Neuromuscular Changes In Small For Gestational Age Children During Somatropin Therapy

Inclusion Criteria: * Pre-pubertal boys between 6 and 10 years of age or girls between 6 and 9 years of age. * Birth length- and/or birth weight-SDS adjusted to gestational age \< -2.0 (Voigt et al. 2002, Voigt et al. 2006 or Lawrence et al. 1989). * Current height-SDS \< -2.5 (Brandt/Reinken 1992) and parental adjusted height-SDS below -1 (Hermanussen and Cole 2003). * Growth velocity SDS \< 0 during the last year before inclusion (Brandt/Reinken 1988). Exclusion Criteria: * Severe SGA (birth weight or length \< -4 SD) and clinically relevant dysmorphic features. * Severe pre-maturity (GA \< 32 weeks of gestation). * Severe perinatal complications like asphyxia, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), respiratory distress syndrome, if associated with long-term sequelae (like short bowel syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), cerebral palsy etc). * Inability to perform one- or two leg jumps from a standing position. * Prior GH treatment.