Study shows promise in use of growth hormone to treat cerebral palsy

Any parent of a child with cerebral palsy knows how urgently we wish for treatments that go beyond therapy, braces, or surgery. Recent research offers a glimmer of hope: a newly published study explores whether growth hormone (GH) might improve not only growth but also aspects of health and function in children with cerebral palsy. As science advances, the possibility that hormonal therapy could become part of cerebral palsy treatment strategies deserves careful attention.

Below, we review what this new study found, how it builds on past work, what the limits are, and what it could mean for the future of cerebral palsy therapy.

Details about this study and the research team

The paper recently released in 2025 investigates long-term effects of growth hormone therapy in children with cerebral palsy. The authors assess outcomes over time, including growth, metabolic indicators, and musculoskeletal health. The research builds on a growing global interest in how the body’s growth and repair mechanisms—like the GH/IGF pathway—can affect tissue, bone, and potentially neurological health.

The team includes specialists in pediatric rehabilitation, endocrinology, and neurodevelopmental medicine, all familiar with the challenges faced by children with CP. Their goal: to measure not just height and weight but also bone strength and general safety over an extended period. Their work is among the most rigorous attempts so far to evaluate GH therapy in the CP population.

The findings

In the study, children receiving GH therapy showed significant improvements in height and weight metrics, as well as normalization of certain metabolic markers. Importantly, researchers did not observe a worsening in their motor function, hip alignment, or development of scoliosis or other skeletal complications—concerns often raised when accelerating growth in children with neuromuscular or musculoskeletal vulnerability.

These findings are encouraging because they suggest that GH treatment can support physical growth and metabolic health without harming two core areas of concern for infants and children with CP: joint integrity and long-term mobility. While the therapy did not magically restore normal function, it did improve physical growth parameters and overall health stability.

Have researchers studied this before?

Yes — though relatively few in number, prior studies have explored growth hormone in cerebral palsy or other brain-injury populations. For example, a small 2011 pilot study combined recombinant GH (rGH) with psychomotor and cognitive stimulation in children who had both GH deficiency and CP; after two months, participants showed gains in adaptive behavior, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, communication, and overall developmental scores.

Another pilot, published in 2007, examined 18 months of GH therapy in boys with CP. That study reported improved spine bone mineral density, increased height, and better markers of bone health compared with non-treated peers. Also, in 1996 and 2009, researchers documented that children with CP often show impaired GH secretion and reduced blood levels of the hormone stimulated by GH, which may contribute to their characteristic growth delays and bone fragility.

These earlier efforts generally focused on growth, bone density, and general health—but not on broad neurological or functional recovery. Still, they laid important groundwork, showing GH therapy could be administered safely in many cases and yield measurable physical benefits.

Context: hormones and cerebral palsy therapy

Up to now, hormonal therapy in cerebral palsy has mostly addressed growth delay, bone weakness, and body composition—not neurological repair. GH (and its downstream mediator, IGF-1) plays a well-known role in bone growth, muscle development, and metabolic regulation. It also has biological effects on the brain: in animal models, GH has been shown to promote neuronal survival, aid neurogenesis, and support synaptic plasticity after injury.

But translating those effects from animals to children with CP is challenging. The developing human brain is complex, and recovery from perinatal injury involves many factors: inflammation, timing of insult, and the extent of damage. Earlier hormone studies seldom tested whether GH improved cognition, balance, or coordination. Instead, they focused on ancillary benefits—height, bone density, and general health.

In that sense, the new 2025 study stands out. By focusing on long-term safety and overall physical health, it supports GH therapy as a realistic treatment—though not a cure for cerebral palsy.

How this growth-hormone treatment differs

What sets the new study apart is its scale, duration, and comprehensive monitoring.

Earlier work largely was short-term or limited to small patient groups. For example, the 2011 pilot lasted only two months and only included children already diagnosed with GH deficiency. By contrast, the current study followed children over longer periods, whether or not they had overt hormone deficiency, measuring not only growth but bone density, metabolic markers, and potential orthopedic or skeletal complications.

Rather than viewing GH solely as a growth-boosting tool, this research frames it as part of a holistic approach: supporting bone and metabolic health, stabilizing growth, and potentially enhancing overall well-being in the context of cerebral palsy therapy.

This shift may mark the beginning of a broader rethinking: using GH not as a general growth promoter, but as a targeted supportive therapy in CP.

Who might benefit most from GH-based therapy

Based on available data, GH therapy may offer the greatest benefit to children with CP who meet some or more of the following criteria:

• Significant growth delay or poor height gain.
• Low bone mineral density or risk factors for fractures, scoliosis, or orthopedic complications.
• Evidence of hormone-axis dysfunction (for example, low IGF-1 or abnormalities in GH secretion), though the new study suggests even some children without classic GH deficiency may still benefit.
• Access to multidisciplinary cerebral palsy care—including physical therapy, nutrition, and bone health monitoring.

That said, GH therapy is not a “magic bullet.” Families considering it should discuss potential risks and benefits with their child’s endocrinologist, neurologist, and rehabilitation team. As of now, GH should be viewed as part of a broader cerebral palsy treatment strategy—not a standalone solution.

What this could mean for cerebral palsy treatment in the future

If larger studies confirm these findings, GH therapy could become an established element of cerebral palsy treatment, particularly for children with growth delay or bone health concerns.

Possible future advances:

• Early screening of GH/IGF-1 axis in newly diagnosed CP children, especially those with poor growth or stable bone density.
• Protocols combining GH therapy with physical therapy, nutritional support, and bone health monitoring.
• Long-term research into whether GH impacts not only physical growth and bone health, but also neurodevelopmental outcomes such as muscle mass, coordination, or even cognitive functions.
• Guidelines for safe GH administration in CP—dosing, monitoring, follow-up—to minimize risks while maximizing benefits.

Overall, GH therapy could become part of a more personalized approach to cerebral palsy treatment: one that recognizes not only motor potential, but also growth, bone strength, and long-term health.

Cerebral palsy therapy has always relied heavily on physical therapy, adaptive equipment, and surgery. The possibility that a hormone treatment—growth hormone—could offer additional, meaningful benefits to growth, bone health, and overall well-being represents a potential paradigm shift. While not a cure, current evidence suggests GH may become an important part of comprehensive cerebral palsy treatment plans.

For families navigating CP diagnosis and therapy, GH therapy may offer another tool—especially for children with growth or bone-health challenges. As always, it should be considered with care, in close consultation with medical and rehabilitation professionals. But it is a tool worth watching.

Sources:

Hong, J., et al. Growth hormone treatment in cerebral palsy: long-term impact on growth, outcomes, and complications. Pediatric Research. (September 2025). Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41390-025-04440-z

Devesa, J., et al. Effects of recombinant growth hormone (GH) replacement and psychomotor and cognitive stimulation in the neurodevelopment of GH-deficient (GHD) children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study. Therapeutics and clinical risk management. )May 2011). Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3116807/?utm

Ali, O. ,et al. Growth Hormone Therapy Improves Bone Mineral Density in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Preliminary Pilot Study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. (March 2007). Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/92/3/932/2597356?utm