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Growth monitoring still has a place in selected populations of children

M Hussain1, C M John, K Mohamed

  • 1Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, West Derby, Liverpool, UK.

BMJ Case Reports
|June 16, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Routine growth monitoring is crucial for children with genetic disorders, especially those at risk of thyroid dysfunction. Early detection through monitoring can prevent severe health complications in these vulnerable children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Clinical Genetics

Background:

  • Routine serial growth measurements are not recommended for healthy children.
  • A subset of children with genetic disorders may benefit from growth monitoring due to risks of growth-modifying diseases, including thyroid dysfunction.

Observation:

  • A 2.8-year-old girl with 18q deletion syndrome presented with profound weakness, hypotonia, and poor responsiveness.
  • At diagnosis of Grave's disease, the patient was tall with a bone age advanced by 2 years, suggesting long-standing thyroid dysfunction.

Findings:

  • Symptoms of thyroid dysfunction can be non-specific and mimic features of genetic disorders.
  • The patient's advanced bone age and clinical presentation indicated a delayed diagnosis of Grave's disease.

Implications:

  • Growth monitoring in children with genetic disorders and at risk for thyroid dysfunction can facilitate earlier diagnosis.
  • Timely diagnosis and intervention can prevent severe, potentially fatal episodes associated with untreated thyroid disease in this population.

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