Short Stature Known as Dwarfism

A condition called Dwarfism is the state of being short generally somebody that is 4 feet and under. Skeletal Dysplasia plays apart in dwarfism because it affects the growth of a person’s body and the up growth of the tissues. Dysplasia means shortening of the bones including your tibia, ulna and radius which are the leg bones. Yet there are two groups of dwarfism which one is called Disproportionate which means very few body parts are small and others are normal size and Proportionate is when they are all small body parts. Some people known as dwarfs prefer you to call them “Short Stature’ because it’s more polite to them and people can be sensitive to the word “dwarf”.

Signs include short legs and arms which makes the upper body short. Most people with this condition have bowed legs which makes them walk wobbly. Another sign is having arthritis and a development of a curved back. The symptoms would include teeth that are crowded in the mouth, respiratory problems and late development skills such as walking and talking.

During stage of early childhood it can be examined through X-rays and a physical exam can certainly be done. Dwarfism sometimes can’t be seen until his/her early childhood but if there are any concerns you can always refer to go to a doctor about the child’s growth or progression or refer to the signs and symptoms. Doctors can always test for the condition through genetic testing or even early as prenatal testing.

Although there is no cure for dwarfism, some given treatments are tonsils can be removed to help breathing problems and also a tracheotomy which is an incision in the windpipe to help you breathe through your airways as well. As for Physical Therapy, It can help your muscles, help your bones to become stronger and joints function together. Braces are necessary for those who have a curved back which helps it correct your spine shape. Also going into surgery to correct your bones if they’re going in a different direction. Last is getting braces to straighten your teeth because since the jaw is small, the teeth become crowded and crooked.

One of the things I support is getting back braces because it will definitely help your curved back be straight because having it curved can be uncomfortable by just walking and sitting down. Another treatment I recommend is going into surgery to fix the ways your bones need to grow in the right direction because as you get older if they’re not supposed to be where they are at it can cause injuries and later it can lead to problems. As for infants if you see that your child isn’t developing any growth over a period of time you may want to see a doctor and ask for any signs of symptoms for dwarfism. Last is going to the to the dentist to braces for your teeth because you would want your teeth to be straight.

However, Dwarfs are the most beautiful people in the word and they are always happy. So when we see them in person we shouldn’t judge them because honestly they are are just like regular people but shorter. As I said before there is no cure for dwarfism but you can grow in different ways as in muscle buildup, eating healthy and exercising. In todays world they even have a TV show featuring people known as ‘Little Woman LA’ and “Little Women ATL”. The show is for being confident and letting others know that they have the same condition as you but they are living their best life as well.

Works Cited

1. Association for Children with a Disability. (2021). Skeletal dysplasia and dwarfism. Retrieved from https://www.acd.org.au/skeletal-dysplasia-and-dwarfism/
2. Human Growth Foundation. (2021). Dwarfism: Types, causes, and treatment. Retrieved from https://hgfound.org/dwarfism/
3. Little People of America. (2021). Dwarfism FAQ. Retrieved from https://www.lpaonline.org/dwarfism-faq
4. Mayo Clinic. (2021). Dwarfism. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dwarfism/symptoms-causes/syc-20371969
5. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. (2021). Skeletal dysplasias. Retrieved from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/skeletal-dysplasias
6. National Organization for Rare Disorders. (2021). Dwarfism. Retrieved from https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/dwarfism/
7. Nemours KidsHealth. (2021). Dwarfism. Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/dwarfism.html
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10. Spranger, J. W. (2019). Skeletal dysplasias and dysostoses: An introduction. In Bone Dysplasias (pp. 1–8). Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-91652-7_1