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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your child has dwarfism, you can take a number of steps to help him or her cope with challenges and function independently:
- Seek help. The nonprofit organization Little People of America provides people with dwarfism and their families social support, information about disorders, advocacy opportunities and resources. Many people with dwarfism stay actively involved in this organization throughout their lives.
- Modify your home. Make changes to your home, such as putting specially designed extensions on light switches, installing lower handrails in stairways and replacing doorknobs with levers. The Little People of America Web site provides links to companies that sell adaptive products, such as size-appropriate furniture and everyday household tools.
- Talk to educators. Talk to school personnel about what dwarfism is, how it affects your child, what needs your child may have in the classroom and how the school can help meet those needs.
- Talk about teasing. Encourage your child to talk to you about his or her feelings, and practice responses to insensitive questions and teasing.
References
- Dwarfism: Frequently asked questions. Little People of America. http://www.lpaonline.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=44397&orgId=lpa. Accessed June 24, 2007.
- Carter EM, et al. Advances in understanding etiology of achondroplasia and review of management. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2007;19:32.
- Pseudoachondroplasia. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=pseudoachondroplasia. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=spondyloepiphysealdysplasiacongenita. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Diastrophic dysplasia. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=diastrophicdysplasia. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Achondroplasia. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=achondroplasia. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Hypochondroplasia. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=hypochondroplasia. Accessed July 8, 2008.
- Trotter TL, et al. Health supervision for children with achondroplasia. Pediatrics. 2005;116:771.
- Horton WA, et al. Achondroplasia. The Lancet. 2007;370:162.
- Baujat G, et al. Achondroplasia. Best Practice & Research. Clinical Rheumatology. 2008;22:3.
- Hypopituitarism in children resulting in short stature. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec12/ch151/ch151e.html. Accessed July 15, 2009.
- Richmond EJ. Diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 13, 2009.
- Turner syndrome. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://turners.nichd.nih.gov/clinical.html. Accessed June 28, 2009.
- Turner Syndrome. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=turnersyndrome. Accessed July 8, 2008.
- Rogol AD. Causes of short stature. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Rogol AD. Diagnostic approach to short stature. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Attanasio AF, et al. Growth hormone and the transition from puberty into adulthood. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2007;36:187.
- Learning about Turner syndrome. National Human Genome Research Institute. http://www.genome.gov/19519119. Accessed June 28, 2009.
