Pediatric Endocrinology Flashcards
Growth hormone Deficiency in children
Usually begins in children between 5-8 yrs
- child is normal initially but then falls off the growth curve
- children have no other medical conditions usually and is normal on examination other than weight and height
- children’s parents will both be taller than average usually and they have no reported developmental delays
- growth rate is delayed**
**bone ages are delayed
Screen tests:
- CBC, ESR, electrolytes
- IGF-1/3 levels, somatomedin C and GH levels
- bone age radiographs
- *if a female = get karotype to look for Turner syndrome if present**
Replacement therapy = recombinant GH injections several times per week (need to go to endocrinologist)
Calculation for a rough mid-parental height
- *calculations correct for theopposite gender parents height**
- gives a general estimate for how tall the child should be
Boys [paternal height + (maternal height + 5 inches)]/2 (+/- 2 inches)
Girls [maternal height + (paternal height - 5 inches)]/2 (+/- 2 inches)
if they are way off then check for potential GH deficiency
Bone age definition
Compare the left wrist radiographs in children older than 2 yrs (knee if younger than 2 yrs) to published “normals”
- this determines how old the bones appear compared to chronological age and thus provides an estimate of remaining growth potential of bones
Constitutional growth delay
A condition in which the child’s growth is slower than expected but one or more parents also demonstrated a pubertal developmental delay
- bone age = height age
There is no history or examination of abnormalities
- the growth rate is NORMAL**
Family history is usually positive for at least one “late bloomer” who developed at normal adult height eventually
Familial short statue definition
A short child who is born to short parents who had normal timing of their pubertal development
Kids grow around 3rd-5th percentile at all time, but nothing is technically wrong with them
- bone age = chronological age which means no extra growth potential so no GH replacement fixes this
Growth velocity definition
Increase in measured height or length over time as compared to standardized growth curves
Height age definition
The age at which a child’s measured height is at the 50th percentile
Idiopathic short stature
Condition in which short stature diagnosis cant be reaches
How much growth does someone typically see each year?
1st year of life = 9-11 inches
1-3 yr = 3-5 inch per year
3-puberty = 2-2.75 inch per year
Puberty = 4 inch for guys and 3 inch for girls per year
only time its bad when a kid”falls off the curve” (VERY common in early onset celiac disease also)
Precocious puberty
Excessive growth hormone which produces onset of secondary sexual development before 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys
Can be true = central cause usually pituitary adenomas or CNS lesions
- must rule this out in girls younger than 6-8 yrs and any boy under 9 yrs
Can be pseudopuberty = non-central causes
- gonadotropin independent (usually OCP’s, estrogen/testosterone cream or adrenal/ovarian tumors
Very rare = incomplete
- you get some puberty symptoms but some not
Signs are:
- girls = breast, pubic hair and tall stature for age
- boys = very tall for age and get acne and deep voice quicker
Racial variation of puberty
African Americans = hit puberty earlier
Caucasian’s and Asians = hit puberty later
Delayed puberty definition
No signs of puberty in
- girls by the age of 13
- boys by the age of 14
May be caused by gonadal failure, chromosomal abnormalities, hypopituitarism, chronic disease, malnutrition
Clinical approach to precocious puberty
True precocious puberty overall is more common in girls
- excess secretion of GnRH with normal appearing but early progression of pubertal events
- growth is accelerated and bone age is advanced
However boys are more likely to have a CNS tumor (still like 25% only)
Idiopathic cases are 90% girls
What is the most urgent symptom for precocious puberty?
Vision changes
- can signal mass effect symptoms from somatotropin adenomas
must get an urgent head MRI and initiate prompt referral to pediatric neurosurgeon
Most common Causes of peripheral precocious puberty (no central)
Isolated ovarian cysts/tumors
Exposure to exogenous strokes or androgens
McCune-Albright syndrome
Severe untreated hypothyroidism
CAH
- *abnormal pattern of development of secondary sex characteristics**
- growth is accelerated and bone age is advanced