Endocrinology care in South Africa
Hospitals and medical centers in South Africa performing Gigantism Treatment.
Key planning information for gigantism treatment in South Africa.
Gigantism Treatment in South Africa is priced per case at 4 hospitals. Each hospital quotes its own price for your case.
Gigantism Treatment is listed by 4 hospitals in South Africa. The order reshuffles every hour so each gets equal exposure.
Hospital GroupLife Healthcare is a leading private hospital operator in South Africa and primarily serves the market for privately insured individuals, representing approximately eight million people. The group provides mainly acute care, high technology private hospital services.
Hospital GroupNetcare Group provides innovative, quality healthcare in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Private HospitalNelson Mandela Academic Hospital is a large Provincial government funded hospital situated in central Mthatha in South Africa. It is a tertiary teaching hospital and forms part of the Mthatha Hospital Complex.
Private HospitalThe extensive hospital network includes 64 hospitals (of which 57 are majority owned by Life Healthcare and another seven in which the group holds substantial minority ownership), providing a range of healthcare services throughout South Africa.
This is a rare condition which causes abnormal growth in children. It occurs when your child’s pituitary gland produces too much of a growth hormone is also known as somatotropin. Early diagnosis is crucial. Prompt treatment can prevent or slow the changes that may cause your child to grow larger than normal. However, the condition can be hard for parents to detect. The signs of gigantism might seem like normal childhood growth spurts at first. This change is notable in terms of height, but girth is affected as well.
The symptoms your child has this condition may depend on the size of the pituitary gland tumor. As the tumor grows, it may press on nerves in the brain. If your child has gigantism, you may notice that they’re much larger than other children of the same age. Also, some parts of the body may be larger in proportion to other parts. Common symptoms include:
If your child’s doctor suspects gigantism, a blood test may be recommended to measure levels of growth hormones and (IGF-1) insulin-like growth factor 1, a hormone produced by the liver. The medical doctor also may give an oral glucose tolerance test, which involves your child drinking a beverage containing glucose, which is a type of sugar. Blood samples will be taken before and after your child drinks the beverage. Usually, growth hormone levels will drop after eating or drinking glucose. If levels remain the same, it means their body is producing too much growth hormone.
If the blood tests indicate a pituitary gland tumor, your child will need an MRI scan of the gland. The scan is used to see the size and position of the tumor. Treatments for gigantism aim to slow or stop your child’s production of growth hormones.
Key facts to plan your treatment: how long it takes, your hospital stay, anaesthesia, risks and recovery.
Common questions
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