Guideline for using growth hormone in paediatric patients in South Africa: treatment of growth hormone deficiency and other growth disorders.

The Paediatric and Adolescent Endocrine and Diabetes Society of South Africa (PAEDS-SA) recommends, in line with other international groups, that growth hormone (GH) therapy be considered for children and adolescents with significantly short stature and poor growth velocity in the following instances: GH deficiency; Turner syndrome; Prader-Willi syndrome; small-for-gestational-age children with failure of catch-up growth; idiopathic short stature; and chronic renal insufficiency. We have produced treatment guidelines for the use of GH, designed to allow flexibility to determine coverage on a case-by-case basis. We further recommend that when used for growth promotion, GH therapy should be initiated and monitored by, or in consultation with, a paediatric endocrinologist.