Dwarfism

           Dwarfism is something that is either feared by some or accepted by many.  The population of little people that share the Earth's surface with everyone else have something to give back to the world just as a normal scaled person would, but something sets them apart.  No its not that they have smaller brains then us, or that they can't do as many things as we can, its their bone structure and variations of their skeletal system.  There is really nothing that restricts them from completing daily task only that their enviromental scale is decreased.  Some cope by lowering their tables at home and countertops, lowering the height of their beds to make for easier access, and using stools as an alternative for increasing their height around the house. 

 Diagnosis:

Unusually short stature for a child's age is usually what brings the child to medical attention. Dwarfism is usually suspected because of obvious physical features (unusual shape to the face or shape of skull), or because body measurements (arm span, upper to lower segment ratio) indicate disproportion. Bone x-rays are often the key to diagnosis of a specific skeletal difference, but they are not the key diagnosis. Most children with suspected skeletal dysplasias will be referred to a genetics clinic for diagnostic confirmation.  Short stature alone, in the absence of any other abnormalities, may simply be genetic, particularly if a person is born into a family of people who are relatively short.

 Eight Types of Dwarfism:

rhizomelic = bones of upper arm or thigh

mesomeli = bones of forearm or lower leg

acromelic = bones of hands and feet.

chondro = of cartilage

osteo = of bone

spondylo = of the vertebrae

plasia = form

trophy = growth