Achondroplasia Dwarfism

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Achondroplasia Dwarfism

• By Noy A.
• Period 5

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What Is Achondroplasia?

• A bone growth disorder that results in
  abnormality of cartilage formation
• A mutation that occurs in about 1 out of 25,000
  babies
• The mutation happens while a fetus is developing
  in its mothers womb
• People with it are much shorter average adult
  height is 4 to 3 ½ feet tall
• It is inherited from the parents
• People who have this disorder have the same
  intelligence as people who dont

A person with Achondroplasia
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What Are The Symptoms?

• Prominent forehead
• Bowed legs
• Short stature
• Curved spine
• Shortened arms and legs
• Large head-to-body size difference
• Decreased muscle tone
• Unusual hand appearance with space between the
  long and ring fingers

An x-ray hand of a person who has achondroplasia
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What Are The Chances Of Someone Getting
Achondroplasia?
Note if someone has both dominant alleles,
they are most likely going to die before or
shortly after birth.

• If both parents have achondroplasia, and both
  have a recessive and a dominant allele, then
  there is a 75 chance that their child will have
  it, too.

• If both parents have achondroplasia, and one has
  both dominant alleles, then there is a 100
  chance that their child has it, too.

• If none of the parents has achondroplasia, there
  still is a chance that their kid will have it if
  there is a mutation. If there is no mutation,
  then the child will not have it.

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Why Is Achondroplasia So Bad?

• There is no cure for achondroplasia
• Growth hormones and/ or surgery can help lengthen
  limbs, but therapy can cost from 10,000 to 25,000
  dollars a year
• There is fluid build up in the brain
• Clubbed feet can make walking hard
• Ear infections can lead to hearing loss
• Respiratory infections make it difficult to breath

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Conclusion

• Achondroplasia is a rare disease that includes
  bad infections and unusual shortness. It is
  genetic and begins in the mothers womb. You can
  never be sure if a child will have achondroplasia
  or not. To lengthen limbs, hormones or surgery
  can help, but can be expensive. Achondroplasia is
  hard to live with because of breathing and
  walking difficulties.

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Bibliography

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• "Achondroplasia." Google Health. Google, n.d.
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• Riggs, Stephanie. Never Sell Yourself Short.
  Toronto, Canada Albert Whitman Company, 2001.
  16. Print.
• "Achondroplasia." University of Virginia Health
  System. University of Virginia Health System,
  November 6,2007. Web. 14 Mar 2010.
  lthttp//www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/UVAHealth/pe
  ds_diabetes/achondro.cfmgt.
• " Achondroplasia." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, March
  12, 2010. Web. 14 Mar 2010. lthttp//en.wikipedia.o
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• Winkelman, Willem, and Rachel Buchholz. "KEEP
  STARING I MIGHT DO A TRICK!." National
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