When Distance Stands Between Your Child and the Right Specialist
“We finally found a growth hormone clinic that specializes in idiopathic short stature in children, but it is in Southern California. Is there any way to do this without flying across the country?”
“Our pediatrician referred us to a pediatric endocrinologist. The wait is five months. By the time we get in, my daughter will have lost significant growth window. What are our options?”
“We live in the Bay Area. There is no pediatric growth hormone clinic near us that focuses specifically on short stature in healthy kids. Can we be seen remotely?”
If any of those questions sound familiar, you are not alone. Families across the country come to us after hitting the same wall: their child needs specialized growth care, and either the right specialist is not nearby, or the waitlist is so long that the growth window could close before the first appointment ever happens.
Where you live should never be the reason your child misses their growth window. That is why I Grow Clinic built a telehealth model that delivers the same precision, the same AI-driven bone age analysis, and the same 1:1 concierge care as our in-person families in Fullerton receive.
This article walks you through exactly how it works.
A Note from Our Team at I Grow Clinic
I am Sunjo Chung, a Nurse Practitioner at I Grow Clinic. Our clinic has guided nearly 3,000 children through their individual growth journeys, from initial evaluation to ongoing managed care.
Why Families Trust I Grow ClinicWhy Families Across the U.S. Trust I Grow Clinic
| Credential | Detail |
|---|---|
| Children guided | Nearly 3,000 with precision growth strategies |
| Treatment retention | 95% rate, reflecting exceptional outcomes and family trust |
| Approach | Meticulous 1:1 personalized management using AI-driven bone age analysis |
| Medical Director | Board Certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) |
| Experience | 20+ years specializing in Pediatric Growth and Developmental PM&R |
| Reputation | 5-Star Google Rating with numerous testimonials |
| Telehealth | Available in CA, NY, WA, FL, and TX |
By the end of this article, you will understand every step of our telehealth process, know exactly what to expect at each stage, and be able to decide whether reaching out for a consultation makes sense for your family at this time.
Is a Telehealth Growth Assessment as Thorough as an In-Person Visit?
This is the question we hear most often from families considering telehealth, and it deserves a clear answer.
The short answer is yes, with one intentional difference.
The clinical quality of the evaluation, including bone age analysis, predicted adult height calculation, and treatment candidacy assessment, is identical whether you are sitting in our Fullerton clinic or joining from your living room in Seattle. The only element that happens locally rather than virtually is the hand X-ray, which is done at an affiliated imaging center near your home before the consultation takes place.
Here is why the rest can be done remotely without compromise.
AI-Enhanced Bone Age Analysis: Once the digital image from your local imaging center is received, our team runs it through AI-driven analysis that compares your child’s skeletal maturity against thousands of data points. This produces a precise measurement of bone age, an estimate of remaining height potential, and a projected adult height.
Screen-Shared Consultation: During the virtual visit, our provider shares their screen and walks you through your child’s actual X-ray images and bone age report in real time. You see exactly what we see. You ask questions as we review the data together. It is a full clinical consultation conducted over a HIPAA-compliant video platform.
Child-Sensitive by Design: Height is a sensitive topic for many children. Our telehealth format allows parents to attend the first part of the consultation privately, reviewing results and discussing treatment options before the child joins. Many families tell us this structure was exactly what they needed.
For more on what the bone age study reveals and why it matters for your child’s remaining growth window, read our guide: Bone Age vs. Chronological Age: Is Your Child’s Biological Clock Ticking Too Fast?
How the Telehealth Process Works: From First Inquiry to First Month of Treatment
Parents who are considering telehealth for the first time often come to us with the same practical questions. How do I get the X-ray done locally? What if we start and I cannot easily reach the medical team when I need them? We hear these every day, and we want to remove every question mark from the process before you ever reach out.
Here is our six-step process, explained plainly.
Step 1: Submitting Your Consultation Request
The first step is submitting your consultation request and completing payment. Once payment is confirmed, our team sends you an invitation to our secure patient portal through which you will receive an X-ray order and a new patient registration form. The virtual consultation is scheduled only after both are complete, so your provider arrives to the visit fully prepared.
Step 2: Getting the Bone Age X-Ray at a Local Imaging Center
Print the X-ray order and bring it to a participating imaging center near you. Typically, no appointment is needed. The X-ray itself is a PA view of the left hand and wrist and uses a very low radiation dose. The X-ray fee is paid directly to the imaging center at the time of the visit. Most locations charge around $50 out of pocket, though costs may vary slightly by location. No insurance is required.
Imaging center guidance by state:
- California and New York: RadNet imaging centers statewide, including Northern California locations in the Bay Area and Sacramento region
- Texas (Houston): RadNet imaging centers
- Texas (Dallas and Plano): Rayus imaging centers
- Florida and Washington: Rayus imaging centers statewide
Once the imaging center submits the digital file, our medical staff can access it within two business days. If you use a different radiology center, simply upload the digital image files (JPG, PNG, or JPEG) through your patient portal. We are unable to accept physical CDs, as they are often encrypted and the file format is not compatible with our AI bone age analysis software.
Step 3: Complete the New Patient Registration Form
While the X-ray is being processed, you will also complete our virtual new patient registration form through the patient portal. This allows our medical team to review your child’s health history and growth background before the consultation, so we are not using your appointment time for basic intake.
Step 4: The Virtual Consultation
Once the X-ray has been received and all required intake items are complete, a member of our team will contact you to schedule the video consultation.
During the virtual visit, our provider will:
- Review the AI-based bone age analysis and walk you through your child’s results on a shared screen
- Discuss your child’s predicted adult height and remaining growth potential
- Evaluate whether your child may be a candidate for growth hormone support
- Answer every question you have
We recommend using a desktop computer or iPad for the best screen-sharing experience. The link for your tele-visit will be sent by email once your appointment is confirmed.
Step 5: Screening Blood Test
If the growth plate evaluation shows that your child’s growth window is meaningfully open, and your family decides to move forward with treatment, the next step is a screening blood test at a Quest Diagnostics location near your home. The blood test results help confirm that treatment is safe and appropriate for your child. Our clinic manager will contact you with detailed instructions and guide you through this step.
Step 6: Beginning Treatment
If the blood test shows no contraindications, your child can begin human growth hormone treatment under our medical supervision. Our team will walk you through everything: how to administer the daily injection, what to watch for in the early weeks, and how to record your child’s monthly measurements in our secure online platform.
From the moment treatment begins, your child has a dedicated care team actively managing their progress, even from several states away.
To understand what growth hormone treatment looks like and what results families typically see, visit I Grow Clinic: Before & After
What Ongoing Care Looks Like When You Are Hundreds of Miles Away
Starting treatment is only the beginning. The reason our telehealth model works is that the ongoing care structure is just as rigorous as it is for our in-person families. Distance does not mean reduced attention.
Here is what managed care looks like after your child begins treatment.
- Monthly Height Tracking: Each month, parents record their child’s height and weight at home and submit the measurements through our secure online platform, so our providers can assess growth velocity and make any dose adjustments needed.
- Quarterly Televisits: Every three months, you will have a video visit with our medical providers to discuss your child’s progress, address any questions, and confirm the treatment plan is on track.
- Bone Age X-Rays every 6 to 12 Months depending on bone age: we repeat the hand X-ray at regular intervals at your local imaging center to monitor skeletal maturity and confirm the growth window remains active.
- Blood Tests every 6 Months: Ongoing lab monitoring at your local Quest Diagnostics ensures that treatment remains safe and within the appropriate physiological range.
- Any-Time Access for concerns: Between scheduled visits, any questions or concerns are addressed promptly. You are not managing this alone between quarterly appointments.
Our 95% treatment retention rate reflects something that matters deeply to us: families stay because the care is genuinely attentive, not because they feel locked in. When parents feel supported and children are growing, they continue. That is the standard we hold ourselves to regardless of zip code.
Geography Should Not Determine a Child’s Growth Potential
I want to say something directly to the parent who has been watching their child fall further behind peers in height, who has sat in a waiting room only to be told to monitor and return in six months, and who found this article because they refuse to stop looking for answers.
You are right to keep looking. The growth window is real, and it is not indefinitely open. But it is also not something you have to chase alone, or only from a clinic you can drive to.
Whether your family is in California, New York, Texas, Florida, or Washington, the evaluation that can change your child’s trajectory is available to you. The same AI-driven precision that our in-person families receive. The same physician oversight. The same 1:1 attention.
To understand the full story behind why we built this clinic and what we believe about every child’s right to their own growth potential, we invite you to read: Why I Started a Growth Hormone Clinic.
Ready to Find Out If Your Child’s Growth Window Is Still Open?
Because our care is concierge and every case receives 1:1 physician supervision, we keep new patient onboarding carefully managed to protect the quality of care every family receives. Consultation spots are limited each week.
Three ways to get started:
- Schedule a telehealth growth assessment from CA, NY, TX, FL, or WA
- Visit us in person at our Fullerton, California clinic if you are in Southern California
- Not in our telehealth states? You are still welcome to visit us in person. Many families travel from across the country for their initial consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does my child need to be present for the virtual consultation?
Not for the full visit. Many families prefer to review results and discuss treatment options privately first. If you decide to move forward, your child will join briefly at the end for a physical exam via video.
2. What if I already have an X-ray from another provider?
We can often use a recent X-ray if it was taken within the past three months and is a PA view of the left hand and wrist. Simply upload the high-resolution digital image files (JPG, PNG, or JPEG) through your patient portal. We are unable to accept physical CDs, as they are often encrypted and the file format is not compatible with our AI bone age analysis software.
3. How long does the process take from inquiry to first consultation?
Most families complete the X-ray within one to two weeks of scheduling. Once we receive the digital image, our team processes it within two business days. The consultation is then scheduled based on availability. From first inquiry to consultation, the timeline is typically two to four weeks, though it may vary depending on consultation availability.
4. Is growth hormone treatment appropriate for a child without a diagnosed hormone deficiency?
Yes, in many cases. I Grow Clinic specializes in growth hormone support for children with idiopathic short stature, meaning children who are healthy but growing significantly shorter than their peers. The bone age evaluation and blood test together determine candidacy.
To learn more about eligibility, read our post: Can Growth Hormone Therapy Help If My Child Does Not Have a Hormone Deficiency?
5. At what age should we start the evaluation process?
We recommend getting a bone age evaluation before puberty begins, ideally between ages 6 and 10. This gives families the clearest picture of the growth window while the most time remains to act. That said, it is never too late to evaluate. As long as the long bone growth plates are still open, treatment remains an option. If you are unsure whether your child is still within that window, an evaluation will give you a definitive answer.
