Question
What is dwarfism?
Answer
Dwarfism is a disorder of childhood growth and development. It manifests as an extremely short stature, with the entire body appearing to be proportionally smaller, looking like a head shorter than others, and resembling a child in appearance, but with a face that looks like an adult. It is primarily caused by insufficient secretion of growth hormone. Additionally, dwarfism may also be related to having a short and chubby family. The diagnosis of this disease requires determining the levels of growth hormone and conducting growth hormone stimulation tests. The normal secretion level of growth hormone is between 5 to 10 micrograms, with less than 5 micrograms indicating a complete lack. If it is less than 5 micrograms, the child may require subcutaneous injections of growth hormone. The dosage can be determined based on the child’s height if it falls between 5 to 10 micrograms.