Growth-promoting agents refer to compounds, existing naturally or otherwise, which, when given to a short child as a medication, will accelerate growth velocity (GV), bringing the child’s height closer to or within normal range. The first objective, normalizing height during the growth phase, may not normalize adult height, which is the second objective. The ideal growth-promoting agent should normalize both. The mechanism behind these two objectives is not fully understood. It seems that when the growth plate cartilage chondrocytes multiply, they also differentiate then stop multiplying....

Growth-promoting agents refer to compounds, existing naturally or otherwise, which, when given to a short child as a medication, will accelerate growth velocity (GV), bringing the child’s height closer to or within normal range. The first objective, normalizing height during the growth phase, may not normalize adult height, which is the second objective. The ideal growth-promoting agent should normalize both. The mechanism behind these two objectives is not fully understood. It seems that when the growth plate cartilage chondrocytes multiply, they also differentiate then stop multiplying. The balance between multiplication and differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes is key to normalizing final height.