The 20 Best Short Stature (Growth Disorders) Doctors Near Me in Temple, TX

A child has short stature (growth disorder) if their height is in the bottom 3% compared to most other kids their age, gender, and ethnicity. Proportionate short stature is when the child is short, but all body parts are in their usual proportions. In disproportionate short stature, the arms and legs may be short compared to the torso, or vice versa.  

Not all kids with short stature have a growth disorder. Some are just naturally smaller. However, if a child’s height falls below the third percentile line on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical growth chart, their pediatrician may recommend running tests to see if there’s something more going on. 

Short stature can happen for different reasons. Sometimes, it’s familial, which means being short runs in the family. There are also several genetic disorders, including achondroplasia, Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Turner syndrome, and Noonan syndrome, that can lead to short stature.  

Other times, it’s due to an underlying medical reason, such as not getting enough food to eat or not absorbing nutrients from food correctly. Chronic illnesses that put extra stress on the body, like congenital heart disease, kidney and lung problems, or digestive issues, can also affect growth. 

Another cause is a lack of growth hormone, which is a special chemical made by the body that helps kids grow. If a child’s body doesn’t make enough of this hormone, they might not grow as tall as they should. When doctors can’t find a clear reason why a child is shorter, this is called idiopathic short stature. 

A pediatrician is usually the first doctor to identify short stature and may refer families to other pediatric specialists to help address symptoms. For example, if short stature is due to nutritional deficiencies, the pediatrician may recommend the parents see a dietician for guidance. 

If short stature is due to hormone problems, a pediatric endocrinologist is the doctor to see because they focus on diagnosing and treating hormone-related issues like growth hormone deficiency, early or delayed puberty, and thyroid problems. Pediatric endocrinologists are specially trained to understand how hormone issues affect children as they grow and develop.  

First, doctors will use different tests and tools to figure out the root cause of the growth disorder. Sometimes, they use X-rays to look at the bones in the child’s hand and wrist, which can show how fast the bones are growing. They may also run blood tests to see if the child is making enough growth hormone or other important hormones that help the body grow. Once they figure out the cause of short stature, they can create a treatment plan to help the child grow and stay healthy. 

Growth hormone therapy is the most common treatment for hormone-related growth disorder. This entails giving the child regular shots of synthetic growth hormone, usually once a day, over several years. During this time, doctors will closely watch the child’s growth to see if the treatment is working. They might measure the child’s height every few months and adjust the dose as needed. The goal is to help the child reach as close to their potential adult height as possible.