What is the treatment for delayed puberty in males?
What is the treatment for delayed puberty in males?
The cause of delayed puberty is usually genetic and does not require treatment, but in some cases, this condition may require special treatment. What is the treatment of delayed puberty in males?
What is the treatment for delayed puberty in males?
Many parents may notice a delay in the growth and puberty of their children than their peers, which leads them to suspect that there is a problem that causes a delay in their natural growth. What is the treatment of delayed puberty in males?
What is the treatment of delayed puberty in males?
The treatment of delayed puberty in males depends on the age of the child, the general assessment of the child’s physical and psychological condition, and the diagnosis of the main cause of delayed puberty, which is divided into two parts:
Treatment of structural delayed puberty
In this case, the child is often not given any treatment, as this delay ends on its own and the child’s puberty and growth begin normally.
The doctor may give hormonal treatment in certain cases, including the impact of delayed puberty on the child’s mental health, because he notices that he is different from his peers, or that he is being bullied, which may affect his educational attainment and reduce his self-confidence.
The doctor may prescribe a short-term treatment, consisting of small monthly doses of testosterone, given as an injection into the muscle, with continuous review appointments to note the results of the treatment.
This type of treatment is used to increase the speed of puberty and physical and sexual growth, without affecting the length of the male in the future, and the best possible results on the mental and psychological health of the child.
Treatment of delayed puberty caused by hypogonadism
The treatment of delayed puberty resulting from hypogonadism is to treat the main causes of this deficiency in the production of male hormones. It is possible to start hormonal therapy if the person does not have puberty symptoms even with the treatment of the causative factor.
Treatment is carried out under the supervision and evaluation of the physician, by giving small doses of intramuscular injections of testosterone every 4 weeks, and gradually increasing the dose to reach normal levels for the patient’s age.
Causes of delayed puberty in males
The causes of delayed puberty in children include the following:
Constitutive Delay in Puberty
Delayed filial puberty causes the signs of male puberty to appear later than usual, but once they begin to appear, they continue to develop gradually, until male growth is completed normally.
This type of delayed puberty is one of the most common causes of delayed puberty in males, and is not the result of a disease or a specific imbalance in male hormones, but is often hereditary, especially if it spreads in a person’s family.
Hypogonadism
Delayed puberty in males may occur due to hypogonadism, which occurs due to the inability of the testicles to produce male hormones sufficiently, or a defect in some parts of the brain, such as the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus, which is responsible for stimulating the production of male hormones.
There are several chronic diseases that lead to hypogonadism in males, including the following:
Diseases that affect the kidneys and thyroid gland, including hypothyroidism.
Diabetes.
Absence of the testicles when the child is born, or he was exposed to a certain accident that caused damage to them.
Some other diseases such as sickle cell disease, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, or anorexia.
The presence of a cancerous tumor in the brain that affects the parts of the brain responsible for stimulating the production of male hormones, or as a result of chemotherapy
How is delayed puberty diagnosed in males?
The diagnosis of delayed puberty in males is done by carrying out a number of diagnostic tests, in addition to a physical medical examination, and knowledge of the child’s medical history. We mention the most prominent of these diagnostic tests in the following:
A blood test to measure the level of growth hormone and male hormones such as testosterone in the blood, and to determine the presence of other diseases that cause growth retardation that can be diagnosed through a blood test.
The use of radiological examinations, including computerized tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to give detailed pictures of the body, to diagnose any problems that cause delayed puberty.
X-rays of the hand and wrist, to estimate the height after puberty, by knowing the actual age of the bone, which is younger than the age of the person, means that there is room for the child to grow and increase in length in the future.
The doctor may ask about the delay in puberty for members of the child’s family or relatives, to determine if the delay in puberty is hereditary, and to order genetic tests.
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