Dwarfism

By Keira
What is Dwarfism

• Dwarfism is when a
person is a
lot shorter than
average height,
because of their
genes or medical
reasons.
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is divided into two categories: disproportionate or proportionate short stature
Disproportionate: meaning one or more body parts are larger than the other. In this case, the head is
usually disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body
These features can be:
• Short limbs
• Short fingers
• Bowed legs
• Large head with flat nose bridge and high forehead
• Curved lower spine
 Proportional: all the parts of the body are
small but equally portioned.
Causes: is growth hormone deficiency,
caused by the pituitary gland failing to
produce enough levels of growth hormone.
Signs of proportional short stature include:
Proportional • Slow growth rate for age
• Delayed or absent sexual development
• Height below the third percentile
• Low blood sugar level
Characteristics

• Dwarfs range from the height of 4 foot 10

(147cm) or less.
• Abnormal bone alignment
• Can affect the functions of organs such as the
brain
• Restricted lung growth
• Head is bigger than most of the body
• Bowed legs
• Wide feet
• Short limbs
• Flat nose bridge
• Wide hands
• Most dwarfs live for a normal lifespan
 How can you
inherit the gene?
The main cause of dwarfism is usually
genetic disorders, but some are
unknown
• Dwarfism can occur from genetic
mutation from either the father's
sperm or the mother's eggs, meaning
that it is sex linked.
• Turner syndrome can only effect girls
and women. This results in the girl an
X chromosome missing.

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

 Treatment doesn’t change
Medical treatments dwarfs' characteristics
completely, but helps with their
complications
• Surgical treatments: stabilizing
spine shape, removing excess
fluid in the brain, correcting
direction of bone growth.
• You can
detect the condition before
birth by using an ultrasound to
scan the stomach and see if the
body is smaller than average.
Conclusion

In conclusion, Dwarfism is a
condition that allows
people to be shorter than
average height, and results
in them having abnormal
characteristics. Many
people feel bad for dwarfs
but some of them are living
life to the fullest.
Reference
• www.mayoclinic.org. (n.d.). Dwarfism - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic. [online] Available at:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dwarfism/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20371975#:~:text=Genetic%20tests%20
are%20available%20for
[Accessed 22 Mar. 2023].
• Mayo Clinic (2017). Turner Syndrome - Symptoms and Causes. [online] Mayo Clinic. Available at:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/turner-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360782.
• ‌
• Zou, H., Guan, M., Li, Y., Luo, F., Wang, W. and Qin, Y. (2021). Targeted gene correction and functional recovery in
achondroplasia patient-derived iPSCs. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 12(1). Available at:
https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-021-02555-8
• Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Dwarfism - Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dwarfism/symptoms-causes/syc-20371969#:~:text=Most%20dwarfism%2D
related%20conditions%20are
.
• ‌
• Mary Anne Dunkin (2010). Dwarfism. [online] WebMD. Available at:
https://www.webmd.com/children/dwarfism-causes-treatments.
• ‌
• 4BYJUS. (n.d.). Dwarfism: Definition, Types, Factors, Causes, Characteristics. [online] Available at:
https://byjus.com/neet/dwarfism/.
Thank you for
watching