Dwarfism

Excerpt

Dwarfism is the medical terminology for short-stature. It is defined as height-vertex below two standard deviations (-2SD) or in the third percentile for a given age and sex. The standing height is measured from ground to the vertex when the head is in the Frankfurt-horizontal plane. Most people have an aversion to the term dwarf and identify themselves as "Little people" and also have a community under the name -'Little People of America'.

Dwarfism is broadly categorized into two types based on the patient's physical appearance, which are: proportionate short stature (PSS) and disproportionate short stature (DSS). Proportionate short stature (PSS), as the name suggests, means that the limbs and the trunk are proportionately small. Whereas, disproportionate short stature (DSS) implies that the individual has a significant difference in their sitting and standing height, and either their trunk or extremities are small. The child's assessment and evaluation aim to identify the pathological causes of short stature and intervene accordingly.