Growth is a dynamic process. Growth can be considered a vital sign in children, and in case the process is abnormal, some underlying causes should be suspected. The growth can be measured with the help of growth charts, which have been made by the WHO. If on measurement, the growth or rate of growth doesn’t fit within the normal range of the chart, further investigation is to be done to find the underlying cause of stunted growth. In this article, we will discuss briefly about normal growth and then take a look into conditions and diseases due to which children do not grow well.
The Normal Growth
Normal Growth can be divided into four phases: Fetal, Infantile, Childhood, and Adolescent. Each phase is influenced by different factors. The ultimate height which a child achieves is usually the mid-parental (sex-adjusted) height; however, the long-term height may be affected if any one of the four phases is affected. Some important things to know about each of the phases are described below:
- Fetal Growth: This is the fastest growth phase. Although birth weight doesn’t correlate with the final height the child will achieve, but if the growth rate is reduced in this phase (as in Intrauterine Growth Retardation), the child might not be able to reach his or her potential height later.
- Infantile Growth: This phase is very sensitive to nutrition. Undernourishment in this phase might have negative consequences on growth.
- Childhood Growth: This phase is steady and predictable. And very few factors can have a negative impact in this phase.
- Adolescent Growth: This phase is characterized by the deceleration of the growth velocity. However, one achieves puberty by this time, as such, hormonal factors come into play in this phase, leading to the development of secondary sexual characters, hampering of which may lead to underdevelopment of the same.
Due to which diseases children do not grow well?
There are many diseases and conditions due to which a child may not grow well – or simply we can say the child is suffering from Growth Failure, which is defined as the height velocity is less compared to his or her peers and is often detected by using a growth chart. This can often lead to short stature. Now here is a list of some common conditions and diseases due to which children do not grow well-
- Hereditary – Parents are Short Statured
- Puberty – Delayed Puberty (however often there is a growth spurt, once the child hits puberty)
- Nutritional and Gastrointestinal Causes
- Undernourishment
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Celiac Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Genetic Conditions like Turner Syndrome, Down’s Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Endocrinological Conditions
- Hypothyroidism
- Growth Hormone Deficiency
- Diabetes Mellitus (usually Type 1)
- Rickets
- Conditions of Kidney
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Renal Tubular Acidosis
- Psychosocial Causes like Emotional deprivation of love and care, or abusing of children
- Medications
- Anti-epileptics
- Steroids
- Diseases or Infections like Tuberculosis, Recurrent Infection in Cystic Fibrosis
Although there could be a multitude of causes for children to not grow well, the above lists are a must to rule out as they happen to be the commonest cause of growth failure. If your child isn’t growing well, make sure you visit a Pediatrician to find out the underlying cause and get it treated accordingly.
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