This text is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.

Mild side effects reported for children with GHD included reactions at the injection site, such as pain, redness or swelling, inflammation, bleeding, scarring, lumps, or a rash. Other side effects were:

• Headache
• Blood in the urine.
• Low thyroid activity.
• Small increases in blood sugar levels.

In children born with SGA, side effects included:

• Temporarily raised blood sugar levels.
• Increased pressure in the brain.
• Early onset of puberty.
• Injection site reactions (see under GHD).
• Growth of moles.
• Worsening of curvature of the spine when it was already present.

Children with PWS can have side effects, including fluid retention, joint and muscle pain, hair loss, headache, signs of aggressiveness, and increased pressure in the brain.

Turner syndrome patients can experience side effects like throat, ear, sinus infection, flu-like runny nose, joint pain, and UTI (urinary tract infection). They may be more likely to get otitis media (ear infections).

In children with ISS, side effects included throat infection, inflammation of the nose and throat, stomach pain, respiratory illnesses, headaches, mood changes, changes in appetite, fever, fracture, and joint pain.

Genotropin is a synthetic form of the human growth hormone produced in the pituitary gland. It has been FDA-approved for the treatment of growth-related conditions in children, including:

• Growth hormone deficiency (referred to as pituitary dwarfism)
• Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS) where the child is shorter than 98.8% of other children of the same sex and age and their growth rate is not likely to allow them to reach a normal adult height. Genotropin can only be administered if the growth plates have not closed.
• Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) which is a genetic condition, Not all children with PWS can be treated with Genotropin,
• Small for Gestational Age (SGA) which is where the baby was smaller at birth than most other babies born after the same number of weeks of pregnancy.
• Turner syndrome (TS) only in girls,

As well, the drug can be used to treat Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (AGHD), which affects blood sugar levels (diabetes) and increases the proportion of body fats.