Recognising Psychosocial Issues in Children with Growth Disorders

If your children have growth disorders, reassure them that it is alright for them to experience delayed growth and development compared to their peers.¹

Pay closer attention to your children and monitor for signs of stress, difficulties in psychosocial adaptation, cognitive impairment, poor performance and reduced intellectual abilities.²

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How to identify psychosocial and self-esteem problems in children with growth disorders?

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*Refer to https://www.sdqinfo.org/py/sdqinfo/b3.py?language=Englishqz(UK ) for the full list of SDQ questionnaires.³‍

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Early identification of emotional issues in children with growth disorders and timely support can significantly improve their social
and emotional well-being.²

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Helping children cope with daily life⁴

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Being shorter than normal can pose challenges for your children in daily activities such as dining at the table, sitting at a desk or even using the restroom. Hence, helping them cope with their daily activities is essential.

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^{How to reduce everyday challenges arising from short stature?}

Instead of introducing specialised furniture, you can also equip your home with certain aids that can help your child handle daily activities.⁴

The following practices can help reduce everyday challenges for children with short stature:

• Additional furniture: Adding a footstool to the table, desk or sofa
• Toilet with washing and drying functions
• Smaller keyboard and mouse at school
• A clamp: An extendable stick that will help children reach out to things they cannot reach

“This way, your child will be able to be more independent.”

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Emotional distress

If they bottle up their feelings and do not discuss them with others, it can lead to more damage and overwhelm the child.⁵

How does emotional distress affect your child’s emotional health and development?^6,7

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Supporting children with growth disorders

Each child faces unique challenges in various situations. Therefore, it is beneficial to understand how you can support your child and provide greater guidance in daily tasks.⁴

As a parent, it is essential to prioritise your child’s health. Educate yourself about nutrition, common illnesses and other health issues that
can affect your child.⁸

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• As soon as you identify psychosocial difficulties in your child, you can provide appropriate support and care.²
• It is important to communicate with your child’s healthcare provider and follow his/her advice.⁴
• Provide valuable information and support for your child’s growth.⁴
• Prepare your child for the journey ahead.⁴
• Help your child in coping with his/her growth disorder in daily life.⁴
• As a parent, you can boost your child’s self-esteem by praising his/her appearance and behaviour.
• Help your child focus on positive behaviour.
• Always give him/her constructive criticism and explain the reasons behind your disapproval of his/her actions.⁴

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