KARACHI, Oct 29: Paediatricians and endocrinologists have sought establishment of a “Children’s Fund” to help in the timely assessment of all children and proper treatment of those identified to be suffering from growth hormone deficiency syndrome in the country.

Senior doctors including Prof A.G. Billoo, Dr Naeemul Haq, Prof Zeenat Essani and Dr Jamal Raza, addressing a seminar on “Growth Impairment among Children” held on Monday under the aegis of the National Institute of Child Health, reminded that the problem is being increasingly witnessed in the country due to a wide range of factors.

According to them, an extremely expensive mode of medical intervention for the condition — non-affordable for a large majority of locals — calls for a mechanism under which the corporate sector in the country, along with local philanthropists, may adopt such children in certain numbers.

Dr Jamal Raza of the NICH also submitted a consultation with pharmaceutical companies to reduce cost of these drugs or at least ensure provision for the same at subsidized rates for public-sector healthcare outlets.

“The recurring medical expenditure of such children is Rs15,000 to Rs25,000,” he said.

The actual number of such children is yet to be registered in different parts of the country as well as in the province he said, adding that with a view to address the situation, a “Growth Clinic” has started functioning at the NICH in collaboration with the Atomic Energy Centre, Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre to ensure timely diagnosis of all such children visiting the hospital.

The tests costing Rs5,000 at any private medical institution is provided either free of charge or at very nominal rates at the NICH.

Dr Raza claimed that during the last two years, over 580 children were seen at the NICH endocrine clinic. The commonest reason for children coming to this clinic was poor growth and nearly 170 children afflicted by the problem were checked during the last couple of years.

Expressing regret over the common use of medicines sold on the pretext of increasing height by one feet or more, he advised the general public not to fall for such traps set up by quacks as no magic cure for height increment is available and proper assessment is required in such cases. The other common problem noted was thyroid hormone deficiency which may occur at the time of birth or may be present throughout childhood.

Dr Abdul Ghaffar Billoo regretted the rampant negligence towards the condition, generally exposing the concerned children, particularly those with short stature or low I.Q., to severe emotional as well as educational trauma. He stressed upon the need for a system of proper medical and physical examination of all school-going children without any distinction.

He extensively discussed factors leading to the condition right from malnutrition to diseases such as rickets and to genetic disorders. Dr Billoo strongly recommended the need to set national priorities right, with particular reference to proper budgetary allocations for health and education sectors.

Prof Zeenat Essani extensively discussed the issue and cited congenital, acquired growth hormone insufficiency (brain tumours, leukemia), chronic renal failure, multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, achondroplasia (disproportionate bone growth) and syndromes associated with short stature as some of the causes for the condition among children.

According to her, due to lack of genetic studies, exact figures could not be quoted. However, at least 50 per cent of children may remain short-statured due to the hereditary factor.

According to her, the recently-available growth hormone has been around for more than 16 years and has been used in over 100,000 children, its safety being well established.

Under the condition, she strongly recommended timely diagnosis of such children, besides proper screening of the siblings of those found to be suffering from physical growth impairment.

“Such a patient must be treated with growth hormone as soon as the diagnosis is made, preventing further delay and damage,” she said, adding that the prescription could be made in accordance to the pre-treatment height and growth velocity.

Side-effects of growth hormone therapy, she said, are insignificant which again could be avoided through proper surveillance of the patient.

Dr Naeemul Haq, discussing “Onset of Growth Hormone Deficiency” among adults, mentioned factors leading to the ailment among adults with reduced strength and exercise capacity, impaired psychological well-being, abnormal body composition and reduced lean body mass as some of the symptoms.

Overweight, thin dry skin, cool peripheries, reduced muscle strength and depression were cited as signs of growth hormone deficiency among the adult population.

On the occasion, a mother along with her two sons aged 25 and 20, respectively, inflicted with growth hormone deficiency, were also presented.—APP/PPI