Growth spurts? As an overachieving parent, I couldn’t get enough of them. I was the kind of mom who wanted to remember each and every step toward adulthood. I didn’t particularly care for the obligatory runs to the mall to replace high-water pants and flip flops that only flopped, but I loved recording every inch (and pound) of the growing process.
But where growth spurts in kids are one thing, growth spurts in adults are another thing altogether. In adults, excessive growth of feet, hands and facial features can indicate a rare disease called acromegaly.
Acromegaly develops when the body produces too much of a growth hormone.
The increased growth hormone (GH) is often triggered by a tumor buried in the pituitary gland. GH can cause excessive growth of the hands, feet, and facial features after regular growth of the skeleton is complete. Patients usually find shoes and rings don’t fit, and can’t be explained away by a weight gain.
Every change in my kids was a revelation for me. And yes, I did record every single change in my children’s’ development. Weight? Yep. It was recorded in each and every baby book. Height? Absolutely. Each child had their own door frame with color-coordinated markers. Had there been an online app back then, I would certainly have used it to back up my careful measurements.
