Dwarfism
and its effects...
What is Dwarfism?
Symptoms of Dwarfism
- A large head with a prominent forehead
- A flattened bridge of the nose
- Protruding jaw
- Crowded and misaligned teeth
- Forward curvature of the lower spine
- Bowed legs
- Flat, short, broad feet
- "Double-jointedness"
Statistics On Dwarfism
Dwarfism and The Amish People
Peter Dinklage
Kenny Baker
Warwick Davis
Biology of Dwarfism
Two different mutations in the FGFR3 gene cause more than 99 per cent of cases of achondroplasia.
It is a dominant genetic disease so only one copy of the FGFR3 gene needs to be mutated for symptoms to develop.
Achondroplasia can be inherited from a parent with the disease. However, most cases of achondroplasia are the result of a new mutation in the FGFR3 gene, over 80 per cent of people with achondroplasia have parents who are unaffected.
Type of Mutation
Treatment Options For Dwarfism
There is no cure for dwarfism. However, growth hormones can help people with Dwarfism to achieve moderate growth in some children.Surgery is a treatment option in some cases to increase leg length by up to 30 cm, prevent spinal compression, or correct bowed legs. In some people with dwarfism, it may be necessary to drain fluid from the head to: relieve pressure on the brain, and you should make sure to frequently test for hydrocephalus- a condition where spinal fluid builds up inside the skull.
Bibliography
- "Dwarfism." Causes. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016
- "Dwarfism: Types, Causes, Treatments, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
- "The Most Famous Little People in the World." Ranker. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
- Website
- N.p., n.d. Web.
- Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.