Hypopituitarism affects many children with cerebral palsy. The condition causes poor growth, often delaying puberty.
But there is good news for this community!
A report was recently published called “Hypopituitarism in children with cerebral palsy” by the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood. It outlined the potential of hormone therapy to counter the effects of hypopituitarism and spark growth.
This report was based off a study analyzing four different children who had the condition. They were all between 11 and 16 years of age and had a very similar clinical history. They were all premature at birth (24 to 29 weeks’ gestation), and experienced poor growth during the age of puberty, for which they were sent to an endocrinology specialist. By checking hormone levels and using MRI technology, all of the children were diagnosed with hypopituitarism.
Hypopituitarism basically means that the pituitary gland isn’t functioning as it should be. The gland is responsible for many functions in the body, including growth. In addition it helps regulate metabolism and the maturation of the reproductive system. The pituitary gland’s second name is the master gland, so it’s clear how important it is for the body, and how detrimental it can be when it’s not working properly.
However, early intervention of hypopituitarism produced positive results for the kids studied, and they were all able to at least partially overcome the effects of the disease by participating in oral hormone therapy. All of the patients made it through puberty.
The authors of the report say that the importance of their research is simple- early detection and understanding of hypopituitarism can significantly improve a patient’s life. They advocate that children should be monitored for “red flags” including short stature and poor growth, and that any abnormality in the pituitary gland should be carefully examined and monitored.
Read more about this study in Cerebral Palsy News Today here!
