Dwarfism

Dwarfism is a condition in which a person, animal or plant is much below the ordinary size of the species. When applied to people, it implies not just extreme shortness, but a degree of disproportion. Dwarfism is now rarely used as a medical term and is sometimes (but not always) considered impolite or pejorative. Today, the term little person tends to be preferred. According to the Little People of America the human definition of this term is stated as such "a medical or genetic condition that usually results in an adult height of 4'10" or shorter, among both men and women, although in some cases a person with a dwarfing condition may be slightly taller than that."

Medical treatment

For many forms of dwarfism, the best medical treatment that can be offered is accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and genetic counselling information.

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Treatments to enhance height have major drawbacks. Growth hormone treatment has been shown to accelerate growth velocity over 1-2 years, but it may make a relatively small difference in adult height and involves years of expensive injections. The Ilizarov limb lengthening surgery was pioneered in Russia in the 1970s and is now performed in many places. Other newer devices such as the orthofix and intramedullary skeletal kinetic distractor (ISKD) are also used for limb lengthening. It can add over 6 inches (15 cm) per bone (there are two in the leg), but is expensive, painful, and time-consuming. Some insurance companies may be willing to cover the cost. Each procedure lasts around 8-12 months. Typically two bones are done at a time (the same one on each side), but a patient can do more than that if they're willing to endure the extra pain and inconvenience.

Related Topics:
Growth hormone treatment - Ilizarov

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Orthopedic or neurosurgical operations may be needed for specific problems associated with some of the conditions.

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In the last decade, enzyme replacement treatments have been devised for a few of the inherited metabolic diseases, most of which involve more severe problems than short bones.

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