Growth Issues Specialist

Board Certified Pediatricians, ADHD Specialists, and Pediatric Endocrinologists located in Rockville, MD

Growth Issues services offered in Rockville , MD

It’s estimated that between 3-5% of children experience growth issues, like short stature or failure to thrive. If you’re concerned about your child’s growth and development, it’s crucial to seek professional help. At Abdow Friendship Pediatrics, pediatric and adolescent medicine providers Victor Abdow, Jr., MD, Azra Jagani, MD, Amita DeSouza, MD, and the team specialize in diagnosing and treating growth issues. To make an appointment for your child, call the office in Rockville, Maryland, or book online today.

Growth Issues Q&A

What are growth issues?

If your child has growth issues, it means they fall outside the average range of growth for children of the same age, sex, and racial background.

Every child develops at a different pace. If your child doesn’t meet certain milestones, it doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong. Even so, it’s crucial to get them checked out, just in case.

What are some common causes of growth issues?

Growth issues in children occur for various reasons, including:

A family history of abnormally short or tall stature
Delay of growth or puberty development
Illnesses that affect the entire body (systemic diseases)
Endocrine diseases
Gigantism
Genetic abnormalities

Your child might also experience growth issues that occur for no apparent reason.

What are the signs of growth issues?

Most children with growth issues look smaller in stature than their peers. For example, if your child grows less than 2 inches per year after their third birthday, it may indicate an underlying growth issue.

Since many growth issues occur alongside other medical conditions, it’s important to visit the team at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics for routine checkups.

What are some common examples of growth issues?

At Abdow Friendship Pediatrics, the team treats various growth issues, including:

Failure to thrive

Failure to thrive occurs when a child’s height and weight fall below the third or fifth percentile. That means their average height and weight are significantly lower than peers of the same age, sex, and race. Common causes of failure to thrive include poor nutrition and neglect.

Short stature, growth hormone deficiency, idiopathic short stature

If your child has a short stature, it means they’re shorter than peers of the same age, sex, and race. Some children are short due to genetics. Other times, a short stature points to an underlying medical issue, like a hormonal imbalance or a nutritional deficiency.

Obesity

Obesity is a growth issue characterized by excess weight. All kids carry their weight differently, but if your child experiences joint pain, breathing problems, or high blood pressure, it’s crucial to seek treatment.

How are growth issues treated?

Treatment of growth issues depends on various factors, including your child’s age, the severity of their symptoms, and the underlying cause. Often, healthy lifestyle changes help. For example, eating a more balanced diet, sleeping well, and exercising regularly might make all the difference.

If your child has a thyroid disorder or another condition that affects the production of hormones, the team might recommend growth hormone therapy. All of this can be addressed here in the office with our pediatric endocrinologist and not be referred to another specialist.

To explore the treatment options for growth issues, make an appointment for your child at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics by calling the office or booking online today.

We specialize in Pediatric and Adolescent medicine in Rockville, MD. Call us to book your appointment today.