- Part 1 Principles of international endocrine practice
- Part 2 Pituitary and hypothalamic diseases
- Part 3 The thyroid
- Part 4 Parathyroid, calcium, and bone metabolism
- Part 5 The adrenal gland and endocrine hypertension
- Part 6 Neuroendocrine tumours and genetic disorders
- Part 7 Growth and development during childhood
- 7.1 Normal growth and sexual development
- 7.2 Growth and sexual disorders in childhood
- 7.2.1 Hypoglycaemia: assessment and management
- 7.2.2 Differential diagnosis of short stature and poor growth velocity
- 7.2.3 Genetic defects of the human somatotropic axis
- 7.2.4 Investigation of the slowly growing child
- 7.2.5 Growth hormone therapy for the growth-hormone deficient child
- 7.2.6 Growth-promoting agents for nongrowth hormone-deficient short children
- 7.2.7 Syndromic growth disorders
- 7.2.8 Tall stature
- 7.2.9 Delayed puberty and hypogonadism
- 7.2.10 Premature sexual maturation
- 7.3 Congenital adrenal hyperplasia in children
- 7.4 Late effects of cancer treatment
- 7.5 Transition in endocrinology
- Part 8 Female endocrinology and pregnancy
- Part 9 Male hypogonadism and infertility
- Part 10 Endocrinology of ageing and systemic disease
- Part 11 Endocrinology of cancer
- Part 12 Obesity, lipids, and metabolic disorders
- Part 13 Diabetes mellitus
Investigation of the slowly growing child
- Chapter:
- Investigation of the slowly growing child
- Author(s):
L. Patel
and P. E. Clayton
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199235292.003.7057
Reduced height velocity for age and stage of puberty implies slow growth. Although this occurs independently from actual height, children identified for investigation tend to be the ones who are slowly growing, as well as short. The majority of short slowly growing children do not have a recognized endocrinopathy. The commonest growth disorders are those grouped under the heading ‘idiopathic’, which includes constitutional delay in growth and puberty, a disorder of the tempo of maturation, and familial/genetic short stature. These children present with short stature, an unremarkable phenotype, and a variable extent of growth failure. The challenge to the clinician is to differentiate these children from those who may have a defined nonendocrine pathology (for example, chronic systemic disease (Box 7.2.4.1), bone disorder, or psychosocial problem) and those who may have an abnormality within the growth hormone axis.
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- Part 1 Principles of international endocrine practice
- Part 2 Pituitary and hypothalamic diseases
- Part 3 The thyroid
- Part 4 Parathyroid, calcium, and bone metabolism
- Part 5 The adrenal gland and endocrine hypertension
- Part 6 Neuroendocrine tumours and genetic disorders
- Part 7 Growth and development during childhood
- 7.1 Normal growth and sexual development
- 7.2 Growth and sexual disorders in childhood
- 7.2.1 Hypoglycaemia: assessment and management
- 7.2.2 Differential diagnosis of short stature and poor growth velocity
- 7.2.3 Genetic defects of the human somatotropic axis
- 7.2.4 Investigation of the slowly growing child
- 7.2.5 Growth hormone therapy for the growth-hormone deficient child
- 7.2.6 Growth-promoting agents for nongrowth hormone-deficient short children
- 7.2.7 Syndromic growth disorders
- 7.2.8 Tall stature
- 7.2.9 Delayed puberty and hypogonadism
- 7.2.10 Premature sexual maturation
- 7.3 Congenital adrenal hyperplasia in children
- 7.4 Late effects of cancer treatment
- 7.5 Transition in endocrinology
- Part 8 Female endocrinology and pregnancy
- Part 9 Male hypogonadism and infertility
- Part 10 Endocrinology of ageing and systemic disease
- Part 11 Endocrinology of cancer
- Part 12 Obesity, lipids, and metabolic disorders
- Part 13 Diabetes mellitus