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Growing up with idiopathic short stature: psychosocial development and hormone treatment; a critical review

H Visser-van Balen1, G Sinnema, R Geenen

  • 1Department of Pediatric Psychology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands. J.Visser-vanbalen@fss.uu.nl

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|April 25, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Children with idiopathic short stature may face psychosocial challenges. Hormone treatment offers limited benefits, suggesting focus on other factors for better adjustment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Child Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Idiopathic short stature (ISS) affects children's psychosocial functioning.
  • Understanding risk and protective factors is crucial for intervention decisions.
  • Limited data exists on self-perceived psychosocial status in these children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review psychosocial functioning in children with ISS.
  • To identify risk and protective factors influencing adaptation.
  • To evaluate the effects of hormone treatment on psychosocial outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on psychosocial functioning in children with ISS.
  • Analysis of parental behavioral rankings and identified risk factors.
  • Examination of research on protective factors and hormone treatment effects.

Main Results:

  • Parental reports indicated behavioral deviations from normal in children with ISS.
  • Identified risk factors include teasing, juvenilization, being male, sibling comparisons, low intelligence, and socioeconomic status.
  • Hormone treatment did not consistently improve psychosocial functioning on average.

Conclusions:

  • Intervention decisions for ISS require careful consideration of hormone treatment's pros and cons.
  • Psychosocial adjustment may be enhanced by addressing factors beyond just height.
  • Further research is needed on protective factors like temperament and social support.

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