I'm Not Vertically Challenged! I'm Short! Quiz

Answer: Achondroplasia

Achondroplasia is a disorder of bone growth due to a problem with a gene mutating. The average adult height of people with this condition is approximately four and a half feet. Surgery can be used to lengthen bones of the affected limbs. Babies born with this condition often have long, narrow torsos, a large head and low nasal bridge.

The babies don't usually walk until two to three years of age and intelligence is normal right throughout life.

Answer: Yes

Susanna Bokoyni is the longest lived dwarf who died at the age of 105 years. There is not a lot of information about her but she may well have suffered from the pain of degenerative joint disease and breathing difficulties due to decreased thoracic area.

She may also have suffered from low self-esteem and a lack of social and employment opportunites. Ordinary activities such as driving a car or trying to reach benches that are way too high could also have been a problem for her.

Answer: Pygmies of tropical Africa

Groups of very small humans whose average male height is less than 150cm are called pygmies. The most well known pygmies are those of central Africa but many groups can be found in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Pygmies can be also found in Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Bolivia and Asia.

Many explanations have been given for the short stature of these people including low ultraviolet light levels in the rainforests, lack of food and low calcium levels in the soil. Many of these people are hunter-gatherers who have to move around the rainforests quickly, therefore small stature could be a genetic necessity for them and their descendants. If the light levels are low then Vitamin D, which is necessary for bone growth and maintenance, cannot be absorbed into the skin.

The latest research suggests that during adolescence, Insulin-like Growth Factor is only present in smaller amounts compared to adolescents who grow more than five feet.

Answer: Abnormal proportions

Dwarfism is a condition where a person is below the ordinary size of the population in general. The body is not in proportion compared to that of taller people. There are many causes of dwarfism and most are involved with genetics. Single gene variations affect the structure or metabolism of bone, cartilage or connective tissue.

In dwarfs, bones are the primary affected body part and health is usually good and normal.

Answer: Russell-Silver Syndrome

Russell-Silver syndrome is one of five types of primordial dwarfism which can be treated. The syndrome was named after Henry Silver and Alexander Russell. This type of dwarfism is characterized by one part of the body growing faster than the other side and problems with feeding when very young. Even though there isn't a lack of growth hormone in these people, injections given daily from age two can be extremely useful. Physiotherapy for the differences in limb length and scoliosis can be given and in severe cases surgery is done to lengthen limbs.

Answer: Distraction Osteogenesis

"Distraction osteogenesis" is the surgical reconstruction of skeletal deformities and long bone lengthening. In Russia, many people are opting for surgery to increase their height. During surgery a metal ring is placed around a leg which has been broken in two places. Attached to this ring are metal spikes which go through soft tissue, muscle and the leg bone and out the other side.

A screw attached to the bone is turned one millimetre each day to separate the broken bone ends. New bone forms in the gap thus making the leg longer.

The problem with this type of surgery is that it is very painful and infection is common. The scars can be quite bad, therefore the person must weigh the desire to be taller versus the look of the skin after it has healed.

Answer: Endocrine

Glands of the endocrine system secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. The pineal, adrenal, testes, ovaries, and islets of Langerhans in the pancreas are also glands that are part of the endocrine system. When there is a deficiency in the growth hormone from the pituitary gland, skeletal growth is extremely slow and if synthetic hormones are not given, development of the person will not be normal. If the deficiency happens while the baby is still in the womb, it will be normal in size but will grow slowly. Weight gain will be normal, leading to overweight and a higher than average proportion of body fat.

When there is not enough activity coming from the thyroid gland hypothyroidism can occur. If thyroid hormones are not given in the first few months of life mental retardation can occur.

Answer: Decreased thoracic area

Problems with bone formation, arthritis and osteoporosis can cause the thoracic area of short statured people to be smaller than normal. The thoracic area houses the ribcage and lungs and a decreased lung area means that the lungs are not only smaller but they cannot function properly. Snoring and sleep apnoea are also common in short statured people.

Answer: Turners Syndrome

"Turners Syndrome" is also called Ullrich-Turner Syndrome and "Gonadal dysgenesis" and it was discovered by endocrinologist Henry Turner. It is a chromosomal disorder in which all or part of the sex chromosome is absent. Diagnosis can be made with an amniocentesis during pregnancy or by ultrasound. During conception, only part or all of the X chromosome is not transferred to the fetus. Most fetuses are miscarried but the ones that go full term develop into short women who are sterile and have the characteristic swelling of the hands and feet.

The female can suffer from autoimmune disease, congenital heart disease, hypothyroidism, diabetes, vision problems and hearing problems.

Answer: Hypopituitary dwarfism

People suffering from short stature but have proportionate body shape used to be called midgets. This condition is caused by a lack of Growth Hormone due to either a problem with the pituitary gland, brain injury, brain infections or other diseases. In the first two years of life growth is normal but a slowing down of growth can eventually be seen when these children are standing next to same age children.

Injections of Growth Hormone are given daily or weekly over several years until the person has reached maximum height. If untreated an adult male will measure about 4 ft 8 ins and women 4 ft 3 ins.