A child reaching for the stars, symbolizing growth and potential.

Growth Hormone Therapy: Is Your Child Getting the Most Out of Treatment?

Soraya Malik in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research highlights the critical role of consistent adherence to growth hormone regimens in achieving optimal catch-up growth for children with growth hormone deficiency."

For parents of children diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), the prospect of growth hormone (GH) therapy offers a beacon of hope. These treatments can stimulate significant catch-up growth, helping children achieve heights closer to their genetic potential. However, the effectiveness of GH therapy isn't solely dependent on the medication itself; consistent adherence to the prescribed treatment plan is equally vital.

While the medical community recognizes the importance of adherence, accurately measuring its impact has been challenging. Traditional methods often rely on self-reporting, which can be subjective. Moreover, isolating the effect of adherence from other factors influencing growth, such as the severity of GHD, age, and overall health, adds another layer of complexity.

Recent research published in PLOS One has shed new light on this critical area, providing compelling evidence of how adherence to growth hormone treatment directly affects growth outcomes in children. By using data from the easypod connect observational study (ECOS), researchers were able to continuously assess real-world adherence through an electronic drug-delivery device. This innovative approach allowed for a more objective and detailed analysis of the relationship between adherence and growth.

Why Does Adherence Matter for Growth Hormone Therapy?

A child reaching for the stars, symbolizing growth and potential.

The study's findings underscore the significance of consistent adherence to GH therapy during the initial years of treatment. When children adhere to their GH treatment plans, they experience more significant improvements in height. This early catch-up growth is crucial for their overall development and well-being.

The research team, led by Paula van Dommelen, aimed to quantify the association between adherence and growth response in prepubertal children with idiopathic isolated GHD. The study utilized data from the ECOS study, which tracks real-world adherence via the easypod electronic drug-delivery device.

Objective Measurement: The use of the easypod device provided continuous, objective data on adherence, overcoming the limitations of self-reported measures.
Comprehensive Analysis: The study considered various outcome measures, including changes in height standard deviation score (ΔHSDS) and index of responsiveness (IoR), offering a holistic view of growth patterns.
Control for Confounders: The researchers adjusted for potential clinical confounders such as age, birth weight, and GH dose, isolating the true impact of adherence.

The results revealed that high adherence in the second year of treatment (defined as ≥91% adherence) was strongly associated with a better index of responsiveness (IoR) at two years. Moreover, children with high adherence (≥78%) in the first two years showed greater improvements in height standard deviation scores (ΔHSDS) than those with lower adherence. The key takeaway is that suboptimal adherence negatively affected the growth response during the critical first two years of GH treatment.

Taking Control: How to Support Adherence to Growth Hormone Therapy

Understanding the critical role of adherence is the first step. For parents and caregivers, this study underscores the importance of creating a supportive environment that encourages consistent treatment. Here are some practical strategies to help your child adhere to their growth hormone therapy:

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206009, Alternate LINK

Title: Effect Of Adherence To Growth Hormone Treatment On 0–2 Year Catch-Up Growth In Children With Growth Hormone Deficiency

Subject: Multidisciplinary

Journal: PLOS ONE

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Authors: Paula Van Dommelen, Ekaterina Koledova, Jan M. Wit

Published: 2018-10-24

Everything You Need To Know

What is Growth Hormone (GH) therapy, and why is it important?

Growth Hormone (GH) therapy is a treatment administered to children diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) to stimulate growth and help them achieve heights closer to their genetic potential. The significance of GH therapy lies in its ability to address the growth issues caused by GHD, which can have significant impacts on a child's overall development and well-being. The implications of GH therapy are that children with GHD can experience substantial catch-up growth, helping them reach a height closer to their genetic potential, which can improve their self-esteem and quality of life.

What is adherence in the context of Growth Hormone therapy, and why is it so crucial?

Adherence in the context of Growth Hormone (GH) therapy refers to consistently following the prescribed treatment plan, including the correct dosage and timing of GH injections. Consistent adherence is crucial because it directly affects the effectiveness of the treatment. If a child does not adhere to the prescribed GH therapy plan, they may not experience the full benefits of the medication, and their growth may not be as optimal. This means they may not achieve their full growth potential, which can have long-term implications on their development and well-being.

Why is it important to measure the impact of adherence in Growth Hormone (GH) therapy?

Measuring the impact of adherence is critical to determine how closely patients are following the Growth Hormone (GH) therapy plan. Traditional methods like self-reporting can be subjective and unreliable. This is why the easypod connect observational study (ECOS) used an electronic drug-delivery device. By using such a device, researchers can objectively assess real-world adherence. This allows for a more accurate understanding of the relationship between adherence and growth outcomes, leading to better treatment strategies and improved patient outcomes.

What is the significance of the easypod electronic drug-delivery device in Growth Hormone therapy?

The easypod electronic drug-delivery device is significant because it allows for continuous and objective data collection on adherence to Growth Hormone (GH) therapy. Unlike traditional methods that rely on self-reporting, the device provides detailed information on when and how often the child is receiving the GH injections. This is important because it gives researchers a more accurate measure of adherence, which is essential for understanding how well the treatment is working. Moreover, it offers insights that can lead to personalized support and intervention strategies. The implications of using such a device are that it leads to more reliable data, better understanding of the relationship between adherence and growth, and the potential for improved patient outcomes.

What factors influence the effectiveness of Growth Hormone (GH) therapy?

Several factors influence the effectiveness of Growth Hormone (GH) therapy. One primary factor is consistent adherence to the prescribed treatment plan, including the correct dosage and timing of GH injections. Other factors include the severity of Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), the child's age, and their overall health. High adherence to the therapy is correlated with improvements in height. The implications of these factors are that the more these factors align favorably, the more effective the therapy becomes, leading to better growth outcomes and improved quality of life for children with GHD.