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The information provided on the Way to Grow! Web site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice provided by your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional in regards to any specific concerns.
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Treatment
What are the possible treatments my doctor might give me?
There are lots of different treatments your doctor may give you. It all depends on why you are a different height than your classmates.
Usually, your doctor will have you do one of two things:
  1. Just wait and see. If your doctor wants you to do this, it is because he or she thinks your height is the height you are supposed to be right now, and/or that when the time is right, you will just start growing
  2. OR
  3. Take a medicine to help you grow. Many medicines replace hormones in children who don’t make enough of them (remember, hormones are the chemicals that make your body grow)
Sometimes, there will be something else going on, and your doctor will want to do something totally different. If this is the case with you, your doctor will explain to you and your parents exactly what you should be doing.
What can I do to make sure my treatment is successful?
The main thing you can do is to understand and then follow EXACTLY what your doctor tells you to do. The Way to Grow! “High Five” Program (PDF) can make it easier for you to do this. This great program, designed just for kids, has lots of worksheets that you can use for questions you have, for understanding your treatment plan, for keeping track of how well you are following your doctor’s instructions, and more.
How can I tell if my treatment is working?
During regular office visits, your doctor or nurse will take a number of different height measurements which will then be plotted on a chart. This way, your doctor will be able to make sure that your treatment is working and that you are growing as you should be.
Just remember, though, even if the treatment is working, it can take some time for you to grow. So just make sure that you do EXACTLY what your doctor wants you to do so that you can get the best possible result from your treatment.
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