deficiency of human growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland can be an inherited trait, or it can be acquired through injury or a medical condition. Human growth hormone is typically used in the treatment of conditions that are characterized by a lack of growth hormone production by the pituitary gland.
Growth Hormone Deficiency
Children with growth hormone deficiency have a slow rate of growth. According to the National Library of Medicine, the growth is typically less than 2 inches per year. The slow rate of growth may not manifest until the age of 2 or 3. Human growth hormone injections are used as the treatment. Injections are given once per day or several times per week. Some adults are also diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, and these adults could be treated with human growth hormone.
Turner Syndrome
Turner syndrome is a female condition characterized by a missing or altered X chromosome. According to The Hormone Foundation, the condition is apparently a random occurrence, which one in 2,000 to 2,500 births worldwide. Although symptoms of this syndrome may vary, shortness of stature is one of the most common features. Turner syndrome may be treated with human growth hormone.
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Human growth hormone is sometimes used in the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome, which is a condition characterized by a complex genetic disorder. Shortness of stature is one of the symptoms. Growth hormone is not the correct treatment for all cases of Prader-Willi syndrome. Treatment options should be discussed with a physician.
Other Conditions
Some babies who are born small compared to other babies who have gestated for the same amount of time, a condition called small for gestational age (SGA), may be treated with human growth hormone. Older children who are shorter than 98.8 percent of children of the same age and gender may have a condition called idiopathic short stature (ISS) and may be treated with human growth hormone.
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