Growth hormone deficiency

Both children and adults can be diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, and the exams and tests used to diagnose growth hormone deficiency are the same no matter your age.

Diagnosing growth hormone deficiency typically starts with a physical exam. This can help show your doctor if there are any signs of slowed growth.

Your doctor will check your weight, height, and body proportions. This is especially important in diagnosing a child with growth hormone deficiency. A child with growth hormone deficiency does not typically follow the normal growth charts: Their rate of growth is typically very slow, and the child is usually much shorter than other children the same age.

Other than a physical exam, there are many other tests and exams used to make a growth hormone deficiency diagnosis in children and adults.

Blood Tests for Growth Hormone Deficiency

Binding protein levels (IGF-I and IGFBP-3) blood tests to show whether the growth problem is caused by the pituitary gland

Blood tests to measure the amount of growth hormone levels in the blood

Blood tests to measure other levels of hormones the pituitary gland produces

GHRH-arginine test

Growth hormone stimulation test

Insulin tolerance test

Other Exams and Tests to Diagnose Growth Hormone Deficiency

In addition to blood tests, your doctor may perform some additional exams and tests to help diagnose growth hormone deficiency.

A dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan measures your bone density.

An MRI of the brain may be taken so your doctor can see the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

Hand x-rays (typically of the left hand) can also help show your doctor your bones: Shape and size of bones change as a healthy person grows. Your doctor can see bone abnormalities with this x-ray.

X-rays of the head can show any problems with the bone growth of your skull.

Since the mid-1980s, synthetic growth hormones have been used with great success to treat children and adults. Before synthetic growth hormones, natural growth hormones from cadavers were used for treatment.

Growth hormone is given by injection, typically into the body’s fatty tissues, such as the back of the arms, thighs, or buttocks. It’s most effective as a daily treatment.

Side effects are generally minor, but may include:

redness at the injection site

headaches

hip pain

curving of the spine (scoliosis)

In rare cases, long-term growth hormone injections may contribute to the development of diabetes, especially in people with a family history of that disease.

Long-term treatment

Children with congenital GHD are often treated with growth hormone until they reach puberty. Often, children who have too little growth hormone in their youth will naturally begin to produce enough as they enter adulthood.

However, some remain in treatment for their entire lives. Your doctor can determine whether you need ongoing injections by monitoring hormone levels in your blood.