Term dwarfism is used to describe a person of short stature.
It can be
- Disproportionate dwarfism : One or more body parts arerelatively large or small in comparison to those of a normal adult.
- Proportionate dwarfism: The body appears normally proportioned, but is clearly abnormally small.
Dwarfism is not necessarily a disorder. It can be a naturally occurring consequence of a person’s genetics.
Dwarfism can be classified by the location of the shortness or the structure causing it.
Location
In this proximal portion upper arm/thigh are taken as root, leg/forearm as middle part and hands/feet as end. Accordingly dwarfism can be
- Rhizomelic : Involving bones of the upper arm or thigh
- Mesomelic : Involving bones of the forearm or leg
- Acromelic : Involving bones of hands and feet.
- Micromelic : Entire limbs are shortened
Source
Achording to source dwarfism can be due disorders of of cartilage, bone, vertebrae
Examples areachondroplasia, osseous dysplasia, chondrodystrophy etc.
Physical and Mental Effects of Dwarfism
They can vary according to the specific disease and may include
- Abnormal bone alignment
- Nerve compression
- Early degenerative joint disease
- Exaggerated lordosis or scoliosis
- Constriction of spinal cord or nerve roots can cause pain and disability.
- Reduced thoracic size can restrict lung growth and reduce pulmonary function.
- Disordered function of other organs
Mental Effects
They also vary according to the specific underlying syndrome. In most cases mental function is not impaired in any way. But some syndromes can affect the cranial structure and growth of the brain, severely impairing mental capacity.
Achondroplasia and growth hormone deficiency are responsible for the majority of dwarfism cases.
The treatment and care depends on the effects and underlying cause, if treatable.
Skeletal Dysplasias Causing Short Limbs
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