Dwarfism

=Dwarfism= Rachel, Brianna, Harrison, Eyad, Ashley, Maya, Jessica, Haleigh, Kourtney, Abbi

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From Wikipedia

 * "Dwarfism** is a medical term describing a person of [|short stature]. In Anglo Saxon world some defined it as being a person with an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches (147 cm). However, the average hight of the population group differ greatly by genetic and environment."

Although dwarfism is a disability, it is only a physical disability and not an intellectual one. Some people believe that Dwarfs are incapable of doing things that normal-sized people can do. A Dwarf can go to work, marry, raise children and live a normal life just like anybody else-- just at a shorter height. Also, unlike most diseases, dwarfism does not require/have a cure and people that are dwarfs just live long normal lives.

 The difference between a "Dwarf" and a "Midget" is that the Midget's body is in proportion. Midget is also used as an offensive term to describe a person of smaller stature. Midget is politically incorrect, and is very offensive. The preferred term for "Midgets" or "Dwarfs" is "little people". Even though someone with dwarfism could be called a dwarf, the plural would be "Dwarfs" rather than "Dwarves" because dwarves refers to the fairy tale creature.
 * The Difference between a Dwarf and a Midget**



(from wikipedia)
 * Causes of Dwarfism**

Dwarfism can be caused by over 200 different things. __Achondroplasia:__ The most common cause of Dwarfism is achondroplasia, a bone disorder that is responsible for over 70% of all dwarfism cases. In the cases of achondroplasia, the limbs are disproportionately short compared to the trunk of the body. Achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a faulty allele in the human genome. However, this allele works differently from most others. The only way to be a dwarf is to be heterozygous for the allele. If they are homozygous for the dominant allele, the result is fatal and the child dies. If they are homozygous recessive for the allele, then the person is normal height. As an interesting genetic fact, the two ways to get a dwarf are two dwarves reproducing and a dwarf and a normal person reproducing. You can't get a dwarf with two normal sized people. Also, the only way to have a dead child due to the achondroplasia alleles is having two dwarves reproduce.

__Growth Hormone Defiency:__ Growth hormone deficiency is a deficiency of the growth hormone (also known as [|somatotropin]). If a lack of this hormone is present, stunted or even halted growth may become apparent. Children with this disorder may grow slowly and puberty may be delayed by several years, or even indefinitely. Growth hormone deficiency has no single definite cause. It can be caused by mutations of specific genes, damage to the pituitary gland, [|Turner's syndrome], poor nutrition,[|[16]] or even stress (leading to [|psychogenic dwarfism]).

__List of other Causes:__
 * [|Diastrophic dysplasia]
 * [|Pseudoachondroplasia]
 * [|Hypochondroplasia]
 * [|Primordial dwarfism]
 * [|Turner syndrome]
 * [|Osteogenesis imperfecta]


 * A Story of Dwarfism:**
 * This is Khagendra Thapa on the left at age 14.**

Kathmandu, Nepal - Khagendra Thapa Magar, 14, has been registered as the world's shortest and lightest human being by //Guinness Book of World Records//, the English language daily //Himalayan Times// reported. According to the newspaper, Thapa Magar is just 20 inches (50.8 centimetres) tall and weighs 10kg. According to Min Bahadur Rana who heads the Thapa Magar Academy, "Khagendra contested for the title with Jordan's Yoyansvans, who is 25.5 inches (64.77 centimetres) tall and weighed 10kg (about, but Khagendra came out as the winner." Thapa Magar was born to Rup Bahadur Thapa Magar and Dhan Maya Thapa Magar in 1992 in Baglung district, about 220km west of the capital. Khagendra's birth was initially an embarrassment for the family and they tried to hide him from public, his father said. Khagendra began to move around only when he was 8 years old and his physical growth completely stopped at the age of 11. The Thapa Magars are organising programmes to exhibit the boy and raise funds for him and the family. According to his father, the son relieved him of debt and brought the family happiness and prosperity. He is now 16 and works in the Baglung District of Nepal Arts and Recreation Centre.

Related Links
This is a link to the show little people big world. It would be a good show to watch to learn about daily life for a little person. [|Little People of America] [|Dwarf Athletic Association of America] [|Dwarfism and Short Stature Syndromes] [|Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita]

-For the one that put the pictures of the little girl, those pictures are copy righted, and if they want to do their post on primordial dwarfism, you can just go to previous history and copy and paste it.