Most common causes of short stature in children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13112/pc.1249Keywords:
Growth Disorders; Growth Hormone; Gestational Age; Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; Molecular Diagnostic TechniquesAbstract
Correct linear growth is a characteristic of a healthy child. Any deviation from the normal/expected growth for an individual is a signal that something is happening. A child with short stature has a current height below the 3rd percentile on the growth curve or below 2.0 SDS for their gender and current age. It should be investigated, and the cause of stunted growth determined. Physiological short stature is the most common, presenting as constitutional growth retardation and the so-called familial short stature. However, it can also be pathologically short stature, caused by non-endocrine (chronic diseases of the blood, kidneys, heart, etc., malnutrition, inherited metabolic diseases, syndromes) and endocrinological (growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, multiple hormone deficiencies, idiopathic short stature, etc.) causes. Children born small for gestational age (SGA) also belong to a special category. Using advanced molecular diagnostic techniques, many pathogenic variants in genes are now known to be associated with isolated short stature in individuals or families. Short stature can be proportional and disproportionate, depending on the child's body structure.
Adequate monitoring of growth during childhood, an early assessment of short stature, detection of the causes of its occurrence, and timely treatment can prevent short adult height.
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