Children Who Aren't healthily Growing May Not Make Enough Human Growth Hormone

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Most healthy children between the ages of four and 10 grow about five centimeters (two inches) a year. So, one family knew something was wrong when their son fit into the same clothes, season after season. Doctors were able to get him growing once again after testing for a growth hormone.

Eleven year-old Spencer Baehman is passionate about baseball.

"My goal is to play college baseball,” Spencer said.

There was only one problem. Spencer was the shortest player on his team. It didn't stop him from playing, but the height difference was noticeable. And it made Spencer feel different.

"I want to be as tall as these kids,” Spencer said.

At first, Spencer's parents thought their son was just small, but gradually, they suspected something was wrong. His mom, Stephanie Baehman, became worried.

"It really set in one year coming out of winter into spring when he got out his cleats for spring baseball and he put them on, and they fit. And they never should have fit. Those were from the spring prior,” Baehman said.

Spencer's parents set up an appointment with Dr. Bert Bachrach, the chief of pediatric endocrinology at University of Missouri Health Care. Nurses measured Spencer's height.

After careful testing, Dr. Bachrach determined a growth hormone deficiency was causing Spencer's growth failure. Hormones are basically chemicals that send messages from one cell to another.