Growth disorders
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Last reviewed: May 2018
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Pituitary dwarfism (growth hormone deficiency) information | myVMC
Pituitary dwarfism or panhypopituitarism is a growth hormone deficiency that causes children to be abnormally short, with otherwise normal body proportions.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Dwarfism - Better Health Channel
Dwarfism refers to a group of conditions characterised by shorter than normal skeletal growth.
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Improving eating disorder mental health literacy
For early intervention to occur in Australia especially for young people there needs to be a growth in eating disorder mental health literacy.
Read more on NEDC - National Eating Disorders Collaboration website
Achondroplasia (dwarfism) information | myVMC
Achondroplasia is a disorder of bone growth that causes dwarfism characterised by a normal trunk length, short broad limbs and an enlarged skull.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Tuberous sclerosis - Better Health Channel
Tuberous sclerosis is a genetic disorder that affects various parts of the body to varying degrees of severity.
Read more on Better Health Channel website
Sleep and your child
Common sleep disorders include nightmares and night terrors and sleepwalking. Bedwetting in children can also be a problem in early childhood.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Acromegaly (pituitary hormonal disorder) information | myVMC
Acromegaly is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by excessive production of growth hormone by the pituitary gland. It causes enlargement of body tissues.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Fibrous dysplasia (bone disorder) information | myVMC
Fibrous dysplasia is a skeletal disorder characterised by deformed bones. Bones expand due to abnormal growth of fibrous or connective tissues in the bones.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Hip dysplasia in babies
Hip dysplasia is a problem with how a baby’s hip is developing. Find out more about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment including using a Pavlik harness.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Teens Dietitians Association of Australia
Teens Good nutrition is critical during teenage years to support healthy growth and development
Read more on Dietitians Association of Australia website
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Growth Hormone Deficiency Childhood | Australian Sports Anti-doping Authority - ASADA
Growth Hormone deficiency refers to a disorder of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland in which Growth Hormone production is impaired. Treatment of Growth Hormone deficiency is by supplementation with Growth Hormone, which is prohibited at all times in sport.What information is required for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) application?ASDMAC will not consider granting a TUE without the following information:
Read more on Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) website
Synthetic human growth hormone for treating X-linked hypophosphatemia (or Vitamin D resistant rickets) in children | Cochrane
Synthetic human growth hormone for treating X-linked hypophosphatemia (or Vitamin D resistant rickets) in children
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Recombinant growth hormone for children and adolescents with Turner syndrome | Cochrane
Turner syndrome (TS) is a genetic disorder affecting the sexual development and appearance of girls and women. Women with TS are much shorter than other women (by about 21 cm or eight inches). To try to overcome slow growth, recombinant growth hormone (hGH) has been given. The hormone is injected under the skin several times a week until final adult height is achieved. The review found some evidence that hGH does increase short-term growth in girls with TS and adult height (an increase of perhaps five centimeters or two inches). However, girls treated with hGH are still substantially shorter than other women as adults. Final height in 61 treated women was 148 cm and 141 cm in 43 untreated women.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Human growth hormone and glutamine for patients with short bowel syndrome | Cochrane
Short bowel syndrome is a malabsorption disorder caused by the surgical removal of the small intestine, or by the complete dysfunction of a large segment of bowel. It is a challenging health problem to treat. Several small studies have assessed the benefit of providing drugs such as human growth hormone and glutamine in an attempt to improve intestinal function and wean intravenous nutrition (liquid food). The results of this review of 5 small studies suggest that human growth hormone used with or without glutamine may provide short term benefit for patients with short bowel syndrome in terms of weight gain and intestinal absorption of nutrients. However the benefits of treatment do not continue after treatment is stopped. Common side effects of treatment include peripheral edema (swelling of tissues, usually in the lower limbs), and carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness and muscle weakness in the hand). Conclusive evidence is not available to recommend this treatment. Further studies that evaluate human growth hormone treatment during the immediate phase of bowel adaptation are needed.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Treatment with the growth factor, recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I, for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neuron disease) | Cochrane
Treatment with the growth factor, recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I, for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neuron disease)
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for neovascular age-related macular degeneration | Cochrane
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of severe vision loss in people 55 years and older. Neovascular AMD, which involves abnormal growth of blood vessels in the back of the eye, accounts for most AMD-related severe vision loss. Injections into the eye of medications, such as pegaptanib, ranibizumab, and bevacizumab, that block this abnormal growth of blood vessels in the back of the eye are the main way to treat this condition. These types of medications are known as anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs).
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Tissue graft surgery to treat a wing-shaped growth (pterygium) in the eye | Cochrane
We reviewed the evidence to see which surgery used to treat pterygium (a growth in the eye) is better and safer? We wanted to known which surgery was better at preventing the pterygium from growing back.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs for treatment of retinopathy of prematurity | Cochrane
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vascular disorder of the immature retina that can result in impairment of vision and even blindness in premature infants. It is treated primarily by removal of the part of the retina without any blood vessels ('avascular' retina) by cryotherapy or laser therapy. Though these treatments result in a significant improvement in long-term outcomes, the results are far from perfect. In addition, they cause permanent loss of the peripheral visual field. Recently, studies have been done to evaluate the use of anti-VEGF agents to treat ROP. These agents inhibit the action of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key regulator of new vessel formation in fetal life. Animal studies had shown significant reduction in the neovascular response following injection of anti-VEGF antibodies into the vitreous cavity of the eyes ('intravitreal' therapy).
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion | Cochrane
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Testing in pregnancy when there is poor growth of the baby | Cochrane
A baby may not grow at the predicted rate during pregnancy and be born with a low birthweight. This can result in problems for both mother and baby. When poor growth of the baby is suspected during pregnancy, antenatal care includes a combination of tests that are carried out at regular intervals to assess the health of the developing baby. Based on knowledge of the progressive changes any deterioration in the babys condition can be detected, which allows optimal timing of the birth so that the baby is in the best condition possible. The specified frequency and combinations of tests varies with local and personal policies. Tests may include fetal movement monitoring, fetal heart rate, growth scans, Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow, and changes in fetal heart rate with movement to check for possible stillbirth.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
