Question
At a young age, should a child be given the growth hormone powder or liquid formulation? What are the differences between the growth hormone liquid and powder formulations?
Answer
For young children, long-acting growth hormone can be considered to reduce anesthesia discomfort, or a short-acting liquid formulation that can be used with an electronic pen to help alleviate the child’s fear of anesthesia. Currently, there are three types of growth hormone formulations available: long-acting liquid, short-acting liquid, and short-acting powder. The differences are as follows: the long-acting liquid formulation requires administration only once a week, while the short-acting liquid and powder formulations need to be taken daily. Sometimes, children may miss doses due to reluctance to take medication, which could affect the treatment efficacy and further undermine their confidence in adhering to treatment.