Mother of five Lynika Browne is begging for assistance for her daughter Sheniqua Smith who has been living with a Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) for 15 years.
According to Browne, her daughter is presently only three feet tall. “Her bones are four years and 22 months presently and she is 15 years old,” she said.
“She does not have the hormonal platelets for her to grow as a normal teenager, what she does have is a replica of it,” the mother of five continued.
Browne explained that her daughter requires daily injections of Growth Hormones (GH) to combat this deficiency.
The deficiency currently causes her daughter to experience severe migraines resulting in her having to miss school due to her inability to function.
She further said that her daughter’s condition has taken a toll on her financially as her efforts to obtain help from the government since 2013 have been unsuccessful.
As a result of this, Browne said she sought help through the Seventh Day Adventist Ministry, and they are currently taking care of hospital fees. However, she is again seeking financial help for the GHD treatment which will lose its effectiveness as her daughter gets older.
Browne is particularly in need of financial relief for airfare, accommodation and upkeep for a year of ministration expected to take place in Fort Worth Texas, at the Cooks Children Hospital.
According to the National Organisation of Rare Disorders (NORD), a growth hormone deficiency is “characterized by the inadequate secretion of growth hormones from the anterior pituitary gland, a small gland located at the base of the brain that is responsible for the production of several hormones.”
As a result, children with this disorder experience growth retardation, maturation delays evident by their short stature, reflected by a delay of a lengthening of the bones to an extreme that is out of sync with the chronological age of the child.
Decreased bone mineral density, increased cardiovascular risk factors and decreased energy level are a few complications linked to this disorder listed by NORD. Other symptoms include: Low blood sugar, high cholesterol levels and poor bone density which are particularly harmful for a child of Smith’s age.
In addition, this GHD can have serious psychological effects on a child. The Healthline identifies a variety of psychological symptoms that can occur to include: depression, lack of concentration, poor memory and bouts of anxiety or emotional distress.
GHD occurs in roughly one in seven thousand births.
Anyone wishing to assist can contact Lynika Browne at +1-268-721-7399.
