Using weight gain medication, many children have hirsutism, heavy face, and adrenal insufficiency.

Rushed to hospital because of thick hair and exposed capillaries

Ms. NHV, the mother of a child being treated for adrenal insufficiency at the Central Endocrinology Hospital, said that after 1 month of giving her child medication to help her gain weight, her child's face grew a lot of hair and capillaries appeared on her skin. Feeling worried, the family took her child for testing. The examination results determined that the child had adrenal insufficiency due to corticoid abuse.

Previously, after seeing an acquaintance recommend a vitamin that helps children increase their resistance, eat well, and gain weight, Ms. V bought it for her child to use. "It's true that after 1 month of use, my child gained weight, but many strange symptoms appeared so I had to stop taking it," Ms. V said.

A child developed adrenal insufficiency after using a weight gain product.

According to MSc. Dr. Do Gia Nam, Deputy Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Central Endocrinology Hospital, this place regularly receives and treats children with signs of drug abuse of unknown origin. Test results show that the children all have adrenal insufficiency suspected to be caused by Gluoccorticoid drugs, an endocrine disorder of the adrenal cortex due to the use of drugs and preparations containing exogenous corticosteroids, causing a decline in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inhibiting the adrenal glands from producing endogenous glucocorticoids. The cause was determined to be corticosteroid abuse.

"In particular, in the recent short period of time, the department has continuously treated nearly ten children with adrenal insufficiency. A typical case is the case of two siblings (5 years old and 7 years old) who used a product introduced as a vitamin of unknown origin, causing a decline in adrenal function without knowing it. It was only when the children showed obvious symptoms such as thick hair growth and severe facial pain that their families brought them in for examination and treatment," said Dr. Nam.

Each child has different symptoms. Some children have water retention, heavy face, and hirsutism, but others have symptoms that are not really obvious. However, the common point is that the adrenal gland function is reduced due to using similar drugs.

The Endocrinology Hospital is monitoring and treating the children so that they can gradually recover. Many cases have been discharged after 5-10 days to return home to normal activities, however, there are also cases where adrenal function has not yet recovered and require specific treatment and longer-term monitoring.

Be careful with weight gain products of unknown origin

According to Dr. Nam, many people have the habit of using drugs based on recommendations and advertisements from non-professionals. They use drugs of unknown origin, leading to difficulty in controlling the ingredients, content, and dosage, causing serious effects on health.

Most of the children who had to go to the hospital were given by their parents a product that was advertised as a vitamin to help them gain weight. After 2-3 months of use, the children gained weight, but this was accompanied by signs of water retention in the face and thick hair growth in the back and neck areas.

According to experts, drugs containing corticosteroids are very dangerous if used improperly. They can cause serious harm to health, especially in children.

Long-term use of drugs containing coricod, without the prescription of medical specialists, will cause extremely serious consequences such as: permanent adrenal insufficiency, muscle atrophy, more seriously, affecting the children's future development such as osteoporosis, stomach ulcers, immunosuppression, reduced resistance, susceptibility to secondary infections and the puberty process will also be affected.

"When parents see their children are stunted, short, or slow to develop, they need to see a specialist for advice. They should not listen to word of mouth information or buy and use drugs of unknown origin to avoid endangering their children's health," Dr. Nam advised.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/dung-thuoc-tang-can-nhieu-tre-ram-long-nang-mat-suy-tuyen-thuong-than-192240207121745969.htm