Your child's growth rate is measured and compared to other children in the same age group and of the same gender. A growth chart shows values of "standard" growth of children, and if your child's growth falls outside the normal values of these charts, it is measured as a "standard deviation" from the accepted values. A child whose measurements fall more than two standard deviations below the average charted height fits the definition of having a short or small stature.
Growth Chart
A growth chart often compares your child's body weight, length and head circumference to the charted values. A disease such as diabetes that affects the entire body can cause a child to have a small stature, falling outside the charted norms for both height and weight.
Identifying Abnormal Growth Rate
While some babies are small at birth and fail to catch up to their peers, most growth disorders are not recognized until later. Children who are noticeably smaller than their classmates may have to undergo blood tests to rule out specific hormonal problems. A bone-age test, where the hand is X-rayed to determine the rate of bone maturation, may be requested. A diabetic child whose disease is not adequately controlled may display this attenuated growth.
Scientific Evidence
A child who has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a condition where the pancreas fails to produce the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin, is given insulin in treatment. A study published in the "Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology" in 2010 reported normal growth in children who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Children were followed for five years after diagnosis, and the researchers concluded that the disease had not significantly affected their growth.
Controlling the Disease is Important
Ensuring your diabetic child has proper medical care can minimize the effect of the disease on growth rate and reduce the risk of your child having a small stature. Pediatric Endocrinologist Stephen Kemp of the Arkansas Children's Hospital told ABC News in August 2008 that a diabetic child's growth and development can be normal if there is very good blood glucose control, but your child could end up being small if there are many occurrences of increased blood sugar. Slowed growth and the resultant small stature may be avoided with stringent disease control.
References
- Nationwide Children's Hospital: Short Stature
- Children's Memorial Hospital: Growth Problems in Children
- Canadian Diabetes Association: Diabetes Facts
- "Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology"; Growth With Diabetes; K Demir; June 2010
- ABC News; How Does Type 1 Diabetes Affect A Child's Growth and Development; August 2008
