Patients who are short for their family in childhood, have a reduced height prediction, and are growing normally should be suspected of having a skeletal dysplasia. In hypochondroplasia for example, the disproportionate short stature does not become manifest until adult life.
Treatment with GH has been tried experimentally for these patients and for patients with familial short stature. The results in terms of final height have not been fully evaluated but do not appear impressive. Treatment with GH should be restricted at present to patients with GH insufficiency.
