About Lupron Depot‑PED

Lupron Depot‑PED Treatment and Your Child

The body changes that occur with puberty happen too soon in children with central precocious puberty (CPP). If your child has been diagnosed with CPP, learning more about Lupron Depot‑PED is an important part of preparing you and your child for the treatment he or she may need.

Your child should not receive LUPRON DEPOT if she is or may become pregnant or is breast-feeding. Increased signs and symptoms of puberty during the first few weeks of treatment may occur. A health care provider should be contacted if the child has menstrual bleeding that continues after the second month of treatment or any other unusual signs or symptoms occur. If your child misses a shot or receives it a week late, your child’s pubertal symptoms could begin again. Studies in children have not been completed to see if suppressed fertility is fully reversed.

How Lupron Depot‑PED Works

Lupron Depot‑PED belongs to a class of drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa). This drug is similar to a hormone naturally made by your body, called GnRH. Lupron Depot‑PED works to help stop your child’s body from making too much of certain hormones that cause puberty. Stopping the production of these hormones until a more appropriate time in your child’s life delays puberty.

After starting Lupron Depot‑PED therapy, your child may experience increased signs and symptoms of CPP during the first few weeks of treatment. Then, your child will stop making some hormones and you may see pubertal changes stop; they may even be less obvious. You should notify the doctor if your child has menstrual bleeding that continues beyond the second month of treatment, has irritation at the injection site, develops mood swings or behavioral changes, or has any other unusual signs or symptoms.

Missed Injections

It is important to keep your scheduled injections so your child can have the right amount of Lupron Depot‑PED in his or her body at all times. Missing even one dose or receiving his or her shot a week late could restart the puberty process.

Dosage

Lupron Depot‑PED is injected into the muscle every 4 weeks.

Your child’s response to Lupron Depot‑PED should be monitored 1-2 months after the start of therapy to determine if his or her current dose is at the right level. You should know that your doctor should also be measuring your child’s bone age every 6-12 months.

It is important to discuss with your child’s doctor when it is the best time to stop your child’s Lupron Depot‑PED therapy. It is recommended Lupron Depot‑PED therapy should stop before age 11 for girls and age 12 for boys.

Effects of Treatment

Since Lupron Depot‑PED works by stopping the production of certain hormones, your child’s signs of puberty, for example, facial hair in boys or breast development in girls, should slow or stop. While on Lupron Depot‑PED, your child’s growth rate will be more like other children of the same age.

You should notify the doctor if your child has menstrual bleeding that continues beyond the second month of treatment, has irritation at the injection site, develops mood swings or behavioral changes, or has any other unusual signs or symptoms. Studies have not been completed in children to see if suppressed fertility is fully reversed.

Side Effects of Treatment

It is important to notify the doctor if your child experiences any side effects from therapy. In clinical studies, the most frequent side effect of Lupron Depot‑PED was an injection site reaction in 5% of children. It may appear as redness or puffiness of the skin around where the shot was given.

Other common side effects included general pain, acne, rash and vaginitis/vaginal bleeding or discharge.