Educating children and families about growth hormone deficiency and its management: part 1.

The management of growth hormone deficiency is long term. Children may be diagnosed at pre-school age meaning relationships with the paediatric endocrine team may last more than 15 years. The education role of the paediatric endocrine nurse specialist is essential in working in partnership with families over a long period of time. Children and young people have changing needs for information to help them understand their condition and growth hormone deficiency treatment as they grow up. Developing positive working relationships with parents, children and young people enables their developmental needs and the context in which they live their lives to be central to any educational planning for them. Addressing developmental needs when providing information on growth hormone deficiency to children and young people reinforces the need for education to be an ongoing process and not a one-off event. This is part one of a two-part article. The second part will be published in the March issue of Nursing Children and Young People and it focuses on educating children, young people and their parents about the condition, and includes case studies.