By: Jacob Mabille
Achondroplasia is a condition
characterized by dwarfism. Basically, it’s a genetic disorder which occurs due
to malfunctioning of some bodily functions. Because of the cartilage failure,
our bones fail to attain the normal size. The most common symptom linked with
achondroplasia is short stature. The average height of a male affected by this
condition is said to be around 4 feet 4 inches, and an average women suffering
from this condition doesn’t make it over 4 feet.
Apart from the not-so-appealing
physical condition, one may have to deal with loads of emotional trauma
primarily due to their below average stature. Short and thick legs are an
apparent feature witnessed amongst these individuals. There are many other
striking symptoms associated with this ailment. Let’s have a look at them:
-Most victims will have a
protruding forehead. Their face will appear relatively large in comparison to
the rest of their body.
-Depressed nasal bridge and
dental issues are two other common symptoms connected with achondroplasia.
Dental issues include misalignment of teeth and early tooth decay.
-The lower back will tend to sway
back, thus giving it an awkward look. In fact, this can lead to a dreadful
condition called kyphosis. Kyphosis is an ailment characterized by a small hump
around the shoulder area.
-This ailment affects our
vertebrae as well. Inadequate growth of vertebrae will lead to small vertebral
canals, due to which there wouldn’t be much space for nerves exit. This can
result into pain, numbness and weakness because of compressed nerves. In some
cases, the entire spine cord is affected due to which the victim may feel
numbness below the spine area, thereby resulting into loss of bowel movement.
As a matter of fact, there have been reports in the past, wherein children have
died during their sleep due to compressed spinal cord.
-Sufferers may also experience
difficulty while breathing.
-Some children are prone to
develop water on their brain. This situation can have lethal effects on the
child’s health.
-As with any individual suffering
from dwarfism, achondroplasia victims will have short fingers. However, there
is a unique pattern of finger growth seen amongst these individuals. The middle
and the ring finger may deviate, thus giving them a trident appearance. Bowed
legs can also be witnessed amongst the sufferers.
-Poor muscle toning is another
noticeable symptom associated with this condition.
-Due to their short stature, they
may fall prey to obesity, thereby giving rise to various other ailments such as
diabetes, high blood pressure level and so on.
-Lastly, these individuals find it
difficult to keep themselves immune from ear infection. Most of the sufferers
tend to develop middle ear infection in their early days itself, which results
into complete deafness as they grow older.
The symptoms associated with this
condition may vary from person to person. Most of them will showcase a
combination of the above mentioned symptoms. Remember, the symptoms by
themselves shouldn’t serve as a ground to determine the condition. Proper
diagnoses must be done to precisely evaluate the condition.
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