Understanding Growth Disorders
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Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder with a variety of possible effects on health. These include short stature, childhood obesity, and difficulties with learning and behavior.
About 1 in 15,000 to 30,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with PWS. The condition can affect boys and girls.
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Prader-Willi syndrome is caused by a genetic error. Each cell in our bodies has 23 different pairs of chromosomes, which have genes that determine traits such as eye or hair color. PWS occurs when certain genes on chromosome 15 are abnormal or missing.
In most cases, PWS is not inherited from parents. The genetic errors simply happen.
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The physical features of Prader-Willi syndrome can change as a child grows.
Signs in infancy
Signs in early childhood
In late childhood and adolescence
A pediatrician or family doctor may suspect PWS based on physical signs associated with the disorder. From there, your child may be referred to other specialists. For example, they might visit a pediatric endocrinologist, who may recommend a stimulation or “stim” test, which measures the level of growth hormone in their body. Or they might see a geneticist, who can confirm a diagnosis with genetic testing.
A stim test measures the body’s ability to release the appropriate amount of growth hormone. The test involves artificially stimulating your child’s pituitary gland. Then your child has a series of blood tests, to see how much growth hormone their pituitary gland produces over a period of time.
Children diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome may be prescribed growth hormone therapy. This involves taking regular doses of growth hormone to stimulate growth. Your child may have regular follow-up visits to monitor their growth and make sure that treatment is working well.
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Childhood GHD
Idiopathic short stature
Small for gestational age
Turner syndrome
Noonan syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome
Adult GHD
Do not use Norditropin® if:
Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Norditropin® may affect how other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Norditropin® works.
How should I use Norditropin®?
What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:
The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:
Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat:
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat:
Do not use Norditropin® if:
Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Norditropin® may affect how other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Norditropin® works.
How should I use Norditropin®?
What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:
The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:
Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.
Do not use Norditropin® if:
Before taking Norditropin®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Norditropin® may affect how other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Norditropin® works.
How should I use Norditropin®?
What are the possible side effects of Norditropin®?
Norditropin® may cause serious side effects, including:
The most common side effects of Norditropin® include:
Please click here for Norditropin® Prescribing Information.
Norditropin® is a prescription medicine that contains human growth hormone and is used to treat: