Need advice about "optional" rx'd med

[jessirose]

Sounds weird to be prescribed an optional med, but my daughter who has a growth disorder, was prescribed Growth Hormone by her endocrinologist, which is an amino acid complex of 191 amino acids, of course synthetic. She would grow to be a normal height with these injections each night. They've been treating kids with this disorder since the 80's, with no real adverse side effects. I don't vaccinate, and am pretty much against meds in general, unless absolutely necessary (the FDA regulary approves meds that get ripped off the market after causing numerous deaths) but am just torn because this is the difference between her reaching a height of 5'3, with GH, or between
4'0 - 4'6, without it.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated! This is a decision that has been eating me up inside!

[D'vorah]

If it was me, and I'm passionate about my kids, first, I'd have to research what's in the medicine. Mercury has been the issue in vaccinations, but it isn't in all injectable meds, I don't think.

If my research led me to believe the medicine was safe for my child, I'd then ask my child how tall she wants to be and take that into account. The world is getting more kind to "little people," but it can still be a brutal world out there for anyone who is "different."

If it was a child of mine, I'd be pulled in the direction of giving the meds if I was certain it was safe.

Deborah

[Nurse in the Raw]

My sister has the same problem with her son. He is 12 and looks like he is 9. The problem she is having is being able to afford the treatments $10,000 - $30,000 a year on a single mom's salary.

Primary concerns for children with Growth Hormone Deficiency should not be the child's height - rather it is the underlying issues (heart, lungs, immune system function) surrounding the hormone deficiency, which are most important. You should talk it over as a family and decide whether this is the right thing to do.

I wouldn't go by what the FDA says on the issue. Just this summer they approved the use of growth hormones to make short children taller, even if there is no underlying medical problem stunting their growth. :eek:

I would study the pros and cons very carefully. Do a Google search and pay close attention to electrolyte imbalances, cardiovascular disease and cancer with long term use of GH.

[jessirose]

Thanks a lot for the input, I think I know what to do, I just needed a little more of a budge of confirmation from some sound/like minds!

It isn't a GH Deficiency though, in that case, we wouldn't have the choice, because like you said, there are other systems affected, but she has insufficient usage of the GH she does produce, even though her body is producing enough, it's just not being utilized correctly, and the GH boost makes it work effectively. Which is sort of what put the battle in my mind, I had been thinking if this is an "absorption" issue, couldn't it be fixed with proper foods, since she's had malabsorption/digestive issues in the past, that I was able to correct through cleansing and raw juicing....

I know the injections don't include mercury, I guess the only concern is the theoretical cancer connection, which is, if she did turn up some form of cancer, the GH would boost/feed it's growth! I know the chance of that is very rare, and she has a chance to be normal height, and I shouldn't pass up that opportunity for her. I've done loads of research on it, and have found it to be safe as far as anyone knows, it just leaves the question, is 20 years enough time to say for sure, and it wasn't widely used until the 90's, so really only 10. Still so hard for me:( I would have a MUCH less difficult decision if this were a son, and not a daughter. It's just much more "accepted" for women to be small, than men. She is only 3, so I can't have any real discussions about height, and even if she did understand, I'm pretty sure most kids would say, no shots! I'd rather be short!! LOL

If your sister needs help and wants GH for her son, there are many programs out there that will fight for it. If it's insurance that's denying she can call Single Point of Contact which will do all the fighting for free, and if that fails, the GH companies all have their own compassionate program where the drug will be either free or nearly free. That is, if he was born SGA (Small for Gestational Age), or is proven GH Deficient, that's the only requirement, otherwise it is considered idiopathic short stature, and not covered.

[DavidZaneMason]

-If YOU feel.....after consultation with your health professionals........and professional sources........that the treatments are safe.....I would proceed with them...until your child is old enough to make those decisions for themselves....which will be sooner than you might like!.....heh..heh.....

-I think if you decide what's right.....your heart will be in the right place.

-David Z. Mason

[exurb]

If it was me I would go ahead with those treatments for a multitude of reasons, too numerous to mention.

I am also the sort that avoids many medical options, but in that case, it is probably wise to go ahead.

As extra prevention from cancer, make sure your daughter has lots of antioxidant fruit and veg, but also the "brassica" family which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc., has been shown in a study to have overwhelming cancer prevention properties when 1/4 cup per day were eaten every day.

Best wishes to you and your daughter!