Achondroplasia
By: Catie Stearns
What is Achondroplasia?
Causes
Body Systems
The body systems that this affects is the musculoskeletal system and the skeletal system.
Target Population
Anybody can be born with this disease. One out of 26,000 to 40,000 babies born are affected by this. 80% of babies born with Achondroplasia have parents that are normal sized.
Diagnosis
A doctor can tell if a baby has it before they are born by taking an ultrasound.
Signs and Symptoms
Some signs and symptoms are normal sized torso but small arms and legs, reduced muscle tone, recurring ear infections, a sway in the lower back and bowed legs. (That can make it hard for people to walk.) Short fingers and a bigger head with a big forehead.
Treatments
Some treatments for this are growth hormones, surgeries, back braces, physical therapy, hearing tubes and orthodontic treatment.
Prognosis
Dwarfs live as long as normal people do.
How the body system work
A normal persons body is regular sized but a dwarf has spinal curvature, skull deformity and short limbs.
Works Cited
"Dwarfism." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. Middle Search Plus. Web. 21 Jan. 2015.
"Dwarfism." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. Ed. Angela L. Duker. The Nemours Foundation, 01 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
"Dwarfism: Types, Causes, Treatments, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
Roloff, Matt. "Human Diseases and Conditions." Dwarfism. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Dwarfism." Complications. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.