For many, today is the start of a fresh school or work week, but for the rare disease community, today marks the beginning of something more: Children’s Growth Awareness Week (Sept 13 – 19).
Rare disease is more than a part of our business; it’s our passion and drives the decisions we make each and every day. Pfizer is proud to join the growth disorders community to showcase “My Growth, My Health” this year. Together, we can raise awareness of the vital role that height plays in children’s health and why tracking growth could help the 1 in approximately 4,000 to 10,000 children living with growth disorders worldwide to reach their full growth potential.
“Many people don’t realize that short stature can be nature's early warning sign and a visual alarm for parents and physicians,” said Dianne Kremidas, Executive Director at The MAGIC Foundation. “It’s important to know that a child's growth pattern is a major sign of his or her overall health, whether it’s too fast or too slow, and atypical growth can be an early indicator of an underlying medical condition.”
Tracking growth, specifically how your child is tracking on his or her growth curve and growth rate, is an important measure of your child’s health. Below are some growth patterns to look out for to ensure your child does not have an underlying growth condition:
- A three year old typically grows about two to three inches
- At four years old, a child is often twice their birth height
- Puberty is traditionally a time where a growth spurt occurs
Regardless of their parents’ heights, if children are consistently missing key growth milestones, they may have a growth disorder. This year’s theme highlights how growth and health are connected. We at Pfizer are committed to bringing treatments to children impacted by growth disorders so they can stand tall and be proud of themselves, regardless of height, and not be defined by their condition. Learn more about Pfizer’s dedication and long-standing heritage within the growth disorder community from Dr. Kevin Williams, our Chief Medical Officer of Rare Disease.
