2023-05-08 22:00:24
- ENSANUT 2021 states that 12.6% of Mexican girls and boys are short for their age.
- According to UNICEF, Mexico is the ninth country with the highest prevalence of short child stature in Latin America.
- People with short stature often suffer discrimination and bullying from their peers.
Follow-up consultations in all boys and girls are essential. It is not necessary to wait for the appearance of any disease to go to a pediatrician. In fact, a fairly common problem is the child short stature That is why it is important to know what it consists of and its main symptoms in order to offer alternatives to patients.
What does it consist of?
In its simplest definition it is low growth of a child compared to others of the same age. The reasons can be varied and sometimes it is the consequence of a problem in growth and development or in the absorption of nutrients.
For a correct diagnosis, pediatricians have the healthy growth charts Its role is to identify cases of short childhood stature if a patient is two deviations below the average height of children of the same age or if they grow so slowly that they fall below 3% on the growth chart. With this it is obtained that of every 100 infants, 97 are taller than the child in question.
Prevalence of short child stature in Mexico
Although it is a subject that is often not mentioned, pediatric endocrinologist Ana Pola de Cosio warned that it is a fairly common problem in the country. According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2021in Mexico about 12.6% of the population of boys and girls suffer from this disease.
From the above, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) positions Mexico in the ninth place with the highest prevalence of short child stature in Latin America.
Is it a hereditary problem?
While it is true that the inheritance of family height determines to a large extent the final height that will be reached as an adult, there are also other factors that have an impact. Some are inadequate nutrition, growth hormone deficiency, or infections in the fetus prior to birth. Also if there are conditions such as Turner or Down syndrome.
Grow with confidence: there is a treatment
When the cause of short stature is related to growth hormone deficiency, gestational short stature or Turner Syndrome, this condition has a treatment and consists of supplying doses of this hormone through reusable devices.
Childhood short stature has side effects for girls and boys: increased risk of chronic degenerative diseases such as diabetes, as well as problems with physical and cognitive development.
On the social side, people with short stature are more vulnerable to bullying, which can affect emotional development. In Mexico City, the population of short stature is one of the 11 most discriminated against.
A study carried out in the United States indicates that children who are adequately treated and reach a normal height have a better quality of life compared to those who present children’s short stature, in addition to having better psychosocial functioning.
The subspecialist indicated to treat this disease
The pediatrician is the family doctor, however, to treat this pathology, the pediatric endocrinologist is who should follow up.
Due to all of the above, it is important to see the condition of short childhood stature in a multidisciplinary way and understand that it affects both the physical, emotional and psychosocial state of children. It is not only centimeters but also health, security and confidence to achieve what they want to be.
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