The MAGIC Foundation boosts awareness, advocacy
CHICAGO – Height is nature’s early warning signal — a potential visual alarm for parents and physicians. Growth can be an overall sign of the health and physical development of a child, but when children aren’t growing properly, it may be an indication of a treatable medical condition.
During Growth Awareness Week the third week of September, The MAGIC Foundation (Major Aspects of Growth in Children) is working to draw attention to the issue of children’s growth through its website, magicfoundation.org, and on its social media sites.
The dissemination of information is important, as early detection and diagnoses are critical. The longer a child with growth issues goes undiagnosed, the greater potential for damage and the higher the costs of care, said Teresa Tucker, co-founder and patient advocate for The MAGIC Foundation.
Early detection and diagnosis is crucial because “Children have a short time to grow and a lifetime to live with the results,” Tucker said, quoting the organization’s slogan.
Measuring and plotting a child on a growth chart is one of the least expensive, most noninvasive forms of preventative medical care available. On average, children grow 2 to 2-and-a-half inches per year after age 3. Children should not cross the percentile curve on a growth chart, either in a downward or upward motion.
Growth affects much more than height. Serious problems relating to heart strength, blood sugar control, lung capacity, bone density, immune system function, metabolism and much more can all be impacted by growth disorders.
The MAGIC Foundation supports families whose children are affected by a variety of endocrine-related medical conditions such as growth hormone deficiency, Russell Silver syndrome, congenital adrenal hypoplasia, McCune-Albright syndrome, optic nerve hypoplasia /septo-optic dysplasia, precocious puberty, panhypopituitarism and more.
The MAGIC Foundation has a variety of useful tools, such as a measurement guide and growth chart that can help guide a parent’s conversation with a physician. Parents and caregivers can visit magicfoundation.org to learn more about the importance of measuring their child’s growth patterns and discussing any potential issues with their doctor.
The MAGIC Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to educating the public about children’s growth, providing support to families and helping those searching for answers about their undiagnosed child. For more information, visit magicfoundation.org.
For more information contact The MAGIC Foundation at 708-383-0808 or Contactus@magicfoundation.org.