Children's Check-Up

Thumbs up for a good check-up!

Ella had her four month check-up at Boston Children's hospital last Friday. This visit marks 18 months since we switched to Dr. Holm. We have made a lot of adjustments on medications and doses and we are finally seeing the benefits of those changes. Dr. Holm has been very deliberate and diligent with Ella's medication. When we first met with her in January 2012, she explained to us how small changes can make a big difference. We have seen the results of rapid medication changes to her health. It is not good. At times it seems like we have been on a slow pace and little change, TIME to adjust to the proper dose has proven to be the most effective approach.

We were excited to learn that for the first time, Ella's levels are perfectly normal. Her T4 and TSH (both thyroid hormone) as well as her growth factor all register right in the middle of the normal range. She gained 4lbs and grew more than an inch since January. So as we approach her 4th birthday she is 34 lbs and 36 inches and finally wearing 4T clothes. This would certainly explain her recent need for a whole new wardrobe!

Ella is still on a pretty high dose of growth hormone, but the plan is to let her continue to grow into this dose. She is responding very well and catching up. She jumped from the 11% on the growth charts to the 18%....all of this since January! When Ella was first diagnosed with hypopituitarism, she was not on the growth chart. That initial diagnosis also came with disheartening news at the time that there was "nothing we could do" to help her grow and that growth hormone "probably wouldn't help" (quotes from our endocrinologist at the time). It is gratifying to know that sticking with my intuition and remaining dedicated to finding help for Ella has paid off.

We return to Dr. Holm in September. We will have her annual bone age x-ray and a complete lab work up. If all goes well, we may be able to bump her visits to every 6 months!