My last two posts have been about shopping but now I want to talk about dwarfism. If you go to WebMD and search dwarfism, they will tell you that dwarfism is a "condition of short stature". LPA or The Little People of America define dwarfism as: "an adult height of 4'10" or shorter as the result of a medical or genetic condition". Dwarves are either proportionate or disproportionate. Proportionate means that all the body parts are proportional to each other while disproportionate dwarves have shorter arms and legs but an average sized torso.
As of today, there are over 200 types of dwarfism, the most common being achondroplasia. Other common types are diastrophic dysplasia and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. Dwarfism is caused by a genetic mutation. Some conditions are recessive genes while others are dominant.
Being a dwarf, medical problems are common and expected. Ear infections, shunts to relieve pressure on the brain, removal of tonsils and adenoids, leg straightening to correct bowing.
Personally, I have had more ear infections than I can remember, 3 sets of tubes, my tonsils and adenoids removed and both legs straightened. I cannot walk as fast as my friends, my legs tire more easily and I have scars on my legs to serve as a constant reminder of what I've been through. These past 18 years haven't been easy but I wouldn't have had it any other way. The scars on my legs from my surgeries prove just how strong I am, I can diagnose an ear infection in under 10 minutes and my friends will always wait for me.
Good night or good morning depending on when you're reading this
-Jillian Ilana
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