Symptoms | Causes | Effects | Available treatments | Accommodations | Bibliography | Links
Dwarfism is defined by the LPA (the Little People of America) as "An adult, height of 4 ft. 10 in. or under, as the result of a medical or genetic condition." There are several different kinds of dwarfism, such as: achondroplasia, diastrophic dysplasia, spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia (SED), pseudoachondroplasia, hypochondroplasia, and osterogenesis imperfecta (OI). Because there are so many forms of dwarfism and we have a limited amount of space, we will focus on the three most common: achondroplasia, spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia, and diastrophic dysplasia. We have also inserted parenthetical citations for easy reference. Please refer to the bibliography at the end of the page for further information.
Achondroplasia (from the Greek for "without cartilage") is the most common form of dwarfism, occurring once every 14,000 births (Kennedy). The symptoms of achondroplasia include a large head; shorter arms and legs, especially upper arms and thighs; prominent forehead; protruding jaw; crowded and misaligned teeth; forward curvature of lower spine (creates swayback look); bowed legs; flat, short, and broad feet; and loose ligaments creating "double jointedness" .
Picture copyright 1998, Virtual Thought. Used by permission.
SED is a form of dwarfism that results in severe osteoarthritis of hips, multiple loose bodies in various joints, and flattened metatarsal and metacarpal heads. This means that many of the finger and toe bones in dwarves with SED have very smooth ends, where the joint is. Due to the flatness of these ends, dwarves with SED have very weak hands and feet. SED is fairly common, occurring once every 95,000 births (Kennedy).
Diastrophic Dysplasia is a very rare form of Dwarfism, occurring once every 110,000 births. The symptoms of DTD include diastrophic (deformed) hands and feet, hitchhikers thumb, clubbed feet, and a limited range of motion. DTD is identifiable both at birth and through genetic testing before birth (Kennedy).
Most forms of dwarfism have a genetic basis. Achondroplasia is inherited as an autosomal dominant. Most cases (75-90%) of achondroplasia, however, are the result of sudden mutations of a chromosome. For this reason, most achondroplastic dwarves are born to normal parents. There is a 25% chance that two achondroplastic dwarves would give birth to a normal child, and it is also possible for two achondroplastic dwarves to conceive a double-dominant child, where both parents pass on the gene for achondroplasia. This condition is fatal, and results in a miscarriage or a very short lifetime for the child.
SED is usually inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder, but cases that are autosomal dominant or X-linked cases are known to occur. DTD is autosomal recessive, which means that the child must receive the gene from both of his/her parents in order to acquire the disability. Because of their genetic basis, all three of these disorders are detectable through genetic testing before birth.
Besides the apparent cosmetic effects, there are several things that dwarves have that are not obvious to the casual observer. Individuals with achondroplasia often require frequent surgery to prevent paralysis and to open airways. Spondylo-Epiphyseal Dysplastic dwarves have a very acute form of arthritis and weak hands and feet. Diastrophic Dysplastic dwarves have very weak and small hands, so it can be very difficult for them to learn to dress and take care of themselves as children.
Although though no form of dwarfism is curable, there are many different treatments available to help ease the symptoms. People with achondroplasia often have operations throughout life to prevent paralysis, correct spinal posture, open airways, and reduce pressure on the brain. Also, achondroplastic dwarves have the option of undergoing a limb-lengthening operation. This operation consists of breaking long bones and then resetting them further apart with metal braces, thereby allowing the bones to knit together. Unfortunately this is a very painful procedure, and it can have harmful side effects over time. For this reason, the LPA has taken an official position against the surgery, reminding dwarves that it doesn't cure achondroplasia, it simply remedies the cosmetic situation (Kennedy).
Dwarves also have the option of using the controversial treatment of human growth hormone (HGH) injections. These injections, however, only increase the speed of growth during childhood and do not change the overall height of the adult. There are also many harmful side effects. For these reasons, LPA has taken a position against this treatment also (Kennedy).
This picture is of an 18 year old achondroplastic dwarf. Picture copyright 1998 by Virtual Thought. Used by permission.
There are several products that are made to support people with dwarfism. These include, but are not limited to:
It is also very difficult for dwarf children to manage in the average public school, because of heavy doors, high paper towel dispensers, lunch lines, and lockers. Because of this, there are many schools around the country that are tailored to accommodate the special needs of dwarves and other disabled children. Teachers at these schools are often experts in dealing with disabilities, or have college degrees in special education.
Aldhous, Peter. "French Officials Panic Over Rare Brain Disease Outbreak." Science 4 December, 1992: 1571-1572
Clark, John ed. The Endocrine System: Miraculous Messengers. New York: Torstar books inc., 1985.
Henderson, Randi. Dwarfism: Life as a Little Person. 1995
<http://www2.shore.net/~dkennedy/dwarfism_hopkins.html>.
Kennedy, Daniel. Dwarfism: Frequently Asked Questions. 20 October, 1997.
<http://www2.shore.net/~dkennedy/dwarfism_faq.html>.
Scott, Charels I Jr., MD. Achondroplasia
<http://www2.shore.net/~dkennedy/dwarfism_hgfalcon.html>.
Dwarfism: Frequently Asked Questions- A very informative page about dwarfism.
Achondroplasia: by the Human Growth Foundation- A page describing achondroplasia. Excellent, reliable information.
The Official LPA website - The title says it all.
Genetics tutorial- Though it does not mention dwarfism, this is a helpful page for those interested in genetics, or for those who need a little more help with their biology.
Symptoms | Causes | Effects | Available treatments | Accommodations | Bibliography | Links
This page was designed and written by John Johnson, Mike Fraedrich, Julia Connelly, and Joe Schilling, four students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. For more information, please contact our teacher, Mr. Jeffrey Leaf, at jfleaf@lan.tjhsst.edu.