Question
My child is five years old but always seems to be short and has a poor appetite. They are particularly thin compared to their peers and have finer hair. It was only after a thorough medical check-up that we found out they have dwarfism. We are looking for ways to help: How should dwarfism be treated?
Answer
A six-year-old child whose height is above the 3rd percentile among same-age children of the same gender may need to consider the possibility of being short in stature. Similarly, if their weight is also above the 3rd percentile among same-age children of the same gender, it should correspond with their height. To treat the condition, it is necessary to find the underlying cause, which could be growth hormone deficiency, familial dwarfism, or delayed puberty due to systemic factors. Once the cause is identified, appropriate treatment can be administered, such as administering growth hormone for growth hormone deficiency.