What to do with hormones in adolescence. Difficult age: hormones and adolescent behavior. Causes of hormonal failure in men

Hormones are regulators of all biological processes occurring in the body. Gender, character, appearance, state of health depend on their ratio. In women, the hormonal background changes many times over the course of their lives, which is associated with the work of the reproductive organs. Even within 1 month, hormones are constantly “playing”. This explains many features of female behavior, a sharp change in mood, the formation of a maternal instinct. Violations lead to shifts in the work of all systems and the appearance of serious diseases in women.

The production of estrogens and progesterone, in turn, is regulated by pituitary hormones, depends on the state of the thyroid gland and other organs of the endocrine system of the body. The change in the background can be very significant, but not always at the same time they talk about pathology.

The surge occurs when the ovaries begin to mature (puberty), the background changes after the woman begins to live sexually. Enormous background changes occur during pregnancy. After childbirth, the level of hormones is gradually restored, and the condition of the mammary glands and milk production depends on how correctly this happens.

The ratio of estrogens and progesterone changes significantly during the menstrual cycle, and there is a physiological pattern of such changes. The onset of menopause is another natural hormonal failure caused by a gradual decrease in ovarian activity and the aging of other hormone-forming organs.

All such manifestations of hormonal failure in women are normal and do not require any correction. Hormonal abnormalities are considered a violation, which lead to the development of diseases, impaired reproductive function of the body, and the appearance of pathological symptoms.

Factors that increase the risk of violations

Of course, such violations can occur at any of these stages, since no one is immune from diseases, injuries, stress. However, there are factors that increase the risk of hormonal disorders.

At risk are those who are obese, who are fond of diets for dramatic weight loss, and who constantly consume “fast food” products. The risk of pathologies is increased in those who use oral contraceptives for a long time and illiterately, take medications containing hormones.

Hormonal disbalance can occur due to increased physical and emotional stress. Those who smoke, constantly use alcohol or drugs are also at risk.

Possible consequences

Hormonal failure is the cause of many diseases of the genital organs (endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, cervical dysplasia, malignant tumors), as well as mammary glands (mastopathy, fibroadenomas, cancer). The consequence of hormonal disorders is abnormal sexual development, early menopause, miscarriage, infertility. Violation can lead to the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cerebral vascular sclerosis, bronchial asthma, cardiac pathology.

Causes of violations

Symptoms of hormonal failure often appear in the early years of puberty, when the production of sex hormones is not yet regulated, as well as during the completion of the reproductive processes in the body. In reproductive age, a violation occurs after an abortion, miscarriage, in case of refusal to breastfeeding. The lack of regular sexual life, pregnancy and childbirth during this period also lead to deviations.

The reasons for the abnormal production of female sex hormones can be:

1. Violation of the brain and central system (hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction). Hormones are produced here that stimulate the work of the ovaries, the course of the processes of the menstrual cycle, contractility of the uterus, and the development of the mammary glands. Violations can be caused by the occurrence of a tumor, brain injury, lack of blood supply due to vascular pathologies.
2. Diseases of the thyroid and pancreas, adrenal glands, liver, hematopoietic organs (bone marrow, spleen).
3. Inflammatory, infectious and tumor diseases of the organs of the reproductive system and, first of all, the ovaries prevent the normal course of cyclic processes, while the production of hormones is disrupted.
4. Congenital pathologies of organ development and hereditary diseases.

Video: Causes of disorders, their manifestations, diagnosis, treatment

Symptoms of violations

Hormonal abnormalities always affect the work of the reproductive and nervous systems, as well as the state of metabolism. Therefore, the first manifestations of a failure are violations of the cycle, changes in character and appearance.

Symptoms of reproductive dysfunction

Hormonal failure can occur even in little girls. The result of the pathology is too early onset of puberty. With a lack of hormones, puberty will be delayed. The violations are indicated by the absence of primary sexual characteristics, the development of the body according to the male type (hair growth, weak growth of the mammary glands, features of the figure).

The lack of hormones causes a decrease or lack of sexual desire, sexual dissatisfaction. One of the signs of hormonal failure is infertility.

The reaction of the nervous system

Symptoms of failure are sudden mood swings (from emotional arousal to depression), irritability, frequent headaches, insomnia and at the same time constant drowsiness. There is increased fatigue, memory impairment.

Symptoms of a metabolic disorder

Metabolic disorders due to hormonal failure are manifested by a change in body weight (obesity or sudden weight loss), which especially often occurs with thyroid diseases. An increase in blood sugar levels (the onset of diabetes), a violation of the water-salt balance (a woman develops edema) is possible.

Improper metabolism causes a lack of magnesium and calcium, which leads to diseases skeletal system. There are signs of anemia (pallor, blue under the eyes, dizziness).

Manifestations of hormonal disorders in women of different ages

The nature of the manifestations depends on the age, individual characteristics of the organism. In some cases, the background can recover on its own, but sometimes serious treatment is required to eliminate symptoms.

Hormonal imbalance in teenage girls

Violations are indicated by the absence of external sexual characteristics and menstruation in a girl over 15 years old. At the same time, it should be taken into account that small breasts, a narrow pelvis, weak hair growth on the head can be hereditary signs. This also applies to the timing of the onset of the first menstruation. Finding out the true cause of deviations is possible only after examining the general state of health.

Hormonal failure occurs if the girl is small or too thin, follows a starvation diet. If the anomaly occurs in early childhood, then menstruation can begin at 7-8 years. At the same time, the development of bone tissue is disrupted, the girl stops growing in height.

In many adolescents, the instability of the background leads to the irregularity of the first cycles, the occurrence of prolonged menstrual bleeding (up to 15 days). In such cases, due to anemia, the work of other body systems is disrupted. Signs of metabolic disorders are the appearance of acne on the face in adolescents, excess weight, stretch marks on the skin (stretch marks).

Disorders in women of reproductive age

The following symptoms indicate the improper production of hormones:

1. Absence of menstruation (amenorrhea). This condition occurs due to disruption of the hypothalamus-pituitary gland, dysfunction of the adrenal glands or ovaries, as well as functional disorders nervous system.
2. Male type obesity (Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome). There is an accumulation of subcutaneous fat in the upper body. At the same time, the legs and arms remain thin. Striae are formed.
3. Too pronounced premenstrual syndrome (pain in mammary glands, migraines, vomiting, edema, changes in blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, depression).

Hormonal shift after abortion

Interruption of the natural course of hormonal changes that occur with the onset of pregnancy leads to a failure, which most of all affects the state of the nervous system. Many people experience depression and apathy. Hormonal failure often causes tumor diseases of the uterus, ovaries, mammary glands.

Signs of violations of the background after childbirth

During this period, the woman's physical health is gradually restored. Hormonal disorders cause weak production or lack of breast milk. Lack of oxytocin is the cause of such a complication as postpartum depression. This hormone is also necessary for the uterus to contract normally. With its deficiency in the uterus, inflammatory processes occur due to stagnation of postpartum contents.

Usually, the symptoms of hormonal failure in women disappear after the end of lactation and the onset of menstruation. If the violations remain, the woman becomes stout, menstruation comes irregularly, becomes painful. The character changes, nervousness, increased anxiety appear. The occurrence of disorders contributes to lack of sleep, increased stress on the body.

Signs of disorders in menopause

The hormonal background changes over several years, during which a woman manifests disorders in the work of the genitourinary, nervous, cardiovascular and other body systems. There is an involution of the mammary glands (they lose their elasticity and shape).

The strength of manifestations depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. If a woman is healthy, then in postmenopause, unpleasant manifestations disappear. Hormonal disruptions (hyperestrogenism, hypothyroidism, and others) at this age occur more often than in youth, therefore, the risk of developing malignant tumors increases.

Advice: At any age, you should consult a doctor if there are sexual disorders, increased irritability and fatigue, facial hair growth, suddenly there is a tendency to obesity or sudden weight loss, there is a decrease in sexual desire. Eliminating hormonal failure will help get rid of many of these problems.

Video: The role of hormones in the female body. How does hormonal imbalance manifest?

Diagnosis and treatment

If symptoms of a failure occur, you should contact a gynecologist and endocrinologist. Blood tests for estrogens, progesterone, pituitary hormones, thyroid hormones, and others help to identify violations.

To determine the cause of the violations, methods such as ultrasound, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and tomographic examination methods are used. At the same time, the causes of violations are eliminated and the hormonal background is corrected with special preparations. In this case, all possible contraindications are taken into account.

Also, to restore the background, contraceptive pills (Zhanin, Yarina), homeopathic remedies (climadinone, mastodinone), drugs containing sex hormones (duphaston, metipred) are prescribed. Vitamin and mineral complexes are used.

Hormones play a decisive role in the development and functioning of the body. It is under their control that metabolic processes take place, tissues and body systems are formed. Even the character of a person is determined by the hormonal background. MedAboutMe will tell you what changes in children you need to pay attention to, what hormones are important and what symptoms to suspect violations.

It is hormones that are largely responsible for the normal growth and intellectual development of children, as well as for the change age periods. Therefore, the normal functioning of the endocrine system is extremely important in childhood. For example, disorders in the production of thyroid hormones, not treated in time in infancy, may affect the child's intellectual abilities in the future. And insufficient production of sex hormones in a teenager can lead to problems with puberty, which will subsequently affect reproductive function.

It should be said that it is in childhood, when the body is actively growing, that any delay in the treatment of hormonal disorders is unacceptable. This is due to the fact that a lack or excess of the hormone can lead to irreversible developmental disorders that cannot be fully compensated in adulthood.

Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are thyroid hormones that affect many aspects of development. At the same time, their shortage can manifest itself from the first days of life - congenital hypothyroidism is diagnosed in 1 child out of 4000 newborns. This condition is extremely dangerous, because, among other disorders, it leads to disorders of the musculoskeletal system and cretinism. The lack of thyroid hormones at this age is determined by the following symptoms:

• Swollen tongue, neck, swelling of the face and body may be observed.
• Little mobility, lethargy.
• Rare crying.
• Dry skin prone to irritation.
• Constipation, poor appetite.
• Developmental delay (for example, by three months the child does not hold his head).

AT school age Hypothyroidism can manifest itself as:

• Constant fatigue.
• Poor concentration.
• Constipation.
• Swelling of the face.

In addition, thyroid hormones are closely related to others. In particular, sexual and growth hormone. Therefore, with their lack, growth retardation, weight disorders can be observed. With such symptoms, it is necessary to take complex tests, in particular, to check the hormone responsible for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland - TSH.

The norm of sex hormones in adolescence is an important part of a child's development. Moreover, you need to pay attention to both their possible shortage and excess. The fact is that the hyperfunction of the gonads can talk about various diseases. In particular, this may be a sign of the onset of tumor processes.

Sex hormones in adolescence are responsible for the formation of secondary sexual characteristics:

• Female (big hips, thin waist) and male (broad shoulders, narrow hips) body type.
• Hair on the genitals. Boys have facial and body hair.
• Breast growth in girls, penis growth in boys.
• Character changes.
• Beginning of menstruation in girls.
• Coarsening of the voice in boys.

A lack in the production of sex hormones can be suspected if such signs are not observed in a teenager of 15 years old, an overabundance - if puberty begins at 8-9 years.

Every body produces both female and male hormones. For the normal formation of the child, it is necessary that there are more “our own”. However, in some cases, hormonal disruptions are observed, in which girls have increased testosterone, and boys have estrogen levels. Since these sex hormones are responsible for the development of the body in male and female type, then the violations will appear accordingly:

• Virilization in girls - coarsening of the voice, facial hair, male body type. Often these disorders are caused by ovarian dysfunction, possible development tumors on them.
• Feminization of boys - a thin voice, insufficient development of the genital organs, an effeminate figure. In the event that such violations occur against the background of weight gain, it is necessary to check the thyroid hormones.

Growth hormone (somatotropin) - a key component normal growth child. This hormone is responsible for the lengthening of bones, therefore, under its action, adolescents are actively “stretched”. It is characteristic that in girls the process occurs earlier - the first jumps can be observed already at the age of 10, and in boys - starting from 12. At the same time, the male body grows up to 17-19 years, so as a result, the guys are taller and more powerful. In adolescence, growth hormone, with its normal production, can lengthen the body by 8-10 cm per year.

Of course, growth is an individual feature that depends not only on hormones, but also on heredity. However, in the event that the developmental delay is clearly noticeable, it is imperative to pass an analysis for somatotropin. The fact is that growth hormone activates the cartilaginous zones of tubular bones (growth zones), due to which elongation occurs. However, over time, they close. Normally, this happens by the age of 25, but with some individual characteristics they can disappear already by 17-18, less often - by 15 years. In the event that the zones are closed, growth hormone will no longer help to become taller. Moreover, if time is lost, and somatotropin enters the blood in an increased amount, for example, with late therapy, this can provoke acromegaly disease. The bones in this case will indeed grow, but not in length, but in breadth. And this can lead to consequences of varying severity, including disability.

AT early age type 1 diabetes mellitus, a disease caused by an absolute deficiency of the hormone insulin, can manifest itself. By its severity, this is one of the serious childhood diseases, which, if not treated in time, can lead to a heart attack, stroke, and death as a result of a coma. Diabetes can be suspected by the following symptoms:

• Constant thirst.
• Frequent urination. The child may start getting up to go to the bathroom at night.
• Weight loss or gain.
• Periodic irritability, dizziness.
• Vomiting and abdominal pain.

Mental retardation (MPD) can talk about hormonal disorders. If the child is not learning well new information, suffers from forgetfulness, cannot concentrate on reading, writing, lessons for a long time, this may be a symptom of hypothyroidism. And if you do not remove the cause, ZPR can progress.

Adolescence is a difficult period both in terms of relationships with parents and others, and in terms of changes in health, special conditions that occur in the body and affect metabolic processes. At this age, from yesterday's children, adults are already formed with features of the figure and development of sexual characteristics, while for all the apparent adulthood, internally teenagers are still very immature and vulnerable. Due to sharp fluctuations in the level of hormones in the body, they can experience various kinds of hormonal disruptions, eventually leading to the emergence of various kinds of problems - acne, problems with hair and nails, weight, and many others.

Hormonal changes.
In the period of transition, adolescence, the child's body can undergo serious neuro-endocrine changes, metabolic and physical changes. First of all, there is a significant functional change in the endocrine glands (endocrine organs). Particularly active is a change in the functioning of such glands as the thyroid and gonads, adrenal glands, which actively and directly affect the metabolism in the child's body. An increase in the activity of the thyroid gland will make changes to the functioning of the entire endocrine system, which initially provokes an active rise in energy and strength, and then they are replaced by periods of decline and fatigue. This cannot but affect the health and appearance of adolescents. Often, such hormonal problems can cause hair loss and even the formation of alopecia areata (balding areas in girls and boys). For the most part, young men can suffer, since it is they who have such problems more often.

In this condition, thinning, brittleness and hair loss occur in the frontal or parietal zone, bald patches appear above the temples. Sex hormones are responsible for this condition, in particular, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has the main effect on hair growth in adolescence. This is one of the most active and strong male sex hormones, which is produced by the testicles (male genital organs) and is also partly formed by the adrenal glands and therefore it is also present in girls. An excess of this hormone in girls leads to increased growth of body hair, pubic hair with a transition to the hips and abdomen. DHT in young men is formed in the body from its precursor testosterone, and often the problem of its excessive amount arises in connection with a hereditary predisposition. In girls, this type of hormone is produced from the hormone androstenedione. The highest concentration of DHT will be in the region of the hair follicles, therefore, under the condition of an imbalance of this hormone, there may be a slowdown in hair growth on the head, as well as increased hair loss with disruption of the hair follicles.

Why do teenagers have hair problems?
First of all, the leading problems in adolescents is living in adverse environmental conditions. The influence of the environment on the somatic and mental health of adolescents has long been known, these reasons are not disputed by anyone. At the same time, it is the appearance, and in particular the hair, that can be a kind of indicator that can signal malfunctions in the child’s body, but among other things, the hair also has the property of concentration within itself. harmful substances. By analyzing the hair, you can even say what substances the teenager used, up to narcotic ones. Therefore, it is worth telling the growing children that during precipitation in the form of rain or snow, it is worth covering your head with a hat or hood - the head and hair are sensitive to damage.

Harmful substances and various kinds of carcinogens can penetrate into the hair and scalp not only from the external environment, but they can also suffer significantly from tobacco smoke. Adolescence is a time when desires to appear adult can overpower common sense and healthy lifestyle life. Children try bad habits and get used to them. Although everyone knows that nicotine is a poison and smoking is harmful, nevertheless, many parents of children smoke and set a bad example for their growing offspring. Today, the presence of cigarettes in the teeth of adolescents has become an attribute of "adulthood", and despite the prohibitions on the sale of cigarettes to minors, the age of smokers has become younger, and their number has grown. Even if the teenager himself does not smoke, in his environment there are teenagers with bad habit, and then he is forced to become a passive smoker and does not avoid the negative effects of tobacco smoke. The effects of smoke occur both from the inside of the body due to its penetration through the capillaries into the area of ​​​​the hair follicles, and from the outside, due to the absorption of toxins into the structure of the hair itself, which makes them thin and fragile. As a result of chronic intoxication with poisons, baldness and thinning of the hair occurs.

What else will harm the hair of teenagers.
Often, children at this age take poor care of their scalp and hair, which leads to problems. Often one can note some kind of negligence or even slovenliness in appearance teenagers, both boys and girls. At the same time, quite neat and diligent children suddenly suddenly stop paying their attention to the fact that it is necessary to walk in clean and tidy clothes, they begin to pay less attention to personal hygiene of the body and intimate places, and they also forget about the full and proper care for hair and scalp. The results of such negligence can be inflammation of the scalp, the development of dandruff, and even seborrheic dermatitis, which ultimately leads to a deterioration in hair quality and hair loss.

Girls in adolescence, wanting to look more beautiful and more mature, more spectacular, also forget about the health of their hair, actively acting on them with aggressive factors. These include the early start of hair coloring, the use of aggressive styling products in the form of gels, varnishes, foams and other things. No less harmful are hair styling devices in the form of straighteners, curling irons and others. They can severely damage the structure of the hair, which leads to their overdrying, dullness and similarity to straw, while the ends of the hair are very split. Styling products are used beyond measure, sometimes without washing them off at night, for a long time acting on the hair, which leads to problems of the scalp.

Hormones and their effect on girls.
Often, most of the problems of adolescence and the later adult life of a woman arise due to an imbalance of hormones. The presence of a failure in the hormonal background of girls leads to such typical problems as acne (pimples, blackheads), a sharp deterioration in the appearance of the skin, as well as problems such as menstrual irregularities and severe pain, in especially severe cases, menstrual bleeding. These problems, which were not eliminated in time, further lead to the problem of infertility, inability to bear a child. due date and other fertility problems. Many adult problems have been going on since adolescence, when hormonal problems were not addressed in a timely manner. Of course, due to fluctuations in hormones, increased body growth and puberty processes occur, but if these fluctuations are too strong, problems arise that girls are sometimes simply unaware of.

For example, the presence of severe allergies, bouts of excessive fatigue or depression can be formed due to problems with hormones, often girls experience headaches, severe dizziness, fainting pressure fluctuations. In the future, this results in the presence of uterine fibroids, endometriosis, problems with the ovaries or breasts. But the modern level of medicine allows solving these problems by correcting the hormonal background by taking synthetic analogues of hormones. Usually they are prescribed to already mature women and older girls to prevent pregnancy, but they can also be prescribed in adolescence in minimal doses to regulate hormonal function. They help in the formation of menstruation, its regulation in terms of soreness, and also improve the appearance of the skin and hair. But the appointment of hormones should be done with extreme caution - they can also give side effects in the distant future. Often, synthetic hormones in adolescence are replaced by homeopathy or natural preparations with hormone-like effects and mild action.
Tomorrow we will continue.

More articles on the topic "Physiological maturation":

Hormones play an important role in the proper maturation of the body. They are responsible for the growth of the body, mental development, puberty. Therefore, endocrine disorders in childhood lead not only to various diseases, but also developmental delays, which in adulthood are simply impossible to compensate. IllnessNews will tell you what symptoms should alert parents and become a reason for an examination by an endocrinologist.

Growth hormone (somatotropin) is responsible for the growth of bones in length - it is under its action that children “stretch” in just a few months. Of course, growth is due not only to hormonal influences, but also to heredity. But still, parents should carefully monitor the health of the child if active growth is not observed during certain periods.

The main parameters of the increase:

• 1st year of life - body length increases by 25-30 cm.
• 2nd year - up to 12 cm.
• 3rd year - approximately 6 cm.
• 10-14 years old (for girls) - about 8-12 cm.
• 12-16 years old (for boys) - 10-14 cm.

The activation of growth hormone and sex hormones during adolescence is called the pubertal leap, in which body length can increase by 20%. Such a sharp increase in the length of the bones is possible only when they still have "growth zones" - specific cartilaginous tissue at the ends. After it becomes completely ossified, the activation of somatotropin can lead to the growth of bones in breadth, their deformation, but will no longer be able to significantly affect the growth of the child. Therefore, if the body length does not increase properly, you need to contact an endocrinologist as soon as possible.

Risk of Diabetes in Children

Doctors distinguish 2 types diabetes. The first (insulin-dependent, complete lack of the hormone insulin) most often manifests itself precisely in childhood, as it is associated with the pathology of the pancreas. The second (insulin resistance - resistance of cells to the hormone), on the contrary, is considered an acquired disease and more often develops in adults who are obese and malnourished. However, doctors note that in recent years, type 2 diabetes has become much younger and now occurs even in schoolchildren.

Risks of developing the disease:

• Type 1 diabetes: 2-5% if the mother is sick, 5-6% if the father is sick, 15-20% if both parents are sick.
• Type 2 diabetes: the occurrence of insulin resistance after 40 years in 50% if one of the parents was ill. Moreover, the key factor is not so much heredity as eating habits and lifestyle.

Therefore, if there are diabetics in the family, it is important to pay maximum attention to the healthy diet of the child and his sports. Consultation with an endocrinologist is necessary for the following symptoms:

• Sudden weight loss or gain.
• Constant feeling of thirst.
• Frequent urination.
• Skin itching, poorly healing wounds.
• Slow recovery after SARS or other infectious diseases.
• Changes in character: fatigue, drowsiness or, conversely, irritability.

Thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine T3 and thyroxine T4) significantly affect the growth and development of the child. It is with them, in particular, that mental development is associated, they also interact with somatotropin and sex hormones. In fact, failures in the synthesis of T3 and T4 affect the health of the child as a whole, moreover, it is these endocrine disorders that occur most often. So, for example, congenital hypothyroidism (lack of hormones) is observed in 1 out of 4000 newborns in the Russian Federation. Thyrotoxicosis (hyperfunction of the thyroid gland) is more often diagnosed in adolescents.

Such endocrine disorders may initially manifest as general symptoms of poor health. With hypothyroidism, a child is characterized by:

• Fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness.
• Learning problems, poor absorption of information, difficulty remembering.
• Weight set.
• Growth retardation ( thyroid-stimulating hormones affect growth hormone).
• Brittleness, thinning hair.
• Puffiness (especially swelling of the face).

For thyrotoxicosis:

• Irritability, tearfulness, often aggressiveness.
• Enlargement of the neck (goiter).
• Bulging eyes.
• Unhealthy thinness, weight loss with normal appetite.
• Dry thin skin.

Signs of violation of the synthesis of sex hormones

Sex hormones are activated from the age of 8-10, and by the age of 12-14 their influence is clearly visible in the development of the child. At the same time, in boys, puberty occurs several years later than in girls. Sex hormones are very important not only for fertility, but also for proper development organism. Their lack can even affect the mental abilities of the child, often in children with such endocrine disorders there is a developmental delay. At the same time, the synthesis of estrogens and androgens is closely related to the production of thyroid hormones, the functioning of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands and other organs of the endocrine system. Therefore, such hormonal disruptions are often a sign of serious diseases. Delayed sexual development may be due to hypothyroidism, and excessive hormone production can generally indicate the presence of tumors.

Warning signs for parents to watch out for:

• Secondary sexual characteristics appear up to 8 years (in girls) and up to 9 years (in boys).
• Secondary sexual characteristics do not appear until the age of 14-15. For example, a boy's voice does not grow coarse, and a girl does not start menstruating.
• Pronounced lag in growth from peers of the same sex.
• Only a part of the secondary sexual characteristics is observed. For example, in girls only pubic hair appears (may be a symptom of a tumor of the adrenal glands), but the figure does not change, the mammary glands do not increase, menstruation does not begin.

These symptoms should be the reason for a complete examination of the child by an endocrinologist. The doctor conducts a physical examination: hormonal disruptions affect the appearance, so often at this stage the specialist may suspect possible violations. But to confirm the diagnosis, laboratory tests are mandatory. Standard diagnostic procedures include the following:

• Blood tests for hormones (sex, TSH hormone responsible for the synthesis of T3 and T4).
• X-ray of the hands and wrist joints (the size of the bone growth zones is checked). An important consideration when choosing treatment for growth hormone deficiency.
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland.
• Additional examinations of the organs of the endocrine system. They are carried out with excessive production of hormones to identify possible tumors.