Dwarfism

=Dwarfism=

===Dwarfism is when short stature occurs due to a medical condition. It can be seen physically as the average height of a male adult with dwarfism is 4ft and 3 1/2in. Dwarfism can be caused by over 200 medical dieseases, but its mainly caused by two. These two disorders are Achondroplasia and Growth hormone deficiency (GHD). The result of dwarfism being able to bloom from over 200 diseases causes change in symptoms and characteristic of each one.===

===Achondroplasia causes around 75% of all the cases of dwarfism. It is a bone disorder which causes short limbs, increased curve of the spine and, and distorted skull growth. It causes a sporadic mutation which results in dwarfism or is inherited as an autosmal dominant genetic disorder. An autosomal dominant genetic disorder is when one of the parents has the recessive gene and if the child gets the defective gene it will have the disorder in this case, Achondroplasia. If one of the parents has the disorder, the child has roughly a 50% chance of inheriting the disease and if both parents have the disorder the chances are raised to about 75%. If both of the parents have the disorder and it is passed on to the child and the child is homozygous it is doubtful that the child will live past a few months. The disorder itself is causes by a disorder in DNA for FGFR3 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 3). This causes a mutation in the formation of cartilage. The prevalence of this disease is said to be anywhere from 1 to 15,000 or 40,000.===

**Symptoms**
==== ====
 * ===Abnormal hand appearance with persistent space between the long and ring fingers ===
 * ===Bowed legs ===
 * ===Decreased muscle tone ===
 * ===Disproportionately large head-to-body size difference ===
 * ===Prominent forehead ===
 * ===Shortened arms and legs (especially the upper arm and thigh) ===
 * ===Short stature (significantly below the average height for a person of the same age and sex) ===
 * ===Spinal stenosis ===
 * ===Spine curvatures called kyphosis and lordosis ===


 * Treatments and Limitations **

There is currently no specific treatment for achondroplasia, but the gene has been found FGFR3, and treatments such as therapies and diagnostic methodologies are being looked into. Limb extension is an option but does not provide long term results as the limbs tend to shorten after a year or two. Also human growth hormones have no effect on people with achondroplasia. People with achondroplasia rarely reach 5 feet in height and the average height is 4ft and 3 1/2in, or 131 cm for males. For females it is usually 4ft and 1/2in, or 123 cm. They have to deal with clubbed feet and fluid buildup in the brain. Their intelligence is of normal and, infants who are homozygous with this gene rarely live past a few months.

**Growth Hormone deficiency **

Is when the body does not produce enough of the growth hormone (GH). Growth Hormone deficiency can affect all people of different ages including a new born baby to a fully developed adult and the effects are all different. Growth Hormone deficiency can be easily treated through growth hormone replacement or injections of growth hormones.

**Causes **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">GH is produced in the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. There is no commonly known cause for GHD in children but in adults in can be due to the fact of pituitary tumors, treatment of them or cranial irradiation. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There could be a lead in the cure for GHD in adults because they could alter their treatments for pituitary tumors.

**<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">Symptoms **

- Slow or flat rate of growth, on average 2 inches per year. - Due to slow growth rate child will be shorter than the average for her/his age group - Children with GHD have normal body proportions and normal intellignes, however there face tend to appear younger. - They may also have a chubby body build. - Puberty may come late or not at all

**Limitation**

If left untreated will cause short stature and delayed puberty. Growth hormone replacement therapy does not work for everyone.

**Economical Benefits** If you are diagnosed with dwarfism you could have a chance to apply for scholorhsip thought the Little Peoples of America. Dwarfs also have the benefit of applying for medical care for there cause of dwarfism, the packet they receive that tends to them also includes aid for other medical conditions.


 * Social Benefits **

There tends to be more social limitations than benefits, but these limitations can be turned into benefits. You get the rights of a handicapped person such as: parking in handicapped spots and using other areas for handicapped people. People also notice your height as their first impression, so you could possibly start up a conversation with them regarding your condition and possibly leave with a new friend.


 * Works Cited**

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">"Achondroplasia." //PubMed Health//. U.S. National Library of Medicine - The World's <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Largest Medical Library, 13 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;"> <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002544/>.

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">"Dwarfism." //Wikipedia//. Wikipedia, 12 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;"> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarfism>.

//<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">"Genetics Home Reference // <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">. A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 5 <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. <http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/ <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">achondroplasia>."

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">"Growth hormone deficiency - children." //PubMed Health//. U.S. National Library of <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;"> Medicine - The World's Largest Medical Library, 2 Aug. 2011. Web. 12 Mar. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;"> 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002159/>.

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">"Scholarships, Medical Grants and Conference Assistance Grants." //Little People// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">//of America//. Little People of America, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;"> <Scholarships, Medical Grants and Conference Assistance Grants>.