What are common treatments for Turner syndrome?

Although there is no cure for Turner syndrome, some treatments can help minimize its symptoms. These include1:

  • Human growth hormone. If given in early childhood, hormone injections can often increase adult height by a few inches.
  • Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). ERT can help start the secondary sexual development that normally begins at puberty (around age 12). This includes breast development and the development of wider hips. Healthcare providers may prescribe a combination of estrogen and progesterone to girls who haven’t started menstruating by age 15. ERT also provides protection against bone loss.

Regular health checks and access to a wide variety of specialists are important to care for the various health problems that can result from Turner syndrome.2 These include ear infections, high blood pressure, and thyroid problems.

Citations

  1. National Human Genome Research Institute. (2011). Learning about Turner syndrome. Retrieved July 17, 2012, from https://www.genome.gov/Genetic-Disorders/Turner-Syndrome
  2. Bondy, C. A. (2007). Care of girls and women with Turner syndrome: A guideline of the Turner Syndrome Study Group. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92, 10-25.
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