Gigantism is a rare endocrine disorder characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average for a person's age and sex. This condition primarily affects children and adolescents, as it occurs when the growth plates in bones are still open. What is gigantism? Gigantism, also called pituitary gigantism, is a very rare condition in which a child has high levels of growth hormone , causing abnormal growth, especially in height. The effects of gigantism begin in childhood, before the growth plates in the bones fuse at the end of puberty. Gigantism occurs when growth hormone hypersecretion occurs before the fusion of the long bone epiphysis and is characterized by tall stature. Acromegaly occurs when GH hypersecretion occurs after the fusion of the epiphysis leading to large extremities and characteristic facies. We’ll explain the causes of gigantism , how to recognize the signs and symptoms of this condition, and treatment options — from surgery to medications.
