{{talk header}}
{{Indian English}}
{{WikiProject India |class=C |importance=mid |cities=yes |cities-importance=mid |punjab=yes |punjab-importance=high}}
{{WikiProject Cities |class=C |importance=Low}}
{{Vital article|class=C|topic=Geography|level=5|subpage=Cities}}

==untitled==
All NRIs belonging to [[Jalandhar]] talk here.
::What an idea???!!!--[[User:Bhadani|Bhadani]] 5 July 2005 02:37 (UTC)

*Hi, doesn't anyone have any pictures of any landmark they can upload? I have uploaded the two pictures I have...not showing any tandmark though...I dont live in Jalandhar, so I'm not able to take any pictures...was just visitning my Taja-ji :) [[User:deep750|Dhirad]] 5 July 2005 02:37 (UTC)

==Cantonment?==

Can somebody explain what the word "Cantonment" means? [[User:Gaius Cornelius|Gaius Cornelius]] 18:48, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

:Cantoment means a permanent military camp, often used in India also called "cant" in short [[User:deep750|Dhirad]] Januar 14 2005 02:19 (UTC)

::Thanks for clearing that up. I found a wiki link too: [[Cantonment]]. About 10 years ago I was in the city of [[Pune]] near an area I was told was called Poona Camp, I guess that was an example of a [[Cantonment]]. [[User:Gaius Cornelius|Gaius Cornelius]] 13:30, 14 January 2006 (UTC)

==Photos==

Yup, kindly advise on which particular landmarks you would want...I am a hobbyist photographer and would be more than happy to be of service--[[User:Gopal1035|Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut, which held its ground]] 13:34, 15 July 2006 (UTC)

:If you can take photos of any/all landmarks in Jalandhar that'd be great. You can upload them to the Wikmedia Commons! [[User:Sukh|Sukh]] | ਸੁਖ | [[User talk:Sukh|Talk]] 11:42, 16 July 2006 (UTC)

::Some links I would like to suggest,

::[http://public.fotki.com/gopal1035/punjabjalandhardotinfo/guru_dhesian/ Sangat Durbar Kahan Dhesian]

::[http://public.fotki.com/gopal1035/punjabjalandhardotinfo/hindu_vetclinic/ Ancient Religious Hindi Court]

::[http://www.flickr.com/photos/gopal1035/119768778/ public park-Urban Estate Phase-I, Jalandhar]
::[[User:Gopal1035|Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut, which held its ground]] 17:14, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

::[http://jalandharphotos.blogspot.com/2006/10/dussehra-vijayadashami-celebrations.html Dussehra celebrations]--[[User:Gopal1035|The world salutes the Rising Star...Try to be One]] 09:30, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

::: I want to see a photo of Devi Talab Kali temple. Would anyone help? [[User:Swami Vimokshananda|VMO]] 13:30, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

::::Have also added in Article's External Links, I hope [http://jalandharphotos.blogspot.com jalandharphotos.blogspot.com] is worthy enough of mention--[[User:Gopal1035|Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut, which held its ground]] 15:14, 23 August 2006 (UTC)

==Hotels==

Hi, I am (attempting) to bring order to Jalandhar page by categorizing educational institutions, hotels etc because now it appears that only a few hotels are receiving (free and biased) exposure...Views of senior editors and experts of Punjab are welcome.--[[User:Gopal1035|Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut, which held its ground]] 03:24, 16 July 2006 (UTC)

:I've removed all hotels. Hotels should only be included if they are especially notable. [[User:Sukh|Sukh]] | ਸੁਖ | [[User talk:Sukh|Talk]] 11:42, 16 July 2006 (UTC)

::Yup, I think that was long overdue.[[User:Gopal1035|Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut, which held its ground]] 16:59, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

==Capital Local Area Bank debacle==
I believe it is a situation similar to the hotels (discussed above), maybe, trying for free exposure and reputation of Wikipedia.info to be passed onto it.

I am removing it- Senior Editors and Experts of Punjab, kindly see--[[User:Gopal1035|The world salutes the Rising Star...Try to be One]] 12:52, 3 September 2006 (UTC)

==Current Pictures Required?==
Those Pictures don't reflect Jalandhar at all whoever uploaded them should delete them and put some pics the various chowks or other city landmarks i.e city centre around Raddison hotel or the T.V. tower etc. fish market is not Jalandhar it looks like any other ally in Punjab.

:I agree and adding a few photographs shot within the past few months around Jalandhar...kindly evaluate the merit and placement within the text--[[User:Gopal1035|The world salutes the Rising Star...Try to be One]] 13:13, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

The picture titled BMC chowk shows a street and some vehicles. Please upload the actual picture of the BMC roundabout. Also there are no pictures of the Cantt. The photo that says lush greenery is actually of a waterlogged street. Please upload some nice pictures. Also the BUS stand looks completely different now, the picture is irrelevant.

:update- BMC Chowk roundabout has been removed and now in its place is a system to timer traffic signals
:yes, the Bus Stand image needs to be updated, I'll see if I can arrange one quickly, if other fellow Jalandharis can too, wonderful...
:--[[User:Gopal1035|Nothing is free in this world]] ([[User talk:Gopal1035|talk]]) 17:46, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

::updated the BMC Chowk photo:) —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/122.162.19.25|122.162.19.25]] ([[User talk:122.162.19.25|talk]]) 17:25, 30 March 2008 (UTC) 

If the BMC roundabout no more then i think it would be better to upload picture of the follwing:

Old streets i.e Rainak bazzar
University
New Bus stand
Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall
Doordarshan Building
Wonderland
Haveli on GT RD.
Any nice and Posh neighbourhoods...please no more Photos of Urban Estate —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/68.145.76.44|68.145.76.44]] ([[User talk:68.145.76.44|talk]]) 22:21, 11 May 2008 (UTC) 
:would see how I can help in these :)

updated the Bus Stand photo...it is with a mobile camera, would do it with a full camera at the earliest...bus stand is complete and I feel though the image quality is low but it represents the current ground reality much better than the previous one--[[User:Gopal1035|Nothing is free in this world]] ([[User talk:Gopal1035|talk]]) 06:57, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

== goodness gracious me ==

perhaps this city's numerous mentions in [[Goodness Gracious Me (TV & radio)| goodness gracious me]] should be noted? [[User:SleweD|SleweD]] 16:07, 19 January 2007 (UTC)
:if we can link to a reference, then in my opinion it should be mentioned--[[User:Gopal1035|Nothing is free in this world]] ([[User talk:Gopal1035|talk]]) 17:47, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

== Punjabi only plz ==

Why is Hindi name listed in the top paragraph? The official language of Punjab state is Punjabi only. [[Special:Contributions/202.54.176.51|202.54.176.51]] ([[User talk:202.54.176.51|talk]]) 11:42, 29 August 2008 (UTC)

But it's also India's official language and in Canada where I live Quebec a majority French speaking population we have the names spelled both in French and English (only in Quebec) [[User:RebaFan1996|RebaFan1996]] ([[User talk:RebaFan1996|talk]]) 17:08, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

==Copyvio==
It seems that large amounts of text in this article are taken verbatim from other websites. I've begun removing copyvio information but the more I look, the more I find. I'd hate to flag the whole article for speedy deletion but I'm not sure how much work I'm willing to do at this point and how much of the article will actually be left afterward. I'm going to consult some admins to see what I should do. [[User:OlYeller21|OlYeller]]'''[[User_talk:OlYeller21|Talktome]] 22:04, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
:So far, here's the sites where I'm finding text taken from verbatim.
*[http://www.sikhtourism.com/jalandhar-hotels.htm]
*[http://www.jalandhar.org/]
*[http://jalandhardirect.co.uk/AboutUs.aspx]
*[http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Jalandhar]
*indianetzone dot com (blacklisted website so I can't provide the link)
*[http://www.world66.com/asia/southasia/india/punjab/jalandhar/history]
*[http://www.jalandharindia.com/]
*[http://indiancollegedirectory.com/icd/nitjalandhar.html]
*[http://www.123eng.com/engineering/punjab/1.html]
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/imperialgazettee14greauoft/imperialgazettee14greauoft_djvu.txt]
*[http://yamunanagar.nic.in/intro3.htm]

Now that I've found that almost the entire article was a copyvio, I'm not really sure what to do. I've posted on the Wikiproject India that this page needs help. I haven't touched any of the pictures. They're great. [[User:OlYeller21|OlYeller]]'''[[User_talk:OlYeller21|Talktome]] 23:19, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

:Links #2-8 are mirrors; they all provide exact copies of the Wikipedia text. Link #1 may or may not be contain Wikipedia text, so I haven't restored the content which is a duplicate of that website. Links #9-10 are not mirrors, so this Wikipedia article should not contain text from them. I've restored the vast majority of the content in the article because most of the links above are [[WP:MIRROR|mirrors of Wikipedia]] but defer to your judgment as to whether or not any of the stuff I've restored are copyvios of the three non-mirror links I've mentioned above. Best, [[User:Cunard|Cunard]] ([[User talk:Cunard|talk]]) 02:33, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

::There were small artifacts of material left from [http://jalandhar.nic.in/html/tourism.htm], which predates our article (according to archives) and which is not licensed compatibly. These have been revised. I'm running the rest of the article through an online plagiarism checker, but, like [[User:Cunard|Cunard]], am mostly seeing Wiki mirrors. --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 18:02, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

:::Sounds good. Thanks for helping us out Moon. [[User:OlYeller21|OlYeller]]'''[[User_talk:OlYeller21|Talktome]] 18:06, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
::::Thanks for noting the problem. :) I've just cleaned text from [http://www.davjalandhar.com/]. --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 18:11, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
:::::Okay. More from [http://www.davietjal.org/about.html], [http://www.india9.com/i9show/Lyallpur-Khalsa-College-19019.htm] (this material was not added to our article until 2009), [http://www.nitj.ac.in/administration/]. [http://jalandhar.nic.in/html/cities_towns_jalandhar_cantt.htm]. --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 18:24, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
::::::I suspect that the "District Administration" information is also pasted, but I have not found a definitive source, so I have left it alone. Otherwise, this is all I've been able to find that I do not have reason to believe was copied from Wikipedia. Some people are under the mistaken impression that the [[National Informatics Centre]] is free for use. However, license is incompatible with Wikipedia, as it requires that the government be notified and that the material be reproduced accurately (not modified). (See [http://www.mp.nic.in/disclaimer.htm] for instance.) I'll add {{tl|cclean}} below in the hopes of helping to prevent reintroduction of infringement. --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 18:46, 1 April 2009 (UTC)
:::::::Thanks for cleaning up the copyvio. As always, you do a nice job. [[User:Cunard|Cunard]] ([[User talk:Cunard|talk]]) 22:08, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

== Copyright problem removed ==

One or more portions of this article duplicated other source(s). {{#if:|The material was copied from: {{{url}}}.|}} Infringing material has been rewritten or removed and must not be restored, ''unless'' it is duly released under a license compatible with [[GFDL]]. (For more information, please see [[Wikipedia:COPYRIGHT#Using_copyrighted_work_from_others|"using copyrighted works from others"]] if you are not the copyright holder of this material, or [[Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials|"donating copyrighted materials"]] if you are.) For [[Wikipedia:Copyrights|legal reasons]], we cannot accept [[Wikipedia:Copyrights|copyrighted]] text or images borrowed from other web sites or printed material; such additions will be deleted. Contributors may use external websites as a source of ''information'', but not as a source of ''sentences'' or ''phrases''. Accordingly, the material ''may'' be rewritten, but only if it does not infringe on the copyright of the original ''or'' [[plagiarize]] from that source. Please see our [[Wikipedia:NFC#Text|guideline on non-free text]] for how to properly implement limited quotations of copyrighted text. Wikipedia takes copyright violations very seriously, and persistent violators '''will''' be [[Wikipedia:Blocking policy|blocked]] from editing. While we appreciate contributions, we must require all contributors to understand and comply with these policies. Thank you.  --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 18:46, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

== The entire article seems to have been subtly vandalised ==

I mean
*UK cities are listed as sister cities,
*one of the educational institution has its description in ALL CAPS,
*someone has removed the Jalandhar Cantt section
We really need to look into the previous edits and rid the article of the weeds.... :)
--[[User:Gopal1035|Nothing is free in this world]] ([[User talk:Gopal1035|talk]]) 15:40, 30 April 2009 (UTC)

==Language==
I don't really think we need the language section since punjabi is the official language of punjab and hindi is the official language of Inda so is english which means we really don't need a language section because cities with other non-official languages that are important or widely spoken.[[User:RebaFan1996|RebaFan1996]] ([[User talk:RebaFan1996|talk]]) 01:27, 16 May 2009 (UTC)

== Gaurav Walia ==

Gaurav Walia
Jalandhar City
Marine Engineer
Member NASA, High IQ Society
Working with Stena Shipping

== 6 A.M. Jullandar Shere ==

My favorite rock album of all time is, believe it or not, [[Woman's Gotta Have It]] by [[Cornershop]]. Its fantastic opening song is called "6 A.M. Jullandar Shere" (and the last song is called "7:20 A.M. Jullandar Shere", a reprise of the first one).

I love listening to that song, and the rest of the album, but i never really understood its title. Now maybe i finally found - could it be that the "Jullandar" is a different spelling of the name of this city of Jalandhar? And what is "Shere"?

I am not just curios about the song - if "Jullandar" is a possible spelling for this city, then it should be mentioned somewhere. --[[User:Amire80|Amir E. Aharoni]] ([[User talk:Amire80|talk]]) 10:18, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

: Yes, Jullundar is a possible misspelling of Jalandhar, and "Shere" is a possible respelling of the Hindi/Urdu/Persian word usually spelled "Sher", meaning "lion". A "Jalandhar Sher" may be a lion from Jalandhar, literal or metaphorical. As for the spelling: since even before you asked the question, the article has carried, in the lead paragraph, the words "and it was also known as Jullundur in British times". This is already too much… if all possible English manglings of every Indian word were included in articles, they would look quite ridiculous ("Jalandar, Jalandhar, Jullandar, Jullundur, Jullundhar, Jullandhar, Jullundher, Jullunder,…" ad infinitum). The article on [[Hinduism]] doesn't mention "Hindoo" anywhere, nor does our article on [[Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi|Gandhi]] mention the spelling "Ghandi". And so on. [[User:Shreevatsa|Shreevatsa]] ([[User talk:Shreevatsa|talk]]) 10:48, 11 January 2011 (UTC)
::Thanks a lot! --[[User:Amire80|Amir E. Aharoni]] ([[User talk:Amire80|talk]]) 11:50, 11 January 2011 (UTC)
:::Shere most likely refers to [[Sher_(poem)]] since these are songs. --[[User:RegentsPark|RegentsPark]] ([[User talk:RegentsPark|talk]]) 19:45, 13 January 2011 (UTC)
::::it's been years but shere more likely refers to "shehr," as in "city." thus, '6 am in jalandhar city' [[User:Potatohead2000|Potatohead2000]] ([[User talk:Potatohead2000|talk]]) 10:12, 13 July 2023 (UTC)

== Economy Section ==

The economy section can contain the relevant info rather than the list of hospitals in the city. Add if you have any info.
[[User:Gauravpruthi|Gaurav Pruthi]] 09:50, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

==Clean up==
Please note that this article is an encyclopaedia entry not a tourist advertisement. It is not [[WP:NOTCATALOG|not a directory]] and therefore should not have long lists of schools and hospital addresses. Nor should it have lists of [[WP:SPAM|spam]] promoting local bakers, McDonalds or KFC. Information needs to be [[WP:RS|sourced with reliable references]] and valid tags should not be removed until the problems have been resolved. An editor cannot just add a [[WP:GA|'good article']] icon on a page because they feel like it. The article must be [[WP:GAN|thoroughly reviewed]] before the status is awarded. Images are set at a default [[WP:IMGSIZE|image size]] designed so that all browsers can read the articles. If you set all the images at 350px many viewers will not be able to clearly read the work on their screen. In short, there are a set of guidelines that we follow when editing. The article is still a mess. Please help to [[Wikipedia:IMPROVE|improve]] the article by adding [[WP:RS|solid sources]] and respecting the guidelines. Thank you [[User:Spanglej|Span]] ([[User talk:Spanglej|talk]]) 12:07, 25 August 2012 (UTC)

'''List of hospitals in''' '''Jalandhar'''.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Address
|-
| Patel Hospital || Prime Rose Building, Behind Skylark Hotel, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Pasricha Hospital and Maternity Home || 221, Adarsh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sparsh Hospital || 23- A, Link Road, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Smt Sudarshan Memorial Adarsh Hospital || Kasba Chowk Dasuya, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar - 144205
|-
| Aashirwad Hospital || Hoshiarpur Road, Rama Mandi, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sacred Heart Hospital G T Rd || Maqsudan, G T Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| New Ruby Hospital & Nursing Home Pvt Ltd || 25, 26, Link Road, Lajpat Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kidney Hospital || Near Kishanpura Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kahlon Hospital || Johan Market, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| K.G.M. Bone Hospital || K.G.M. Bone Hospital
|-
| Hans Hospital || 280, Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kakkar Hospital and Maternity Home || Plot No.6, Nakodar Road, Rameshwar Colony, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Lal Hospital || Rama Mandi, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Lajwant Hospital || Plot No.556 A, Adjoin, Radio Station, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kuldip Hospital and Maternity Home || 34, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kuldeep Hospital || Opposite T.V. Centre, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Khurana Hospital || 22, 107, New Market, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Khosla Surgical Hospital || Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Indian Medical Institute and Charitable Hospital || Bidhi Pur, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Joshi Hospital || Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Guru Nanak Mission Hospital || Guru Nanak Chowk, Lajpat Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Guru Nanak Medical Clinic || Near G.N.M. Hospital, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Karan Hospital || 193, Adarsh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Goel Surgical Hospital || Milap Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Jamu Hospital || Kapurthala Road, Near Sports College, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Gill Hospital || 36-A, Mall Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ghai Hospital || 661, Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| G.T.B. Charitable Hospital || G.T.B. Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Harbir Hospital || 1086, G.Garh, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kashayap Hospital || 1253 Dakoha, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| HJ Singh Ranjit Hospital || 58, Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Johal Hospital || Rama Mandi, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Jiwan Jyoti Hospital || Dilbagh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144002
|-
| Jaswant Hospital || Adda Bastian, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Dr Sethis Holy Heart Hospital || 174, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| J.P. Medical Centre || 62-A, SUS Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Guru Har Gobind Charitable Hospital || Gurudwara, Basti Sheikh, Sixth Patshahi, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Kaushal Sk Naveen Hospital || Milap Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Chowdhary Hospital || Mahavir Marg, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bengali Hospital || Chowk Pura, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Baweja Hospital || Milap Chowk, Hari Singh Educational Trust Building, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bawa Hospital || 518, New Jawahar Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Batra Hospital || Mission Compound, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Balbir Singhs Children Hospital || 38-C, P and T Colony, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| B.M. New Born and Child Care Centre || Guru Ravi Dass Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Gulab Devi T B Hospital || Near Burlton Park, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| City Hospital and Maternity Home || 213, New Jawahar Nagar, Tanda Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bhatia Hospital || 38, Mahavir Marg, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Chodha Hospital || 8/253, New Vijay Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Chawla Children Hospital || Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ashoka New Psychiatric Hospital || 92, SUS Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Arjan Memorial Hospital || Gulab Devi Hospital Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Amarjit Hospital || 353, GTB Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Aman Cancer Hospital || Khajurla Chowki, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Adarsh Hospital and Maternity || 193, A.Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Civil Hospital || Near Jyoti Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Chanan Ram Sampla Charitable Hospital || Sant Brahm Dass Marg, Kukar Pind Road, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| E.S.I. Hospital || PB Health Services, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Manish Khuranas Mediworld || 220/1, SUS Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Dr Harinder Kaur Memorial Hospital and Maternity Home || 520, New Jawahar Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Dr Darshan Hospital || 231, Defence Colony, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Doaba Hospital || 320-Lajpat Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| DMC Hospital || 57, Sus Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| DhiNagara Hospital || 4419-Canal Road, Dayal Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Berry Hospital || Nakodar Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Cheema Hospital || Mithapur Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bhagat Hospital || Dayanand Chowk, Garha, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Cantt. Board General Hospital || Jalandhar Cantt, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| C.M.O Base Hospital || B.S.F Campus, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bowry Medical Centre || 73, SUS Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bone and Joint Centre || 19, Link Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| BMK Pahwa Charitable Hospital || 43, Basti Nau, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Bhutani Children Hospital || 6, Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Maharaj Aggarsain Charitable Hospital || Sodal Road, Jalandhar - 144004
|-
| Civil Hospital || New Building, Civil Hospital, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| S.G.L. Charitable Hospital || K 2, Roop Nagar, Garha Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Malhotra Hospital || 107, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Saranjit Hospital || 5, Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sant Baba Pritam Dass Memorial Charitable Hospital || Randhawa, Masandan, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sant Baba Nihal Singh Charitable Hospital || Talhantln, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Saini De-Addiction Hospital || 421-L, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Sahara Hospital || 34, Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Satnam Singh Memorial Hospital || Adda Khambra, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sabharwal Hospital || 257-L. Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Satyam Hospital and Training Centre || H.No.392, Adarsh Nagar, Kapurthala Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ruby Nelson Memorial Hospital || Hospital CANTT Road, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| Saini Hospital || 421-L, Mall Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Saini Heart Centre || 44, SUS Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Punjab Hospital || 287, Defence Colony, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Punjab Artificial Limbs Centre || 421-A, Dyal Nagar, B.Side Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Preet Hospital || Shakti Nagar, Near Football Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| PMG Hospital || 212-R, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Shri Dashmesh Mission Hospital || Harmamdass Pura, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Swami Satyanand Hospital || SCO-32, Ladowali Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Vidhya Hospital || New Model House, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Verma Hospital || 11, Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Vasal Hospital Pvt Ltd || 37, Kapurthala Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Vardean Hospital || 554, Mota Singh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Tyagmurti Missionary Hospital || Shiv Bari Makhdoom Pura, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Toor Hospital || Mithapur Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Satnam Memorial Charitable Hospital || Near TV Tower, Nakodar Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Tagore Hospital Pvt Ltd || Mahavir Marg, Banda Bahadur Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| R.B. Sewak Ram Hospital || Kapurthala Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Virk Hospital || 360, Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sharda ENT Hospital || 401, L.R. Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sareen Hospital || Central Town, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sanjivani Hospital || 74, Banda Bahadur Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sood Hospital || Adda Basti Sheikh, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sikka Hospital || 140, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Sharma Hospital || Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Talwar Hospital || 81-R, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Nanda Hospital || N.J. Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Orthonova Hospital || Nakodar Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ohri Hospital || Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Oberoi Hospital || 8, Gujral Nagar, Near T.V. Centre, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| New Hope Infertility Research Centre || 554, Mota Singh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Neuro Psychiatric Hospital || 309, N.J. Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Navjiwan Hospital || 39, Shivaji Park, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ravi Pal Child Hospital || Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| National Kidney Hospital || Eh-175, Opposite Session Court, Civil Lines, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Parkash Hospital || 20, Ph.-2, Wadala, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Modern Hospital || H.No.39, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Markanda Hospital || Hoshiarpur Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Military Hospital || Nalwa Road, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| Medical Education Cell Military Hospital || Nalwa Road, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| Mathra Dass Hospital || Mohalli No. 6, Jalandhar - 144005
|-
| Mangat Hospital || E.H.-175, Civil Lines, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| A. V. M. Laser Hospital || 9-A, Link Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Navjivan Hospital || Ravi Dass Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Rajan Memorial Hospital || Gulab Devi Hospital Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Makkar Hospital || 379, Adarsh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Pruthi Hospital || 301, Lajpat Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Pingla Ghar || Near Gulab Devi Hospital, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ranjit Hospital || 58, Patel Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Ranjit Chest Hospital || 58, Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Randhawa Hospital || Maqsudan Chowk, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Rana Hospital || 644, Model Town, Jalandhar - 144003
|-
| Oxford Hospitals Pvt. Limited || 305, Lajpat Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Rajkamal Hospital || Rama Mandi, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Pal Hospital || Partap Bagh, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Rajan Hospital || 280, Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Pawan Hospital and Maternity Home || 18, Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Paul Hospital || Avtar Nagar Road, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Parmar Hospital and Maternity Home || 70, Shaheed Udham Sigh Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Rattan Hospital || 280, SUS Nagar, Jalandhar - 144001
|-
| Rajput Hospital || Opposite Bus Stand, Jalandhar - 144001
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Location
|-
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar || G.T.Road
|-
| Lovely Professional University || G.T.Road
|-
| D. A. V. Institute of Engineering & Technology || Kabir Nagar
|-
| D. A. V. College || Mahatma Hans Raj Marg
|-
| Apeejay College Of Fine Art || New Jawahar Nagar
|-
| Vivek Commercial College || Jyoti Chowk Road
|-
| Punjab Technical University || Near Devi Talab Mandir
|-
| Govt. Polytechnic For Women || Ladowali Road
|-
| GNN College || Bye Pass, Nakodar - Jalandhar
|-
| G. Nanak National College || Main Raod, Nakodar - Jalandhar
|-
| G. Nanak Khalsa Girls College || Sand Dhesian, Grya
|-
| Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya || Workshop Chowk
|-
| H.M .V. College || G.T.Road
|-
| Er. J.N.Chakrabarty Regional Engineering College || Jalandhar
|-
| Dr B.R.Ambedkar Regional Engineering College || Post Office Suranussi
|-
| Govt. Arts And Sports College || Kapurthala Chowk
|-
| Dayanand Ayurvedic Hospital || G.T.Road
|-
| Guru Nanak Dev University Evening College || Basti Nau
|-
| Career College || Model Town Market
|-
| C.T. College Of Education || Maqsudan
|-
| Bhrigu Commercial College || Nc-288, Galivir Bhan
|-
| Best Commercil College || Gopal Nagar
|-
| B.D.Arya Girls College || 42, Haqikal Road
|-
| Apeejay Institute Of Management || Ladhewali
|-
| Amrit Commercial College || 45, Link Colony
|-
| Doaba College || Doaba Chowk, Tanda Road
|-
| New Elit Commercial College || 298, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar
|-
| Trinity College || Diocese Of Jalandhar, Bye Pass Road
|-
| St Soldier College For Women || Barti Danish Gokal Riad
|-
| Sikh Missionary College || M.H. Road
|-
| S.P. National College || Harnamdas Pura
|-
| S.D. College Of Women || N.G. Road
|-
| Republic College || Pacca Bagh
|-
| Regional Engineering College || Jalandhar
|-
| Govt. Training College || Ladwali Road
|-
| Punjab Medical Institute || 21, Guru Nagar
|-
| Guru Nanak Dev University RC Jalandhar || Ladhewali
|-
| MGN College Of Education || National College
|-
| National College || Tanda Road
|-
| KRM Dav College || Shankar Road
|-
| KMV College || Tanda Road
|-
| Kasturba Girls College || Partap Road
|-
| Lyallpur Khalsa College || G.T.Road
|-
| Janta Degree College || Kartarpur Road
|-
| Jagdambay Commercial College || 178, Dilbagh Nagar, Ext-Grover Colony
|-
| Punjab Technical University || REC Post Office
|}

I agree with Span. Please see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NOT#Wikipedia_is_not_a_directory our rules]. [[User:My very best wishes|My very best wishes]] ([[User talk:My very best wishes|talk]]) 15:51, 6 October 2012 (UTC)

== External links modified ==

Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified one external link on [[Jalandhar]]. Please take a moment to review [[special:diff/811227660|my edit]]. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit [[User:Cyberpower678/FaQs#InternetArchiveBot|this simple FaQ]] for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20141014151317/http://www.mcjalandhar.in/mayor-message.html to http://www.mcjalandhar.in/mayor-message.html/

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== Copyright problem removed ==

[[File:Copyright-problem.svg|32px]] Prior content in this article duplicated one or more previously published sources. The material was copied from: https://www.mapsofindia.com/jalandhar/history.html and http://nripunjab.gov.in/jalandhar-tourehistory.htm. Copied or closely paraphrased material has been rewritten or removed and must not be restored, ''unless'' it is duly released under a compatible license. (For more information, please see [[WP:COPYRIGHT#Using copyrighted work from others|"using copyrighted works from others"]] if you are not the copyright holder of this material, or [[WP:Donating copyrighted materials|"donating copyrighted materials"]] if you are.)

For [[WP:Copyrights|legal reasons]], we cannot accept [[WP:Copyrights|copyrighted]] text or images borrowed from other web sites or published material; such additions will be deleted. Contributors may use copyrighted publications as a source of ''information'', and, if allowed under [[fair use]], may copy sentences and phrases, provided they are included in quotation marks and [[WP:CS|referenced]] properly. The material may also be rewritten, providing it does not infringe on the copyright of the original ''or'' [[WP:Plagiarism|plagiarize]] from that source. Therefore, such paraphrased portions must provide their source. Please see our [[WP:NFC#Text|guideline on non-free text]] for how to properly implement limited quotations of copyrighted text. Wikipedia takes copyright violations '''very seriously''', and persistent violators '''will''' be [[WP:Blocking policy|blocked]] from editing. While we appreciate contributions, we must require all contributors to understand and comply with these policies. Thank you.  [[User:Justlettersandnumbers|Justlettersandnumbers]] ([[User talk:Justlettersandnumbers|talk]]) 13:12, 25 November 2019 (UTC)

== Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 22 November 2022 ==

{{edit extended-protected|Jalandhar|answered=yes}}
PLEASE ADD IVY WORLD SCHOOL, RAMA MANDI ON THE SCHOOL LIST [[Special:Contributions/117.241.164.144|117.241.164.144]] ([[User talk:117.241.164.144|talk]]) 00:36, 22 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Red information icon with gradient background.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not done:''' please provide [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] that support the change you want to be made. Also, [[Ivy World School]] does not seem to exist at the moment, likely will need to [[WP:WTAF]] [[User:Cannolis|Cannolis]] ([[User talk:Cannolis|talk]]) 01:23, 22 November 2022 (UTC)

== Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 1 December 2022 ==

{{edit extended-protected|Jalandhar|answered=yes}}
[[Special:Contributions/2600:100E:B014:5F02:D0CE:E16:FE4A:ECD2|2600:100E:B014:5F02:D0CE:E16:FE4A:ECD2]] ([[User talk:2600:100E:B014:5F02:D0CE:E16:FE4A:ECD2|talk]]) 11:49, 1 December 2022 (UTC)
Police DAV PUBLIC SCHOOL
:[[File:Red question icon with gradient background.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Not done:''' it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a [[WP:EDITXY|"change X to Y" format]] and provide a [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources|reliable source]] if appropriate. [[User:Cannolis|Cannolis]] ([[User talk:Cannolis|talk]]) 18:55, 1 December 2022 (UTC)

== Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 27 February 2023 ==

{{Edit extended-protected|Jalandhar|answered=yes}}
In the history section it is stated that Jalandhar was conquered by the Ghaznavids between 1058 and 1080 ce. This is incorrect information, as stated in the source it was c. 1070 ce that the battle outside jalandhar ensued and the battles outcome is not known which neither indicates defeat or victory hence 'conquered' should be removed and the rest reworded. It also states in the source that jalandhar is not mentioned in Ghaznavid annals hence defeat can not be guaranteed which should also be added. [[User:Trigarta|Trigarta]] ([[User talk:Trigarta|talk]]) 01:40, 27 February 2023 (UTC)
:[[File:Pictogram voting question.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Question:''' Can you please more specific about the source you're referring to? It would also help if you could provide the page numbers or quotes from it. [[User:M.Bitton|M.Bitton]] ([[User talk:M.Bitton|talk]]) 02:27, 27 February 2023 (UTC)

Page 122-123 of the source that is already provided in the text. 'History of the Panjab hill states' by J.ph vogel [[User:Trigarta|Trigarta]] ([[User talk:Trigarta|talk]]) 18:20, 27 February 2023 (UTC)

:Thanks. I will leave a direct link to an [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.38533/page/n133/mode/2up accessible source] for others to verify. [[User:M.Bitton|M.Bitton]] ([[User talk:M.Bitton|talk]]) 18:51, 2 March 2023 (UTC)
:{{partly done|Partly done:}} The source in question states: "it seems not improbable that the reference given points to the fall of Jalandhar before the Muhammadan arms, and the loss by the Bajas of Trigarta of their possessions on the plains which may have taken place about a.d. 1070". I have edited the article to more accurately reflect the unclear nature of the event. However, the source does seem to indicate that a successful conquest is a strong possibility. [[User:Actualcpscm|Actualcpscm]] ([[User talk:Actualcpscm|talk]]) 14:20, 12 March 2023 (UTC)

== HDI ==

HDI figure appears unsourced? Closest figure I can find is the 2004 UNDP report where HDI figures for district of Jalandhar (not just the city) were calculated. The number was something .718, not .4whatever. [[User:Potatohead2000|Potatohead2000]] ([[User talk:Potatohead2000|talk]]) 10:18, 13 July 2023 (UTC)

2023-02-06T22:19:08Z

Potatohead2000: just setting it to watch page

{{short description|Small size of an organism, caused by growth deficiency or genetic mutations}}
{{About|the medical condition|the legendary creature|Dwarf (folklore)|other uses|Dwarf (disambiguation){{!}}Dwarf}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infobox medical condition (new)
| name = Dwarfism
| image = Ethan Crough, male dwarf.jpg
| caption = A man in [[Columbus, Indiana]], with dwarfism caused by [[achondroplasia]]
| field = [[Endocrinology]], [[medical genetics]]
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|w|ɔːr|f|ɪ|z|əm}}
| symptoms =
| complications =
| onset =
| duration =
| types =
| causes = Hyposecretion of [[growth hormone]] from [[pituitary gland]] ([[growth hormone deficiency]]), [[genetic disorders]]
| risks =
| diagnosis =
| differential =
| prevention =
| treatment =
| medication =
| prognosis =
| frequency =
| deaths =
}}


'''Dwarfism''' is a condition wherein an [[organism]] is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwarfism|title=Definition of DWARFISM|website=Merriam-webster.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref> In humans, it is sometimes defined as [[Short stature|an adult height of less than {{convert|4|ft|10|in|cm|order=flip}}]], regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is {{convert|4|ft|0|in|cm|order=flip}}, although some individuals with dwarfism are slightly taller.<ref name=NLM2008>{{cite web|url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dwarfism.html |title=MedlinePlus: Dwarfism |date=2008-08-04|publisher=National Institute of Health|work=MedlinePlus |access-date=2008-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lpaonline.org/faq-#Definition|title=FAQ|website=Lpaonline.org|language=en-us|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref name="mayo-symptoms"/> ''Disproportionate dwarfism'' is characterized by either [[Rhizomelia|short limbs]] or a short torso. In cases of ''proportionate dwarfism'', both the limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most have a nearly normal life expectancy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/restricted-growth/Pages/Introduction.aspx|title=Restricted growth (dwarfism) – NHS Choices|website=Nhs.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref name="Pau2012">{{cite journal |last1=Pauli |first1=RM |last2=Adam |first2=MP |last3=Ardinger |first3=HH |last4=Pagon |first4=RA |last5=Wallace |first5=SE |last6=Bean |first6=LJH |last7=Mefford |first7=HC |last8=Stephens |first8=K |last9=Amemiya |first9=A |last10=Ledbetter |first10=N |date=2012 |title=Achondroplasia |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20301331/ |journal=GeneReviews |pmid=20301331}}</ref> People with dwarfism can usually [[bear children]], though there are [[Achondroplasia#Adults|additional]] [[Pregnancy risks|risks to the mother and child]] dependent upon the underlying condition.


The most common and recognisable form of dwarfism in humans (comprising 70% of cases) is [[achondroplasia]], a [[genetic disorder]] whereby the limbs are diminutive.<ref name=":0"/> [[Growth hormone deficiency]] is responsible for most other cases.<ref name="urlDwarfism"/> Treatment depends on the underlying cause. [[Osteochondrodysplasia|Those with genetic disorders]] can sometimes be treated with surgery or physical therapy. [[Hormone disorders]] can also be treated with [[growth hormone therapy]] before the child's [[growth plate]]s fuse. Individual accommodations, such as specialized furniture, are often used by people with dwarfism.<ref name="pmid14671400">{{cite journal |vauthors=Hagenäs L, Hertel T |title=Skeletal dysplasia, growth hormone treatment and body proportion: comparison with other syndromic and non-syndromic short children |journal=Horm. Res. |volume=60 Suppl 3 |issue= 3|pages=65–70 |year=2003 |pmid=14671400 |doi=10.1159/000074504 |s2cid=29174195 |url=http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=HRE2003060S03065 |access-date=2008-11-17}}</ref> Many [[support groups]] provide services to aid individuals and the [[discrimination]] they may face.<ref name="mayo-treatment">{{cite web |url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs |title=Dwarfism: Treatment and drugs |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=2007-09-27 |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref>


In addition to the medical aspect of the condition, there are also social aspects. For a person with dwarfism, [[height discrimination]] can lead to ridicule in childhood and discrimination in adulthood.<ref name="UPenn">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ssc.upenn.edu/~persico/research/Papers/short.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070710052009/http://www.ssc.upenn.edu/~persico/research/Papers/short.pdf |url-status=dead |title=University of Pennsylvania, Arts and Sciences: 'The Effect of Adolescent Experience on Labor Market Outcomes: The Case of Height'|archive-date=10 July 2007|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="ScienceBlog">{{cite web |url=http://www3.scienceblog.com/community/older/2000/A/200000988.html|title=Science Blog – Short children more likely to be bullied at school |publisher=3.scienceblog.com}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and other [[English-speaking countries]], labels that some people with dwarfism accept include ''dwarf'' (plural: ''dwarfs''), ''little person'' (LP), or ''person of short stature'' (see [[Dwarfism#Terminology|Terminology]]).<ref name="LPA">{{cite web |title=Dwarfism Resources: Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Little People of America |date=2006-07-09 |url=http://www.lpaonline.org/resources_faq.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516011550/http://www.lpaonline.org/resources_faq.html |archive-date=2006-05-16 |access-date=2006-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=LittlePeople UK |url=http://www.littlepeopleuk.org/ |access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref> Historically, the term ''[[midget]]'' was used to describe dwarfs (primarily proportionate); however, some now consider this term offensive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midget |title=midget |website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary}}</ref>

==Signs and symptoms==
[[File:Dackelpferd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Dwarfism occurs in animals as well as humans; horses can have [[achondroplastic]] symptoms, as shown here next to a person with dwarfism.]]
A defining characteristic of dwarfism is an adult height less than the 2.3rd percentile of the CDC standard growth charts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm|title=Growth Charts - Clinical Growth Charts|date=11 January 2019|website=Cdc.gov|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> There is a wide range of physical characteristics. Variations in individuals are identified by diagnosing and monitoring the underlying disorders. There may not be any complications outside adapting to their size.

Short stature is a common replacement of the term 'dwarfism', especially in a medical context. Short stature is clinically defined as a height within the lowest 2.3% of those in the general population. However, those with mild skeletal [[dysplasia]]s may not be affected by dwarfism. In some cases of untreated [[hypochondroplasia]], males grow up to {{convert|5|ft|5|in|cm|abbr=in|order=flip}}. Though that is short in a relative context, it does not fall into the extreme ranges of the growth charts.

Disproportionate dwarfism is characterized by shortened limbs or a shortened torso. In [[achondroplasia]] one has an average-sized trunk with short limbs and a larger forehead.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> Facial features are often affected and individual body parts may have problems associated with them. [[Spinal stenosis]], [[ear infection]], and [[hydrocephalus]] are common. In case of spinal [[dysostosis]], one has a small trunk, with average-sized limbs.

Proportionate dwarfism is marked by a short torso with short limbs,<ref name="mayo-symptoms">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=symptoms |title=Dwarfism: Symptoms |access-date=2009-01-29 |work=MayoClinic.com |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref> thus leading to a height that is significantly below average. There may be long periods without any significant growth. [[Sexual development]] is often delayed or impaired into adulthood. This dwarfism type is caused by an [[endocrine disorder]] and not a skeletal dysplasia.

Physical effects of malformed bones vary according to the specific disease. Many involve joint pain caused by abnormal bone alignment, or from [[nerve]] compression.<ref name="LPA"/> Early degenerative joint disease, exaggerated [[lordosis]] or [[scoliosis]], and constriction of [[spinal cord]] or nerve roots can cause pain and disability.<ref name="seattle-dysplasia">{{cite web |url=http://orthopedics.seattlechildrens.org/conditions_treated/dwarfism_and_bone_dysplasias.asp |title=Dwarfism and Bone Dysplasias |access-date=2008-11-18 |publisher=Seattle Children's Hospital, Research & Foundation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504091309/http://orthopedics.seattlechildrens.org/conditions_treated/dwarfism_and_bone_dysplasias.asp |archive-date=2007-05-04 }}</ref> Reduced [[thorax|thoracic]] size can restrict lung growth and reduce pulmonary function. Some forms of dwarfism are associated with disordered function of other organs, such as the [[brain]] or [[liver]], sometimes severely enough to be more of an impairment than the unusual bone growth.<ref name="mayo-complications">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=complications |title=Dwarfism: Complications |access-date=2008-11-18 |work=MayoClinic.com |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref><ref name="pmid5946547">{{cite journal |vauthors=Escamilla RF, Hutchings JJ, Li CH, Forsham P |title=Achondroplastic dwarfism. Effects of treatment with human growth hormone |journal=Calif Med |volume=105 |issue=2 |pages=104–10 |date=August 1966 |pmid=5946547 |pmc=1516352 }}</ref>

Mental effects also vary according to the specific underlying syndrome. In most cases of skeletal dysplasia, such as achondroplasia, mental function is not impaired.<ref name="mayo-symptoms"/> However, there are syndromes which can affect the cranial structure and growth of the brain, severely impairing mental capacity. Unless the brain is directly affected by the underlying disorder, there is little to no chance of mental impairment that can be attributed to dwarfism.<ref name="urlThe Pituitary Gland & Growth Disorders: An Overview">{{cite web |url=http://www.hormone.org/Growth/overview.cfm |title=The Pituitary Gland & Growth Disorders: An Overview |access-date=2009-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210025422/http://www.hormone.org/Growth/overview.cfm |archive-date=2013-02-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The psycho-social limitations of society may be more disabling than the physical symptoms, especially in childhood and adolescence, but people with dwarfism vary greatly in the degree to which social participation and emotional health are affected.
* Social prejudice against extreme shortness may reduce social and marital opportunities.<ref name="{{ISBN|0-8018-8121-8}}">{{cite book |author1=Hall, Judith A. |author2=Adelson, Betty M. |title=Dwarfism: medical and psychosocial aspects of profound short stature |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore |year=2005 |isbn=0-8018-8121-8 }}</ref><ref name="pmid12884421">{{cite journal |vauthors=Gollust SE, Thompson RE, Gooding HC, Biesecker BB |date=August 2003 |title=Living with achondroplasia in an average-sized world: an assessment of quality of life |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajmg.a.20127 |journal=American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A |volume=120A |issue=4 |pages=447–58 |doi=10.1002/ajmg.a.20127 |pmid=12884421 |s2cid=38614817}}</ref> {{See also|Heightism}}
* Numerous studies have demonstrated reduced employment opportunities. Severe shortness is associated with lower income.<ref name="pmid12884421"/>
* [[Self-esteem]] may decline and family relationships may be affected.
* Extreme shortness (in the {{convert|60|-|90|cm|ft|0|abbr=in|disp=or}} range) can, if not accommodated for, interfere with [[activities of daily living]], like driving or using countertops built for taller people. Other common attributes of dwarfism such as bowed knees and unusually short fingers can lead to back problems and difficulty in walking and handling objects.
* Children with dwarfism are particularly vulnerable to teasing and ridicule from classmates. Because dwarfism is relatively uncommon, children may feel isolated from their peers.<ref name="mayo-complications"/>

==Causes==
[[File:Seneb and wife statue.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Seneb]], court official and priest for the [[Ancient Egypt]]ian rulers [[Khufu]] and [[Djedefre]], with his wife Senetites and their children<ref>''Ancient Egypt: Kingdom of the Pharaohs'', R. Hamilton, p. 47, Paragon, 2006, {{ISBN|1-4054-8288-5}}</ref>]]
Dwarfism can result from many medical conditions, each with its own separate symptoms and causes. Extreme shortness in humans with proportional body parts usually has a hormonal cause, such as [[Growth hormone deficiency|growth-hormone deficiency]], once called ''pituitary dwarfism''.<ref name="LPA"/><ref name="dwarfism-pbshome">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_dwarfism_ety.html |title=Big Enough. What is Dwarfism? |date=2006-08-08 |last=Kennedy |first=Dan |website=[[POV (TV series)]] |publisher=[[PBS]] (Public Broadcasting Service) |access-date=2008-11-18 |archive-date=2009-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313112314/http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_dwarfism_ety.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Achondroplasia is responsible for the majority of human dwarfism cases, followed by [[spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia]] and [[diastrophic dysplasia]].<ref name="urlDwarfism">{{cite web|url=http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/dwarfism.html|title=Dwarfism|publisher=[[KidsHealth]]|access-date=2015-06-30}}</ref>

===Achondroplasia===
{{further|Achondroplasia}}
The most recognizable and most common form of dwarfism in humans is achondroplasia, which accounts for 70% of dwarfism cases, and occurs in 4 to 15 out of 100,000 live births.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Çevik|first1=Banu|last2=Çolakoğlu|first2=Serhan|url=http://www.meja.aub.edu.lb/downloads/20_6/907.pdf|title=Anesthetic management of achondroplastic dwarf undergoing cesarean section|journal=M.E.J. Anesth.|volume=20|issue=6|year=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713022612/http://www.meja.aub.edu.lb/downloads/20_6/907.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

It produces rhizomelic short limbs, increased spinal curvature, and distortion of skull growth. In achondroplasia the body's limbs are proportionately shorter than the trunk (abdominal area), with a larger head than average and characteristic facial features. Achondroplasia is an [[autosomal dominant]] disorder caused by the presence of an altered [[allele]] in the genome. If a pair of achondroplasia alleles are present, the result is fatal. Achondroplasia is a mutation in the [[fibroblast growth factor receptor 3]].<ref>{{Gene|FGFR3}}</ref> In the context of achondroplasia, this mutation causes FGFR3 to become constitutively active, inhibiting bone growth.<ref name="urlAchondroplasia - Genetics Home Reference">{{cite web |url=http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=achondroplasia |title=Achondroplasia – Genetics Home Reference |date=2008-09-26|work=Genetics Home Reference|publisher=National Institute of Health |access-date=2008-10-01}}</ref>

===Growth hormone deficiency===
{{further|Growth hormone deficiency}}
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition in which the body produces insufficient [[growth hormone]]. Growth hormone, also called [[somatotropin]], is a [[polypeptide]] [[hormone]] which stimulates [[Human development (biology)|growth]] and cell reproduction. If this hormone is lacking, stunted or even halted growth may become apparent. Children with this disorder may grow slowly and puberty may be delayed by several years or indefinitely. Growth hormone deficiency has no single definite cause. It can be caused by mutations of specific genes, damage to the pituitary gland, [[Turner's syndrome]], poor nutrition,<ref name="ghdeficiency">{{cite web | publisher = UK Child Growth Foundation | title = Growth Hormone Deficiency | url = http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/ghd.htm | access-date = 2009-01-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090116030454/http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/ghd.htm | archive-date = 2009-01-16 | url-status = dead }}</ref> or even stress (leading to [[psychogenic dwarfism]]). [[Laron syndrome]] (growth hormone insensitivity) is another cause. Those with growth hormone issues tend to be proportionate.

===Metatropic dysplasia===
Metatropic means "changing form" and refers to this form of skeletal dysplasia as there is an abnormality in the growth plates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/metatropic-dysplasia#:~:text=What%20is%20metatropic%20dysplasia%3F,flattening%20of%20the%20vertebral%20bodies |title=Metatropic Dysplasia | |publisher=Johns Hopkins Medicine |date=2022-02-03 |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref> Skeletal changes continue over time and may need surgical intervention to help protect the lungs.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/3571/metatropic-dysplasia |title=Metatropic dysplasia | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program |website=Rarediseases.info.nih.gov |date= |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref> Symptoms starting at birth may be mild or can be fatal.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/metatropic-dysplasia/|title=Metatropic dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics|website=Medlineplus.gov|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> There are recognizable features in individuals with this genetic disorder. Some are short stature, narrow chest, " facial features such as a prominent forehead, underdevelopment of the upper jaw, cheekbones and eye sockets (midface hypoplasia), and a squared-off jaw."<ref name="autogenerated1"/> It is considered a more severe skeletal dysplasia, but is very rare, with the exact number of those affected unknown.<ref name="auto"/> Prognosis is largely on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity, and life expectancy may not be impacted unless there are respiratory complications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=2635 |title=Orphanet: Metatropic dysplasia |website=Orpha.net |date=2017-05-17 |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref>

===Other===
Other causes of dwarfism are [[spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita]], [[diastrophic dysplasia]], [[pseudoachondroplasia]], [[hypochondroplasia]], [[Noonan syndrome]], [[primordial dwarfism]], [[Cockayne syndrome]], [[Kniest dysplasia]], [[Turner syndrome]], [[osteogenesis imperfecta]] (OI), and [[hypothyroidism]]. Severe shortness with skeletal distortion also occurs in several of the [[Mucopolysaccharidosis|Mucopolysaccharidoses]] and other [[lysosomal storage disease|storage disorders]].<ref name="urlCauses of Dwarfism - WrongDiagnosis.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dwarfism/causes.htm |title=Causes of Dwarfism |website=WrongDiagnosis.com |access-date=2009-03-23}}</ref> [[Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism]] may cause proportionate, yet temporary, dwarfism. [[NPR2]] disproportionate dwarfism was discovered recently and is caused by a mutant gene.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Loss-of-Function Mutation in Natriuretic Peptide Receptor 2 (Npr2) Gene Is Responsible for Disproportionate Dwarfism in cn/cn Mouse|url=https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258(19)60512-0/pdf|format=PDF|website=Jbc.org}}</ref>

Serious chronic illnesses may produce dwarfism as a side effect. Harsh environmental conditions, such as malnutrition, may also produce dwarfism. These types of dwarfism are indirect consequences of the generally unhealthy or malnourished condition of the individual, and not of any specific disease. The dwarfism often takes the form of simple short stature, without any deformities, thus leading to proportionate dwarfism. In societies where poor nutrition is widespread, the average height of the population may be reduced below its genetic potential by the lack of proper nutrition. Sometimes there is no definitive cause of short stature.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

==Diagnosis==
Dwarfism is often diagnosed in childhood on the basis of visible symptoms. A physical examination can usually suffice to diagnose certain types of dwarfism, but [[genetic testing]] and diagnostic imaging may be used to determine the exact condition.<ref name="urlDWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) - WrongDiagnosis.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dwarfism/book-diseases-1a.htm |title=DWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) |website=WrongDiagnosis.com |access-date=2009-02-22}}</ref> In a person's youth, growth charts that track height can be used to diagnose subtle forms of dwarfism that have no other striking physical characteristics.<ref name="urlDwarfism"/>

Short stature or stunted growth during youth is usually what brings the condition to medical attention. Skeletal [[dysplasia]] is usually suspected because of obvious physical features (e.g., unusual configuration of face or shape of skull), because of an obviously affected parent, or because body measurements (arm span, upper to lower segment ratio) indicate disproportion.<ref name="urlDWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) - WrongDiagnosis.com"/> Bone X-rays are often key to diagnosing a specific skeletal dysplasia, but are not the sole diagnostic tool. Most children with suspected skeletal dysplasias are referred to a genetics clinic for diagnostic confirmation and [[genetic counseling]]. Since about the year 2000, genetic tests for some of the specific disorders have become available.<ref name="mayo-diagnosis">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis |title=Dwarfism: Tests and diagnosis |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=2007-08-27 |work=Mayo Clinic |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref>

During an initial medical evaluation of shortness, the absence of disproportion and other clues listed above usually indicates causes other than bone dysplasias.

===Classification===
[[File:Lavinia Warren - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Lavinia Warren]], an actress with [[pituitary dwarfism]] (growth hormone deficiency)]]
In men and women, the sole requirement for being considered a dwarf is having an adult height under {{cvt|147|cm|ftin}} and it is almost always sub-classified with respect to the underlying condition that is the cause of the short stature. Dwarfism is usually caused by a genetic variant; achondroplasia is caused by a mutation on [[chromosome 4]]. If dwarfism is caused by a medical disorder, the person is referred to by the underlying diagnosed disorder. Disorders causing dwarfism are often classified by proportionality. Disproportionate dwarfism describes disorders that cause unusual proportions of the body parts, while proportionate dwarfism results in a generally uniform stunting of the body.

Disorders that cause dwarfism may be classified according to one of hundreds of names, which are usually permutations of the following roots:
* location
** [[Rhizomelia|rhizomelic]] = root, i.e., bones of the upper arm or thigh
** mesomelic = middle, i.e., bones of the forearm or lower leg
** acromelic = end, i.e., bones of hands and feet.
** micromelic = entire limbs are shortened
* source
** chondro = of cartilage
** osteo = of bone
** spondylo = of the vertebrae
** plasia = form
** trophy = growth

Examples include achondroplasia and [[chondrodystrophy]].

==Prevention==
Many types of dwarfism are currently impossible to prevent because they are genetically caused. Genetic conditions that cause dwarfism may be identified with [[genetic testing]], by screening for the specific variations that result in the condition. However, due to the number of causes of dwarfism, it may be impossible to determine definitively if a child will be born with dwarfism.

Dwarfism resulting from malnutrition or a hormonal abnormality may be treated with an appropriate diet or hormonal therapy. Growth hormone deficiency may be remedied via injections of [[Growth hormone therapy|human growth hormone (HGH)]] during early life.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Jørgensen |first1=Jens O.L. |title=Clinical Aspects of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults |date=2005 |url=https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/88338 |work=Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults |volume=33 |pages=1–20 |publisher=KARGER |doi=10.1159/000088338 |isbn=3-8055-7992-6 |pmid=16166752 |last2=Christiansen |first2=Jens S.}}</ref>

==Management==
Genetic mutations of most forms of dwarfism caused by bone dysplasia cannot be altered yet, so therapeutic interventions are typically aimed at preventing or reducing pain or physical disability, increasing adult height, or mitigating psychosocial stresses and enhancing social adaptation.<ref name="mayo-treatment"/>

Forms of dwarfism associated with the endocrine system may be treated using [[hormonal therapy]]. If the cause is prepubescent hyposecretion of growth hormone, supplemental growth hormone may correct the abnormality. If the receptor for growth hormone is itself affected, the condition may prove harder to treat. [[Hypothyroidism]] is another possible cause of dwarfism that can be treated through hormonal therapy. Injections of thyroid hormone can mitigate the effects of the condition, but lack of proportion may be permanent.

Pain and disability may be ameliorated by physical therapy, braces or other orthotic devices, or by surgical procedures.<ref name="mayo-treatment"/> The only simple interventions that increase perceived adult height are dress enhancements, such as shoe lifts or hairstyle. Growth hormone is rarely used for shortness caused by bone dysplasias, since the height benefit is typically small (less than {{cvt|5|cm|round=0.5|disp=sqbr}}) and the cost high.<ref name="pmid14671400"/> The most effective means of increasing adult height by several inches is [[distraction osteogenesis]], though availability is limited and the cost is high in terms of money, discomfort, and disruption of life. Most people with dwarfism do not choose this option, and it remains controversial.<ref name="LPA"/> For other types of dwarfism, surgical treatment is not possible.

==Society and culture==

===Terminology===
[[File:Two Völuspá Dwarves by Frølich.jpg|thumb|Two [[Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]] as depicted in a 19th-century edition of the ''[[Poetic Edda]]'' poem ''[[Völuspá]]'' (1895) by [[Lorenz Frølich]]]]
The appropriate term for describing a person of particularly short stature (or with the genetic condition [[achondroplasia]]) has developed euphemistically.

The noun ''dwarf'' stems from [[Old English]] ''dweorg'', originally referring to a being from [[Germanic mythology]]—a [[dwarf (Germanic mythology)|dwarf]]—that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting. The [[etymology]] of the word ''dwarf'' is contested, and scholars have proposed varying theories about the origins of the being, including that dwarfs may have originated as nature spirits or as beings associated with death, or as a mixture of concepts. Competing etymologies include a basis in the [[Proto-Indo-European root|Indo-European]] root ''*dheur-'' (meaning 'damage'), the Indo-European root ''*dhreugh'' (whence modern Dutch ''droom'' 'dream' and ''bedrog'' 'deception'), and comparisons have been made with the Old Indian ''[[Dharavi|dhvaras]]'' (a type of demonic being). The being may not have gained associations with small stature until a later period.<ref name="SIMEK67-68">[[Rudolf Simek|Simek, Rudolf]] (2007) translated by Angela Hall. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Zni8GwAACAAJ Dictionary of Northern Mythology]'', pp. 67–68. [[Boydell & Brewer|D.S. Brewer]] {{ISBN|0-85991-513-1}}</ref>

The terms "dwarf", "little person", "LP", and "person of short stature" are generally considered acceptable by most people affected by these disorders.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> However, the plural "dwarfs" as opposed to "dwarves" is generally preferred in the medical context, possibly because the plural "dwarves" was popularized by author [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], describing a race of characters in his ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' books resembling [[Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Tolkien|first=John Ronald Reuel|title=The Return of the King|year=1955|publisher=George Allen & Unwin|pages=Appendix F|url=http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/d/dwarves/dwarfpluralof.htm}}</ref>

"[[Midget]]", whose etymology indicates a "tiny biting insect",<ref name="midget-def">{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/midget |title=midget |access-date=2008-11-18 |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Dictionary.com }}</ref> came into prominence in the mid-19th century after [[Harriet Beecher Stowe]] used it in her novels ''Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands'' and ''[[Oldtown Folks]]'' where she described children and an extremely short man, respectively.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> Later some people of short stature considered the word to be offensive because it was the descriptive term applied to [[P. T. Barnum]]'s dwarfs used for public amusement during the [[freak show]] era.<ref name="LPA"/><ref name="Adelson2005">{{cite book|last=Adelson|first=Betty M.|title=The Lives Of Dwarfs: Their Journey From Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ym5x3mq2p7EC&pg=PA295|access-date=8 December 2012|year=2005|publisher=Rutgers University Press|isbn=9780813535487|page=295}}</ref> It is also not considered accurate as it is not a medical term or diagnosis, though it is sometimes used as a slang term to describe those who are particularly short, whether or not they have dwarfism.<ref name="midget-med">{{cite web|url=http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=22596 |title=Midget definition |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=9 March 2003 |work=MedicineNet |publisher=MedicineNet, Inc.}}</ref>

===Dwarf sports===
Dwarfs are supported to compete in sport by a number of [[List of dwarfism organisations|organisations]] nationally and internationally.

Dwarfs are included in some events in the [[Athletics at the Summer Paralympics]].

The [[Dwarf Athletic Association of America]] and the [[Dwarf Sports Association UK]] provide opportunities for dwarfs to compete nationally and internationally in the Americas and Europe, respectively.

The Dwarf Sports Association UK organises between 5 and 20 events per month for athletes with restricted growth conditions in the UK.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.dsauk.org/events/?daterange=2&region_ID=0| title = DSAuk Events| website =Dsauk.org| access-date = 2016-02-27}}</ref>

For instance, swimming and bicycling are often recommended for people with skeletal dysplasias, since those activities put minimal pressure on the spine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/skeletal-dysplasias|title=Skeletal Dysplasias|first=The Children's Hospital of|last=Philadelphia|date=25 March 2014|website=Chop.edu}}</ref>

Since its early days, [[professional wrestling]] has had the involvement of dwarf athletes. "[[Midget wrestling]]" had its heyday in the 1950s–'70s, when wrestlers such as [[Little Beaver (wrestler)|Little Beaver]], [[Lord Littlebrook]], and [[Fuzzy Cupid]] toured North America, and [[Sky Low Low]] was the first holder of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]]'s [[NWA World Midget's Championship|World Midget Championship]]. In the following couple of decades, more wrestlers became prominent in North America, including foreign wrestlers like Japan's [[Little Tokyo (wrestler)|Little Tokyo]]. Although the term is seen by some as pejorative, many past and current midget wrestlers, including [[Hornswoggle]], have said they take pride in the term due to its history in the industry and its marketability.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

===Art and media depictions===
{{See also|Cultural depictions of dwarfism|List of people with dwarfism|Dwarfs and pygmies in Ancient Egypt}}
[[File:Ivory statuette of a woman with dwarfism-IMG 4539-white.jpg|thumb|upright|Ivory statuette of a woman with dwarfism, [[Gerzeh culture]] (Naqada II), [[Prehistoric Egypt]]]]
In art, literature, and movies, dwarfs are rarely depicted as ordinary people who are very short but rather as a species apart. [[Novelist]]s, [[artist]]s, and [[filmmaking|moviemakers]] may attach special moral or aesthetic significance to their "apartness" or misshapenness.

Artistic representations of dwarfism can be found on [[ancient Greece|Greek]] vases and other ancient artifacts, including [[ancient Egypt]]ian art in which dwarfs are likely to have been seen as a divine manifestation, with records indicating they could reach high positions in society.<ref name="nunn">''Ancient Egyptian Medicine'', John F. Nunn, University of Oklahoma Press, 2002, pp. 78–79, {{ISBN|0-8061-3504-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051227102614.htm|title=Dwarfs Commanded Respect In Ancient Egypt|website=Sciencedaily.com}}</ref>

The [[Bhagavat Purana]] [[Hindu]] text devotes nine chapters to the adventures of [[Vamana]], a dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu.
[[File:Velázquez – Bufón don Sebastián de Morra (Museo del Prado, c. 1645).jpg|upright|left|thumb|''[[Portrait of Sebastián de Morra|The Dwarf Don Sebastián de Morra]]'', by [[Diego Velázquez|Velázquez]]]]

Depictions of dwarfism are also found in European paintings and many illustrations. Many European paintings (especially [[Spain|Spanish]]) of the 16th–19th centuries depict dwarfs by themselves or with others. In the [[Talmud]], it is said that the second born son of the [[Egypt]]ian [[Pharaoh]] of the [[Bible]] was a dwarf.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/pol/pol09.htm The Talmud – Chapter VI. Death Of Jacob And His Sons – Moses – The Deliverance From Egypt.] URL accessed April 23, 2007.</ref> Recent scholarship has suggested that ancient Egyptians held dwarfs in high esteem.<ref name="dwarfism-egypt">{{cite journal|title=Dwarfs in ancient Egypt|journal=American Journal of Medical Genetics|date=2005-12-27|first=Chahira|last=Kozma|volume=140A|issue=4|pages=303–11|doi= 10.1002/ajmg.a.31068|url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112222883/abstract|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105124935/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112222883/abstract|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-05|access-date=2008-11-12|pmid=16380966|s2cid=797288}}</ref> Several important mythological figures of the North American [[Wyandot people|Wyandot]] nation are portrayed as dwarfs.<ref>Trigger, Bruce G., ''The Children of Aataentsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660'' McGill-Queen's University Press, 1987 {{ISBN|0-7735-0627-6}}, p. 529.</ref>

As popular media have become more widespread, the number of works depicting dwarfs have increased dramatically. Dwarfism is depicted in many books, films, and TV series such as ''[[Willow (film)|Willow]]'', ''[[The Wild Wild West]]'', ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (and later parodied in'' [[Austin Powers (film series)|Austin Powers]]''), ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]'' by [[Jonathan Swift]],<ref>''Gulliver's Travels: Complete, Authoritative Text with Biographical and Historical Contexts'', Palgrave Macmillan 1995 (p. 21). The quote has been misattributed to [[Alexander Pope]], who wrote to Swift in praise of the book just a day earlier.</ref> ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz|The Wizard of Oz]]'', ''[[Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory]]'', ''[[Bad Santa]]'', ''[[A Son of the Circus]]'', ''[[Little People, Big World]]'', ''[[The Little Couple]]'', ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' (and its TV adaptation ''[[Game of Thrones]]''), ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[The Orator (film)|The Orator]]'', ''[[In Bruges]]'', ''[[The Tin Drum]]'' by [[Günter Grass]], the short-lived reality show ''[[The Littlest Groom]]'', and the films ''[[The Station Agent]]'' and ''[[Zero (2018 film)|Zero]]''.

The [[Animal Planet]] TV series ''[[Pit Boss (TV series)|Pit Boss]]'' features dwarf actor [[Shorty Rossi]] and his talent agency, "Shortywood Productions", which Rossi uses to provide funding for his pit bull rescue operation, "Shorty's Rescue". Rossi's three full-time employees, featured in the series, are all little people and aspiring actors.

In September 2014, Creative Business House, along with Donnons Leur Une Chance, created the [[International Dwarf Fashion Show]] to raise awareness and boost self-confidence of people living with dwarfism.<ref name=GLAM>{{cite news|last1=Stark|first1=Stephanie|title=The Dwarf Fashion Show Debuts in New York City|url=http://www.glammonitor.com/2015/dwarf-fashion-show-debut-2580/|access-date=22 July 2015|publisher=Glammonitor|archive-date=26 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126052848/http://www.glammonitor.com/2015/dwarf-fashion-show-debut-2580/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A number of reality television series on [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]], beginning with ''[[Little Women: LA]]'' in 2014, focused on showing the lives of women living with dwarfism in various cities around the United States.

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Dwarfs and pygmies in Ancient Egypt]]
* [[Dwarf-tossing]]
* [[Ellis–Van Creveld syndrome]]
* [[Gigantism]]
* [[Human height]]
* [[Kingdom of the Little People]]
* [[Laron syndrome]]
* [[List of people with dwarfism]]
* [[List of dwarfism organisations]]
* [[List of the verified shortest people]]
* [[Midget]]
* [[Mulibrey nanism]]
* [[Phyletic dwarfism]]
* [[Short stature]]
* [[Pygmy peoples]]
* [[Dwarf hamster (disambiguation)]]
* [[Dwarf rabbit]]
{{div col end}}
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wiktionary|dwarf}}
* [https://www.littlepeopleoftheworld.org/ Little People of the World Organization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510232841/https://www.littlepeopleoftheworld.org/ |date=2021-05-10 }} [Hub for all International Organizations; services/advocacy/know your rights/support]
* [http://www.lpaonline.org/ Little People of America] (Includes a list of International support groups)
* [http://www.littlepeopleofcanada.com/ Little People of Canada] (Includes a list of Canadian Provincial support groups)
* [https://littlepeopleuk.org/ Little People UK]
* [http://www.dsauk.org/ Dwarf Sports Association UK]
* [https://rgauk.org/ Restricted Growth Association UK]

{{Medical resources
| DiseasesDB = 80
| ICD10 = {{ICD10|E|23|0|e|20}}, {{ICD10|E|34|2|e|20}}, {{ICD10|E|45|0|e|40}}, {{ICD10|Q|77|4|q|65}}
| ICD9 = {{ICD9|253.3}}, {{ICD9|259.4}}
| ICDO =
| OMIM =
| MedlinePlus = 001176
| eMedicineSubj =
| eMedicineTopic =
| MeshID = D004392
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dwarfism| ]]
[[Category:Growth disorders]]
[[Category:Human height]]

Dwarfism

2023-02-06T22:17:59Z

Potatohead2000:

{{short description|Small size of an organism, caused by growth deficiency or genetic mutations}}
{{About|the medical condition|the legendary creature|Dwarf (folklore)|other uses|Dwarf (disambiguation){{!}}Dwarf}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infobox medical condition (new)
| name = Dwarfism
| image = Ethan Crough, male dwarf.jpg
| caption = A man in [[Columbus, Indiana]], with dwarfism caused by [[achondroplasia]]
| field = [[Endocrinology]], [[medical genetics]]
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|w|ɔːr|f|ɪ|z|əm}}
| symptoms =
| complications =
| onset =
| duration =
| types =
| causes = Hyposecretion of [[growth hormone]] from [[pituitary gland]] ([[growth hormone deficiency]]), [[genetic disorders]]
| risks =
| diagnosis =
| differential =
| prevention =
| treatment =
| medication =
| prognosis =
| frequency =
| deaths =
}}


'''Dwarfism''' is a condition wherein an [[organism]] is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwarfism|title=Definition of DWARFISM|website=Merriam-webster.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref> In humans, it is sometimes defined as [[Short stature|an adult height of less than {{convert|4|ft|10|in|cm|order=flip}}]], regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is {{convert|4|ft|0|in|cm|order=flip}}, although some individuals with dwarfism are slightly taller.<ref name=NLM2008>{{cite web|url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dwarfism.html |title=MedlinePlus: Dwarfism |date=2008-08-04|publisher=National Institute of Health|work=MedlinePlus |access-date=2008-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lpaonline.org/faq-#Definition|title=FAQ|website=Lpaonline.org|language=en-us|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref name="mayo-symptoms"/> ''Disproportionate dwarfism'' is characterized by either [[Rhizomelia|short limbs]] or a short torso. In cases of ''proportionate dwarfism'', both the limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most have a nearly normal life expectancy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/restricted-growth/Pages/Introduction.aspx|title=Restricted growth (dwarfism) – NHS Choices|website=Nhs.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref name="Pau2012">{{cite journal |last1=Pauli |first1=RM |last2=Adam |first2=MP |last3=Ardinger |first3=HH |last4=Pagon |first4=RA |last5=Wallace |first5=SE |last6=Bean |first6=LJH |last7=Mefford |first7=HC |last8=Stephens |first8=K |last9=Amemiya |first9=A |last10=Ledbetter |first10=N |date=2012 |title=Achondroplasia |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20301331/ |journal=GeneReviews |pmid=20301331}}</ref> People with dwarfism can usually [[bear children]], though there are [[Achondroplasia#Adults|additional]] [[Pregnancy risks|risks to the mother and child]] dependent upon the underlying condition.


The most common and recognisable form of dwarfism in humans (comprising 70% of cases) is [[achondroplasia]], a [[genetic disorder]] whereby the limbs are diminutive.<ref name=":0"/> [[Growth hormone deficiency]] is responsible for most other cases.<ref name="urlDwarfism"/> Treatment depends on the underlying cause. [[Osteochondrodysplasia|Those with genetic disorders]] can sometimes be treated with <nowiki>[[surgery]]</nowiki> or <nowiki>[[physical therapy]]</nowiki>. [[Hormone disorders]] can also be treated with [[growth hormone therapy]] before the child's [[growth plate]]s fuse. Individual accommodations, such as specialized furniture, are often used by people with dwarfism.<ref name="pmid14671400">{{cite journal |vauthors=Hagenäs L, Hertel T |title=Skeletal dysplasia, growth hormone treatment and body proportion: comparison with other syndromic and non-syndromic short children |journal=Horm. Res. |volume=60 Suppl 3 |issue= 3|pages=65–70 |year=2003 |pmid=14671400 |doi=10.1159/000074504 |s2cid=29174195 |url=http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=HRE2003060S03065 |access-date=2008-11-17}}</ref> Many [[support groups]] provide services to aid individuals and the [[discrimination]] they may face.<ref name="mayo-treatment">{{cite web |url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs |title=Dwarfism: Treatment and drugs |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=2007-09-27 |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref>


In addition to the medical aspect of the condition, there are also social aspects. For a person with dwarfism, [[height discrimination]] can lead to ridicule in childhood and discrimination in adulthood.<ref name="UPenn">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ssc.upenn.edu/~persico/research/Papers/short.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070710052009/http://www.ssc.upenn.edu/~persico/research/Papers/short.pdf |url-status=dead |title=University of Pennsylvania, Arts and Sciences: 'The Effect of Adolescent Experience on Labor Market Outcomes: The Case of Height'|archive-date=10 July 2007|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="ScienceBlog">{{cite web |url=http://www3.scienceblog.com/community/older/2000/A/200000988.html|title=Science Blog – Short children more likely to be bullied at school |publisher=3.scienceblog.com}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and other [[English-speaking countries]], labels that some people with dwarfism accept include ''dwarf'' (plural: ''dwarfs''), ''little person'' (LP), or ''person of short stature'' (see [[Dwarfism#Terminology|Terminology]]).<ref name="LPA">{{cite web |title=Dwarfism Resources: Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Little People of America |date=2006-07-09 |url=http://www.lpaonline.org/resources_faq.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516011550/http://www.lpaonline.org/resources_faq.html |archive-date=2006-05-16 |access-date=2006-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=LittlePeople UK |url=http://www.littlepeopleuk.org/ |access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref> Historically, the term ''[[midget]]'' was used to describe dwarfs (primarily proportionate); however, some now consider this term offensive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midget |title=midget |website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary}}</ref>

==Signs and symptoms==
[[File:Dackelpferd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Dwarfism occurs in animals as well as humans; horses can have [[achondroplastic]] symptoms, as shown here next to a person with dwarfism.]]
A defining characteristic of dwarfism is an adult height less than the 2.3rd percentile of the CDC standard growth charts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm|title=Growth Charts - Clinical Growth Charts|date=11 January 2019|website=Cdc.gov|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> There is a wide range of physical characteristics. Variations in individuals are identified by diagnosing and monitoring the underlying disorders. There may not be any complications outside adapting to their size.

Short stature is a common replacement of the term 'dwarfism', especially in a medical context. Short stature is clinically defined as a height within the lowest 2.3% of those in the general population. However, those with mild skeletal [[dysplasia]]s may not be affected by dwarfism. In some cases of untreated [[hypochondroplasia]], males grow up to {{convert|5|ft|5|in|cm|abbr=in|order=flip}}. Though that is short in a relative context, it does not fall into the extreme ranges of the growth charts.

Disproportionate dwarfism is characterized by shortened limbs or a shortened torso. In [[achondroplasia]] one has an average-sized trunk with short limbs and a larger forehead.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> Facial features are often affected and individual body parts may have problems associated with them. [[Spinal stenosis]], [[ear infection]], and [[hydrocephalus]] are common. In case of spinal [[dysostosis]], one has a small trunk, with average-sized limbs.

Proportionate dwarfism is marked by a short torso with short limbs,<ref name="mayo-symptoms">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=symptoms |title=Dwarfism: Symptoms |access-date=2009-01-29 |work=MayoClinic.com |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref> thus leading to a height that is significantly below average. There may be long periods without any significant growth. [[Sexual development]] is often delayed or impaired into adulthood. This dwarfism type is caused by an [[endocrine disorder]] and not a skeletal dysplasia.

Physical effects of malformed bones vary according to the specific disease. Many involve joint pain caused by abnormal bone alignment, or from [[nerve]] compression.<ref name="LPA"/> Early degenerative joint disease, exaggerated [[lordosis]] or [[scoliosis]], and constriction of [[spinal cord]] or nerve roots can cause pain and disability.<ref name="seattle-dysplasia">{{cite web |url=http://orthopedics.seattlechildrens.org/conditions_treated/dwarfism_and_bone_dysplasias.asp |title=Dwarfism and Bone Dysplasias |access-date=2008-11-18 |publisher=Seattle Children's Hospital, Research & Foundation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504091309/http://orthopedics.seattlechildrens.org/conditions_treated/dwarfism_and_bone_dysplasias.asp |archive-date=2007-05-04 }}</ref> Reduced [[thorax|thoracic]] size can restrict lung growth and reduce pulmonary function. Some forms of dwarfism are associated with disordered function of other organs, such as the [[brain]] or [[liver]], sometimes severely enough to be more of an impairment than the unusual bone growth.<ref name="mayo-complications">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=complications |title=Dwarfism: Complications |access-date=2008-11-18 |work=MayoClinic.com |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref><ref name="pmid5946547">{{cite journal |vauthors=Escamilla RF, Hutchings JJ, Li CH, Forsham P |title=Achondroplastic dwarfism. Effects of treatment with human growth hormone |journal=Calif Med |volume=105 |issue=2 |pages=104–10 |date=August 1966 |pmid=5946547 |pmc=1516352 }}</ref>

Mental effects also vary according to the specific underlying syndrome. In most cases of skeletal dysplasia, such as achondroplasia, mental function is not impaired.<ref name="mayo-symptoms"/> However, there are syndromes which can affect the cranial structure and growth of the brain, severely impairing mental capacity. Unless the brain is directly affected by the underlying disorder, there is little to no chance of mental impairment that can be attributed to dwarfism.<ref name="urlThe Pituitary Gland & Growth Disorders: An Overview">{{cite web |url=http://www.hormone.org/Growth/overview.cfm |title=The Pituitary Gland & Growth Disorders: An Overview |access-date=2009-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210025422/http://www.hormone.org/Growth/overview.cfm |archive-date=2013-02-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The psycho-social limitations of society may be more disabling than the physical symptoms, especially in childhood and adolescence, but people with dwarfism vary greatly in the degree to which social participation and emotional health are affected.
* Social prejudice against extreme shortness may reduce social and marital opportunities.<ref name="{{ISBN|0-8018-8121-8}}">{{cite book |author1=Hall, Judith A. |author2=Adelson, Betty M. |title=Dwarfism: medical and psychosocial aspects of profound short stature |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore |year=2005 |isbn=0-8018-8121-8 }}</ref><ref name="pmid12884421">{{cite journal |vauthors=Gollust SE, Thompson RE, Gooding HC, Biesecker BB |date=August 2003 |title=Living with achondroplasia in an average-sized world: an assessment of quality of life |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajmg.a.20127 |journal=American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A |volume=120A |issue=4 |pages=447–58 |doi=10.1002/ajmg.a.20127 |pmid=12884421 |s2cid=38614817}}</ref> {{See also|Heightism}}
* Numerous studies have demonstrated reduced employment opportunities. Severe shortness is associated with lower income.<ref name="pmid12884421"/>
* [[Self-esteem]] may decline and family relationships may be affected.
* Extreme shortness (in the {{convert|60|-|90|cm|ft|0|abbr=in|disp=or}} range) can, if not accommodated for, interfere with [[activities of daily living]], like driving or using countertops built for taller people. Other common attributes of dwarfism such as bowed knees and unusually short fingers can lead to back problems and difficulty in walking and handling objects.
* Children with dwarfism are particularly vulnerable to teasing and ridicule from classmates. Because dwarfism is relatively uncommon, children may feel isolated from their peers.<ref name="mayo-complications"/>

==Causes==
[[File:Seneb and wife statue.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Seneb]], court official and priest for the [[Ancient Egypt]]ian rulers [[Khufu]] and [[Djedefre]], with his wife Senetites and their children<ref>''Ancient Egypt: Kingdom of the Pharaohs'', R. Hamilton, p. 47, Paragon, 2006, {{ISBN|1-4054-8288-5}}</ref>]]
Dwarfism can result from many medical conditions, each with its own separate symptoms and causes. Extreme shortness in humans with proportional body parts usually has a hormonal cause, such as [[Growth hormone deficiency|growth-hormone deficiency]], once called ''pituitary dwarfism''.<ref name="LPA"/><ref name="dwarfism-pbshome">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_dwarfism_ety.html |title=Big Enough. What is Dwarfism? |date=2006-08-08 |last=Kennedy |first=Dan |website=[[POV (TV series)]] |publisher=[[PBS]] (Public Broadcasting Service) |access-date=2008-11-18 |archive-date=2009-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313112314/http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_dwarfism_ety.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Achondroplasia is responsible for the majority of human dwarfism cases, followed by [[spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia]] and [[diastrophic dysplasia]].<ref name="urlDwarfism">{{cite web|url=http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/dwarfism.html|title=Dwarfism|publisher=[[KidsHealth]]|access-date=2015-06-30}}</ref>

===Achondroplasia===
{{further|Achondroplasia}}
The most recognizable and most common form of dwarfism in humans is achondroplasia, which accounts for 70% of dwarfism cases, and occurs in 4 to 15 out of 100,000 live births.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Çevik|first1=Banu|last2=Çolakoğlu|first2=Serhan|url=http://www.meja.aub.edu.lb/downloads/20_6/907.pdf|title=Anesthetic management of achondroplastic dwarf undergoing cesarean section|journal=M.E.J. Anesth.|volume=20|issue=6|year=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713022612/http://www.meja.aub.edu.lb/downloads/20_6/907.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

It produces rhizomelic short limbs, increased spinal curvature, and distortion of skull growth. In achondroplasia the body's limbs are proportionately shorter than the trunk (abdominal area), with a larger head than average and characteristic facial features. Achondroplasia is an [[autosomal dominant]] disorder caused by the presence of an altered [[allele]] in the genome. If a pair of achondroplasia alleles are present, the result is fatal. Achondroplasia is a mutation in the [[fibroblast growth factor receptor 3]].<ref>{{Gene|FGFR3}}</ref> In the context of achondroplasia, this mutation causes FGFR3 to become constitutively active, inhibiting bone growth.<ref name="urlAchondroplasia - Genetics Home Reference">{{cite web |url=http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=achondroplasia |title=Achondroplasia – Genetics Home Reference |date=2008-09-26|work=Genetics Home Reference|publisher=National Institute of Health |access-date=2008-10-01}}</ref>

===Growth hormone deficiency===
{{further|Growth hormone deficiency}}
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition in which the body produces insufficient [[growth hormone]]. Growth hormone, also called [[somatotropin]], is a [[polypeptide]] [[hormone]] which stimulates [[Human development (biology)|growth]] and cell reproduction. If this hormone is lacking, stunted or even halted growth may become apparent. Children with this disorder may grow slowly and puberty may be delayed by several years or indefinitely. Growth hormone deficiency has no single definite cause. It can be caused by mutations of specific genes, damage to the pituitary gland, [[Turner's syndrome]], poor nutrition,<ref name="ghdeficiency">{{cite web | publisher = UK Child Growth Foundation | title = Growth Hormone Deficiency | url = http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/ghd.htm | access-date = 2009-01-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090116030454/http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/ghd.htm | archive-date = 2009-01-16 | url-status = dead }}</ref> or even stress (leading to [[psychogenic dwarfism]]). [[Laron syndrome]] (growth hormone insensitivity) is another cause. Those with growth hormone issues tend to be proportionate.

===Metatropic dysplasia===
Metatropic means "changing form" and refers to this form of skeletal dysplasia as there is an abnormality in the growth plates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/metatropic-dysplasia#:~:text=What%20is%20metatropic%20dysplasia%3F,flattening%20of%20the%20vertebral%20bodies |title=Metatropic Dysplasia | |publisher=Johns Hopkins Medicine |date=2022-02-03 |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref> Skeletal changes continue over time and may need surgical intervention to help protect the lungs.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/3571/metatropic-dysplasia |title=Metatropic dysplasia | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program |website=Rarediseases.info.nih.gov |date= |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref> Symptoms starting at birth may be mild or can be fatal.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/metatropic-dysplasia/|title=Metatropic dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics|website=Medlineplus.gov|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> There are recognizable features in individuals with this genetic disorder. Some are short stature, narrow chest, " facial features such as a prominent forehead, underdevelopment of the upper jaw, cheekbones and eye sockets (midface hypoplasia), and a squared-off jaw."<ref name="autogenerated1"/> It is considered a more severe skeletal dysplasia, but is very rare, with the exact number of those affected unknown.<ref name="auto"/> Prognosis is largely on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity, and life expectancy may not be impacted unless there are respiratory complications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=2635 |title=Orphanet: Metatropic dysplasia |website=Orpha.net |date=2017-05-17 |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref>

===Other===
Other causes of dwarfism are [[spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita]], [[diastrophic dysplasia]], [[pseudoachondroplasia]], [[hypochondroplasia]], [[Noonan syndrome]], [[primordial dwarfism]], [[Cockayne syndrome]], [[Kniest dysplasia]], [[Turner syndrome]], [[osteogenesis imperfecta]] (OI), and [[hypothyroidism]]. Severe shortness with skeletal distortion also occurs in several of the [[Mucopolysaccharidosis|Mucopolysaccharidoses]] and other [[lysosomal storage disease|storage disorders]].<ref name="urlCauses of Dwarfism - WrongDiagnosis.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dwarfism/causes.htm |title=Causes of Dwarfism |website=WrongDiagnosis.com |access-date=2009-03-23}}</ref> [[Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism]] may cause proportionate, yet temporary, dwarfism. [[NPR2]] disproportionate dwarfism was discovered recently and is caused by a mutant gene.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Loss-of-Function Mutation in Natriuretic Peptide Receptor 2 (Npr2) Gene Is Responsible for Disproportionate Dwarfism in cn/cn Mouse|url=https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258(19)60512-0/pdf|format=PDF|website=Jbc.org}}</ref>

Serious chronic illnesses may produce dwarfism as a side effect. Harsh environmental conditions, such as malnutrition, may also produce dwarfism. These types of dwarfism are indirect consequences of the generally unhealthy or malnourished condition of the individual, and not of any specific disease. The dwarfism often takes the form of simple short stature, without any deformities, thus leading to proportionate dwarfism. In societies where poor nutrition is widespread, the average height of the population may be reduced below its genetic potential by the lack of proper nutrition. Sometimes there is no definitive cause of short stature.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

==Diagnosis==
Dwarfism is often diagnosed in childhood on the basis of visible symptoms. A physical examination can usually suffice to diagnose certain types of dwarfism, but [[genetic testing]] and diagnostic imaging may be used to determine the exact condition.<ref name="urlDWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) - WrongDiagnosis.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dwarfism/book-diseases-1a.htm |title=DWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) |website=WrongDiagnosis.com |access-date=2009-02-22}}</ref> In a person's youth, growth charts that track height can be used to diagnose subtle forms of dwarfism that have no other striking physical characteristics.<ref name="urlDwarfism"/>

Short stature or stunted growth during youth is usually what brings the condition to medical attention. Skeletal [[dysplasia]] is usually suspected because of obvious physical features (e.g., unusual configuration of face or shape of skull), because of an obviously affected parent, or because body measurements (arm span, upper to lower segment ratio) indicate disproportion.<ref name="urlDWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) - WrongDiagnosis.com"/> Bone X-rays are often key to diagnosing a specific skeletal dysplasia, but are not the sole diagnostic tool. Most children with suspected skeletal dysplasias are referred to a genetics clinic for diagnostic confirmation and [[genetic counseling]]. Since about the year 2000, genetic tests for some of the specific disorders have become available.<ref name="mayo-diagnosis">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis |title=Dwarfism: Tests and diagnosis |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=2007-08-27 |work=Mayo Clinic |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref>

During an initial medical evaluation of shortness, the absence of disproportion and other clues listed above usually indicates causes other than bone dysplasias.

===Classification===
[[File:Lavinia Warren - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Lavinia Warren]], an actress with [[pituitary dwarfism]] (growth hormone deficiency)]]
In men and women, the sole requirement for being considered a dwarf is having an adult height under {{cvt|147|cm|ftin}} and it is almost always sub-classified with respect to the underlying condition that is the cause of the short stature. Dwarfism is usually caused by a genetic variant; achondroplasia is caused by a mutation on [[chromosome 4]]. If dwarfism is caused by a medical disorder, the person is referred to by the underlying diagnosed disorder. Disorders causing dwarfism are often classified by proportionality. Disproportionate dwarfism describes disorders that cause unusual proportions of the body parts, while proportionate dwarfism results in a generally uniform stunting of the body.

Disorders that cause dwarfism may be classified according to one of hundreds of names, which are usually permutations of the following roots:
* location
** [[Rhizomelia|rhizomelic]] = root, i.e., bones of the upper arm or thigh
** mesomelic = middle, i.e., bones of the forearm or lower leg
** acromelic = end, i.e., bones of hands and feet.
** micromelic = entire limbs are shortened
* source
** chondro = of cartilage
** osteo = of bone
** spondylo = of the vertebrae
** plasia = form
** trophy = growth

Examples include achondroplasia and [[chondrodystrophy]].

==Prevention==
Many types of dwarfism are currently impossible to prevent because they are genetically caused. Genetic conditions that cause dwarfism may be identified with [[genetic testing]], by screening for the specific variations that result in the condition. However, due to the number of causes of dwarfism, it may be impossible to determine definitively if a child will be born with dwarfism.

Dwarfism resulting from malnutrition or a hormonal abnormality may be treated with an appropriate diet or hormonal therapy. Growth hormone deficiency may be remedied via injections of [[Growth hormone therapy|human growth hormone (HGH)]] during early life.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Jørgensen |first1=Jens O.L. |title=Clinical Aspects of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults |date=2005 |url=https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/88338 |work=Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults |volume=33 |pages=1–20 |publisher=KARGER |doi=10.1159/000088338 |isbn=3-8055-7992-6 |pmid=16166752 |last2=Christiansen |first2=Jens S.}}</ref>

==Management==
Genetic mutations of most forms of dwarfism caused by bone dysplasia cannot be altered yet, so therapeutic interventions are typically aimed at preventing or reducing pain or physical disability, increasing adult height, or mitigating psychosocial stresses and enhancing social adaptation.<ref name="mayo-treatment"/>

Forms of dwarfism associated with the endocrine system may be treated using [[hormonal therapy]]. If the cause is prepubescent hyposecretion of growth hormone, supplemental growth hormone may correct the abnormality. If the receptor for growth hormone is itself affected, the condition may prove harder to treat. [[Hypothyroidism]] is another possible cause of dwarfism that can be treated through hormonal therapy. Injections of thyroid hormone can mitigate the effects of the condition, but lack of proportion may be permanent.

Pain and disability may be ameliorated by physical therapy, braces or other orthotic devices, or by surgical procedures.<ref name="mayo-treatment"/> The only simple interventions that increase perceived adult height are dress enhancements, such as shoe lifts or hairstyle. Growth hormone is rarely used for shortness caused by bone dysplasias, since the height benefit is typically small (less than {{cvt|5|cm|round=0.5|disp=sqbr}}) and the cost high.<ref name="pmid14671400"/> The most effective means of increasing adult height by several inches is [[distraction osteogenesis]], though availability is limited and the cost is high in terms of money, discomfort, and disruption of life. Most people with dwarfism do not choose this option, and it remains controversial.<ref name="LPA"/> For other types of dwarfism, surgical treatment is not possible.

==Society and culture==

===Terminology===
[[File:Two Völuspá Dwarves by Frølich.jpg|thumb|Two [[Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]] as depicted in a 19th-century edition of the ''[[Poetic Edda]]'' poem ''[[Völuspá]]'' (1895) by [[Lorenz Frølich]]]]
The appropriate term for describing a person of particularly short stature (or with the genetic condition [[achondroplasia]]) has developed euphemistically.

The noun ''dwarf'' stems from [[Old English]] ''dweorg'', originally referring to a being from [[Germanic mythology]]—a [[dwarf (Germanic mythology)|dwarf]]—that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting. The [[etymology]] of the word ''dwarf'' is contested, and scholars have proposed varying theories about the origins of the being, including that dwarfs may have originated as nature spirits or as beings associated with death, or as a mixture of concepts. Competing etymologies include a basis in the [[Proto-Indo-European root|Indo-European]] root ''*dheur-'' (meaning 'damage'), the Indo-European root ''*dhreugh'' (whence modern Dutch ''droom'' 'dream' and ''bedrog'' 'deception'), and comparisons have been made with the Old Indian ''[[Dharavi|dhvaras]]'' (a type of demonic being). The being may not have gained associations with small stature until a later period.<ref name="SIMEK67-68">[[Rudolf Simek|Simek, Rudolf]] (2007) translated by Angela Hall. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Zni8GwAACAAJ Dictionary of Northern Mythology]'', pp. 67–68. [[Boydell & Brewer|D.S. Brewer]] {{ISBN|0-85991-513-1}}</ref>

The terms "dwarf", "little person", "LP", and "person of short stature" are generally considered acceptable by most people affected by these disorders.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> However, the plural "dwarfs" as opposed to "dwarves" is generally preferred in the medical context, possibly because the plural "dwarves" was popularized by author [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], describing a race of characters in his ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' books resembling [[Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Tolkien|first=John Ronald Reuel|title=The Return of the King|year=1955|publisher=George Allen & Unwin|pages=Appendix F|url=http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/d/dwarves/dwarfpluralof.htm}}</ref>

"[[Midget]]", whose etymology indicates a "tiny biting insect",<ref name="midget-def">{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/midget |title=midget |access-date=2008-11-18 |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Dictionary.com }}</ref> came into prominence in the mid-19th century after [[Harriet Beecher Stowe]] used it in her novels ''Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands'' and ''[[Oldtown Folks]]'' where she described children and an extremely short man, respectively.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> Later some people of short stature considered the word to be offensive because it was the descriptive term applied to [[P. T. Barnum]]'s dwarfs used for public amusement during the [[freak show]] era.<ref name="LPA"/><ref name="Adelson2005">{{cite book|last=Adelson|first=Betty M.|title=The Lives Of Dwarfs: Their Journey From Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ym5x3mq2p7EC&pg=PA295|access-date=8 December 2012|year=2005|publisher=Rutgers University Press|isbn=9780813535487|page=295}}</ref> It is also not considered accurate as it is not a medical term or diagnosis, though it is sometimes used as a slang term to describe those who are particularly short, whether or not they have dwarfism.<ref name="midget-med">{{cite web|url=http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=22596 |title=Midget definition |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=9 March 2003 |work=MedicineNet |publisher=MedicineNet, Inc.}}</ref>

===Dwarf sports===
Dwarfs are supported to compete in sport by a number of [[List of dwarfism organisations|organisations]] nationally and internationally.

Dwarfs are included in some events in the [[Athletics at the Summer Paralympics]].

The [[Dwarf Athletic Association of America]] and the [[Dwarf Sports Association UK]] provide opportunities for dwarfs to compete nationally and internationally in the Americas and Europe, respectively.

The Dwarf Sports Association UK organises between 5 and 20 events per month for athletes with restricted growth conditions in the UK.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.dsauk.org/events/?daterange=2&region_ID=0| title = DSAuk Events| website =Dsauk.org| access-date = 2016-02-27}}</ref>

For instance, swimming and bicycling are often recommended for people with skeletal dysplasias, since those activities put minimal pressure on the spine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/skeletal-dysplasias|title=Skeletal Dysplasias|first=The Children's Hospital of|last=Philadelphia|date=25 March 2014|website=Chop.edu}}</ref>

Since its early days, [[professional wrestling]] has had the involvement of dwarf athletes. "[[Midget wrestling]]" had its heyday in the 1950s–'70s, when wrestlers such as [[Little Beaver (wrestler)|Little Beaver]], [[Lord Littlebrook]], and [[Fuzzy Cupid]] toured North America, and [[Sky Low Low]] was the first holder of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]]'s [[NWA World Midget's Championship|World Midget Championship]]. In the following couple of decades, more wrestlers became prominent in North America, including foreign wrestlers like Japan's [[Little Tokyo (wrestler)|Little Tokyo]]. Although the term is seen by some as pejorative, many past and current midget wrestlers, including [[Hornswoggle]], have said they take pride in the term due to its history in the industry and its marketability.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

===Art and media depictions===
{{See also|Cultural depictions of dwarfism|List of people with dwarfism|Dwarfs and pygmies in Ancient Egypt}}
[[File:Ivory statuette of a woman with dwarfism-IMG 4539-white.jpg|thumb|upright|Ivory statuette of a woman with dwarfism, [[Gerzeh culture]] (Naqada II), [[Prehistoric Egypt]]]]
In art, literature, and movies, dwarfs are rarely depicted as ordinary people who are very short but rather as a species apart. [[Novelist]]s, [[artist]]s, and [[filmmaking|moviemakers]] may attach special moral or aesthetic significance to their "apartness" or misshapenness.

Artistic representations of dwarfism can be found on [[ancient Greece|Greek]] vases and other ancient artifacts, including [[ancient Egypt]]ian art in which dwarfs are likely to have been seen as a divine manifestation, with records indicating they could reach high positions in society.<ref name="nunn">''Ancient Egyptian Medicine'', John F. Nunn, University of Oklahoma Press, 2002, pp. 78–79, {{ISBN|0-8061-3504-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051227102614.htm|title=Dwarfs Commanded Respect In Ancient Egypt|website=Sciencedaily.com}}</ref>

The [[Bhagavat Purana]] [[Hindu]] text devotes nine chapters to the adventures of [[Vamana]], a dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu.
[[File:Velázquez – Bufón don Sebastián de Morra (Museo del Prado, c. 1645).jpg|upright|left|thumb|''[[Portrait of Sebastián de Morra|The Dwarf Don Sebastián de Morra]]'', by [[Diego Velázquez|Velázquez]]]]

Depictions of dwarfism are also found in European paintings and many illustrations. Many European paintings (especially [[Spain|Spanish]]) of the 16th–19th centuries depict dwarfs by themselves or with others. In the [[Talmud]], it is said that the second born son of the [[Egypt]]ian [[Pharaoh]] of the [[Bible]] was a dwarf.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/pol/pol09.htm The Talmud – Chapter VI. Death Of Jacob And His Sons – Moses – The Deliverance From Egypt.] URL accessed April 23, 2007.</ref> Recent scholarship has suggested that ancient Egyptians held dwarfs in high esteem.<ref name="dwarfism-egypt">{{cite journal|title=Dwarfs in ancient Egypt|journal=American Journal of Medical Genetics|date=2005-12-27|first=Chahira|last=Kozma|volume=140A|issue=4|pages=303–11|doi= 10.1002/ajmg.a.31068|url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112222883/abstract|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105124935/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112222883/abstract|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-05|access-date=2008-11-12|pmid=16380966|s2cid=797288}}</ref> Several important mythological figures of the North American [[Wyandot people|Wyandot]] nation are portrayed as dwarfs.<ref>Trigger, Bruce G., ''The Children of Aataentsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660'' McGill-Queen's University Press, 1987 {{ISBN|0-7735-0627-6}}, p. 529.</ref>

As popular media have become more widespread, the number of works depicting dwarfs have increased dramatically. Dwarfism is depicted in many books, films, and TV series such as ''[[Willow (film)|Willow]]'', ''[[The Wild Wild West]]'', ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (and later parodied in'' [[Austin Powers (film series)|Austin Powers]]''), ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]'' by [[Jonathan Swift]],<ref>''Gulliver's Travels: Complete, Authoritative Text with Biographical and Historical Contexts'', Palgrave Macmillan 1995 (p. 21). The quote has been misattributed to [[Alexander Pope]], who wrote to Swift in praise of the book just a day earlier.</ref> ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz|The Wizard of Oz]]'', ''[[Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory]]'', ''[[Bad Santa]]'', ''[[A Son of the Circus]]'', ''[[Little People, Big World]]'', ''[[The Little Couple]]'', ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' (and its TV adaptation ''[[Game of Thrones]]''), ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[The Orator (film)|The Orator]]'', ''[[In Bruges]]'', ''[[The Tin Drum]]'' by [[Günter Grass]], the short-lived reality show ''[[The Littlest Groom]]'', and the films ''[[The Station Agent]]'' and ''[[Zero (2018 film)|Zero]]''.

The [[Animal Planet]] TV series ''[[Pit Boss (TV series)|Pit Boss]]'' features dwarf actor [[Shorty Rossi]] and his talent agency, "Shortywood Productions", which Rossi uses to provide funding for his pit bull rescue operation, "Shorty's Rescue". Rossi's three full-time employees, featured in the series, are all little people and aspiring actors.

In September 2014, Creative Business House, along with Donnons Leur Une Chance, created the [[International Dwarf Fashion Show]] to raise awareness and boost self-confidence of people living with dwarfism.<ref name=GLAM>{{cite news|last1=Stark|first1=Stephanie|title=The Dwarf Fashion Show Debuts in New York City|url=http://www.glammonitor.com/2015/dwarf-fashion-show-debut-2580/|access-date=22 July 2015|publisher=Glammonitor|archive-date=26 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126052848/http://www.glammonitor.com/2015/dwarf-fashion-show-debut-2580/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A number of reality television series on [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]], beginning with ''[[Little Women: LA]]'' in 2014, focused on showing the lives of women living with dwarfism in various cities around the United States.

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Dwarfs and pygmies in Ancient Egypt]]
* [[Dwarf-tossing]]
* [[Ellis–Van Creveld syndrome]]
* [[Gigantism]]
* [[Human height]]
* [[Kingdom of the Little People]]
* [[Laron syndrome]]
* [[List of people with dwarfism]]
* [[List of dwarfism organisations]]
* [[List of the verified shortest people]]
* [[Midget]]
* [[Mulibrey nanism]]
* [[Phyletic dwarfism]]
* [[Short stature]]
* [[Pygmy peoples]]
* [[Dwarf hamster (disambiguation)]]
* [[Dwarf rabbit]]
{{div col end}}
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wiktionary|dwarf}}
* [https://www.littlepeopleoftheworld.org/ Little People of the World Organization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510232841/https://www.littlepeopleoftheworld.org/ |date=2021-05-10 }} [Hub for all International Organizations; services/advocacy/know your rights/support]
* [http://www.lpaonline.org/ Little People of America] (Includes a list of International support groups)
* [http://www.littlepeopleofcanada.com/ Little People of Canada] (Includes a list of Canadian Provincial support groups)
* [https://littlepeopleuk.org/ Little People UK]
* [http://www.dsauk.org/ Dwarf Sports Association UK]
* [https://rgauk.org/ Restricted Growth Association UK]

{{Medical resources
| DiseasesDB = 80
| ICD10 = {{ICD10|E|23|0|e|20}}, {{ICD10|E|34|2|e|20}}, {{ICD10|E|45|0|e|40}}, {{ICD10|Q|77|4|q|65}}
| ICD9 = {{ICD9|253.3}}, {{ICD9|259.4}}
| ICDO =
| OMIM =
| MedlinePlus = 001176
| eMedicineSubj =
| eMedicineTopic =
| MeshID = D004392
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dwarfism| ]]
[[Category:Growth disorders]]
[[Category:Human height]]

Dwarfism

2023-02-06T22:15:27Z

Potatohead2000: sorry i think someone hacked my account. changed the pw.

Dwarfism

2023-02-06T22:14:33Z

Potatohead2000:

{{short description|Small size of an organism, caused by growth deficiency or genetic mutations}}
{{About|the medical condition|the legendary creature|Dwarf (folklore)|other uses|Dwarf (disambiguation){{!}}Dwarf}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infobox medical condition (new)
| name = Dwarfism
| image = Ethan Crough, male dwarf.jpg
| caption = A man in [[Columbus, Indiana]], with dwarfism caused by [[achondroplasia]]
| field = [[Endocrinology]], [[medical genetics]]
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|w|ɔːr|f|ɪ|z|əm}}
| symptoms =
| complications =
| onset =
| duration =
| types =
| causes = Hyposecretion of [[growth hormone]] from [[pituitary gland]] ([[growth hormone deficiency]]), [[genetic disorders]]
| risks =
| diagnosis =
| differential =
| prevention =
| treatment =
| medication =
| prognosis =
| frequency =
| deaths =
}}


'''Dwarfism''' is a condition wherein an [[organism]] is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwarfism|title=Definition of DWARFISM|website=Merriam-webster.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref> In humans, it is sometimes defined as [[Short stature|an adult height of less than {{convert|6|ft|10|in|cm|order=flip}}]], regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is {{convert|4|ft|0|in|cm|order=flip}}, although some individuals with dwarfism are slightly taller.<ref name=NLM2008>{{cite web|url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dwarfism.html |title=MedlinePlus: Dwarfism |date=2008-08-04|publisher=National Institute of Health|work=MedlinePlus |access-date=2008-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lpaonline.org/faq-#Definition|title=FAQ|website=Lpaonline.org|language=en-us|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref name="mayo-symptoms"/> ''Disproportionate dwarfism'' is characterized by either [[Rhizomelia|short limbs]] or a short torso. In cases of ''proportionate dwarfism'', both the limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most have a nearly normal life expectancy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/restricted-growth/Pages/Introduction.aspx|title=Restricted growth (dwarfism) – NHS Choices|website=Nhs.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04}}</ref><ref name="Pau2012">{{cite journal |last1=Pauli |first1=RM |last2=Adam |first2=MP |last3=Ardinger |first3=HH |last4=Pagon |first4=RA |last5=Wallace |first5=SE |last6=Bean |first6=LJH |last7=Mefford |first7=HC |last8=Stephens |first8=K |last9=Amemiya |first9=A |last10=Ledbetter |first10=N |date=2012 |title=Achondroplasia |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20301331/ |journal=GeneReviews |pmid=20301331}}</ref> People with dwarfism can usually [[bear children]], though there are [[Achondroplasia#Adults|additional]] [[Pregnancy risks|risks to the mother and child]] dependent upon the underlying condition.


The most common and recognisable form of dwarfism in humans (comprising 70% of cases) is [[achondroplasia]], a [[genetic disorder]] whereby the limbs are diminutive.<ref name=":0"/> [[Growth hormone deficiency]] is responsible for most other cases.<ref name="urlDwarfism"/> Treatment depends on the underlying cause. [[Osteochondrodysplasia|Those with genetic disorders]] can sometimes be treated with surgery or physical therapy. [[Hormone disorders]] can also be treated with [[growth hormone therapy]] before the child's [[growth plate]]s fuse. Individual accommodations, such as specialized furniture, are often used by people with dwarfism.<ref name="pmid14671400">{{cite journal |vauthors=Hagenäs L, Hertel T |title=Skeletal dysplasia, growth hormone treatment and body proportion: comparison with other syndromic and non-syndromic short children |journal=Horm. Res. |volume=60 Suppl 3 |issue= 3|pages=65–70 |year=2003 |pmid=14671400 |doi=10.1159/000074504 |s2cid=29174195 |url=http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=HRE2003060S03065 |access-date=2008-11-17}}</ref> Many [[support groups]] provide services to aid individuals and the [[discrimination]] they may face.<ref name="mayo-treatment">{{cite web |url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs |title=Dwarfism: Treatment and drugs |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=2007-09-27 |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref>


In addition to the medical aspect of the condition, there are also social aspects. For a person with dwarfism, [[height discrimination]] can lead to ridicule in childhood and discrimination in adulthood.<ref name="UPenn">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ssc.upenn.edu/~persico/research/Papers/short.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070710052009/http://www.ssc.upenn.edu/~persico/research/Papers/short.pdf |url-status=dead |title=University of Pennsylvania, Arts and Sciences: 'The Effect of Adolescent Experience on Labor Market Outcomes: The Case of Height'|archive-date=10 July 2007|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="ScienceBlog">{{cite web |url=http://www3.scienceblog.com/community/older/2000/A/200000988.html|title=Science Blog – Short children more likely to be bullied at school |publisher=3.scienceblog.com}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and other [[English-speaking countries]], labels that some people with dwarfism accept include ''dwarf'' (plural: ''dwarfs''), ''little person'' (LP), or ''person of short stature'' (see [[Dwarfism#Terminology|Terminology]]).<ref name="LPA">{{cite web |title=Dwarfism Resources: Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Little People of America |date=2006-07-09 |url=http://www.lpaonline.org/resources_faq.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516011550/http://www.lpaonline.org/resources_faq.html |archive-date=2006-05-16 |access-date=2006-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=LittlePeople UK |url=http://www.littlepeopleuk.org/ |access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref> Historically, the term ''[[midget]]'' was used to describe dwarfs (primarily proportionate); however, some now consider this term offensive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midget |title=midget |website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary}}</ref>

==Signs and symptoms==
[[File:Dackelpferd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Dwarfism occurs in animals as well as humans; horses can have [[achondroplastic]] symptoms, as shown here next to a person with dwarfism.]]
A defining characteristic of dwarfism is an adult height less than the 2.3rd percentile of the CDC standard growth charts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm|title=Growth Charts - Clinical Growth Charts|date=11 January 2019|website=Cdc.gov|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> There is a wide range of physical characteristics. Variations in individuals are identified by diagnosing and monitoring the underlying disorders. There may not be any complications outside adapting to their size.

Short stature is a common replacement of the term 'dwarfism', especially in a medical context. Short stature is clinically defined as a height within the lowest 2.3% of those in the general population. However, those with mild skeletal [[dysplasia]]s may not be affected by dwarfism. In some cases of untreated [[hypochondroplasia]], males grow up to {{convert|5|ft|5|in|cm|abbr=in|order=flip}}. Though that is short in a relative context, it does not fall into the extreme ranges of the growth charts.

Disproportionate dwarfism is characterized by shortened limbs or a shortened torso. In [[achondroplasia]] one has an average-sized trunk with short limbs and a larger forehead.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> Facial features are often affected and individual body parts may have problems associated with them. [[Spinal stenosis]], [[ear infection]], and [[hydrocephalus]] are common. In case of spinal [[dysostosis]], one has a small trunk, with average-sized limbs.

Proportionate dwarfism is marked by a short torso with short limbs,<ref name="mayo-symptoms">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=symptoms |title=Dwarfism: Symptoms |access-date=2009-01-29 |work=MayoClinic.com |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref> thus leading to a height that is significantly below average. There may be long periods without any significant growth. [[Sexual development]] is often delayed or impaired into adulthood. This dwarfism type is caused by an [[endocrine disorder]] and not a skeletal dysplasia.

Physical effects of malformed bones vary according to the specific disease. Many involve joint pain caused by abnormal bone alignment, or from [[nerve]] compression.<ref name="LPA"/> Early degenerative joint disease, exaggerated [[lordosis]] or [[scoliosis]], and constriction of [[spinal cord]] or nerve roots can cause pain and disability.<ref name="seattle-dysplasia">{{cite web |url=http://orthopedics.seattlechildrens.org/conditions_treated/dwarfism_and_bone_dysplasias.asp |title=Dwarfism and Bone Dysplasias |access-date=2008-11-18 |publisher=Seattle Children's Hospital, Research & Foundation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504091309/http://orthopedics.seattlechildrens.org/conditions_treated/dwarfism_and_bone_dysplasias.asp |archive-date=2007-05-04 }}</ref> Reduced [[thorax|thoracic]] size can restrict lung growth and reduce pulmonary function. Some forms of dwarfism are associated with disordered function of other organs, such as the [[brain]] or [[liver]], sometimes severely enough to be more of an impairment than the unusual bone growth.<ref name="mayo-complications">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=complications |title=Dwarfism: Complications |access-date=2008-11-18 |work=MayoClinic.com |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref><ref name="pmid5946547">{{cite journal |vauthors=Escamilla RF, Hutchings JJ, Li CH, Forsham P |title=Achondroplastic dwarfism. Effects of treatment with human growth hormone |journal=Calif Med |volume=105 |issue=2 |pages=104–10 |date=August 1966 |pmid=5946547 |pmc=1516352 }}</ref>

Mental effects also vary according to the specific underlying syndrome. In most cases of skeletal dysplasia, such as achondroplasia, mental function is not impaired.<ref name="mayo-symptoms"/> However, there are syndromes which can affect the cranial structure and growth of the brain, severely impairing mental capacity. Unless the brain is directly affected by the underlying disorder, there is little to no chance of mental impairment that can be attributed to dwarfism.<ref name="urlThe Pituitary Gland & Growth Disorders: An Overview">{{cite web |url=http://www.hormone.org/Growth/overview.cfm |title=The Pituitary Gland & Growth Disorders: An Overview |access-date=2009-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210025422/http://www.hormone.org/Growth/overview.cfm |archive-date=2013-02-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The psycho-social limitations of society may be more disabling than the physical symptoms, especially in childhood and adolescence, but people with dwarfism vary greatly in the degree to which social participation and emotional health are affected.
* Social prejudice against extreme shortness may reduce social and marital opportunities.<ref name="{{ISBN|0-8018-8121-8}}">{{cite book |author1=Hall, Judith A. |author2=Adelson, Betty M. |title=Dwarfism: medical and psychosocial aspects of profound short stature |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore |year=2005 |isbn=0-8018-8121-8 }}</ref><ref name="pmid12884421">{{cite journal |vauthors=Gollust SE, Thompson RE, Gooding HC, Biesecker BB |date=August 2003 |title=Living with achondroplasia in an average-sized world: an assessment of quality of life |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajmg.a.20127 |journal=American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A |volume=120A |issue=4 |pages=447–58 |doi=10.1002/ajmg.a.20127 |pmid=12884421 |s2cid=38614817}}</ref> {{See also|Heightism}}
* Numerous studies have demonstrated reduced employment opportunities. Severe shortness is associated with lower income.<ref name="pmid12884421"/>
* [[Self-esteem]] may decline and family relationships may be affected.
* Extreme shortness (in the {{convert|60|-|90|cm|ft|0|abbr=in|disp=or}} range) can, if not accommodated for, interfere with [[activities of daily living]], like driving or using countertops built for taller people. Other common attributes of dwarfism such as bowed knees and unusually short fingers can lead to back problems and difficulty in walking and handling objects.
* Children with dwarfism are particularly vulnerable to teasing and ridicule from classmates. Because dwarfism is relatively uncommon, children may feel isolated from their peers.<ref name="mayo-complications"/>

==Causes==
[[File:Seneb and wife statue.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Seneb]], court official and priest for the [[Ancient Egypt]]ian rulers [[Khufu]] and [[Djedefre]], with his wife Senetites and their children<ref>''Ancient Egypt: Kingdom of the Pharaohs'', R. Hamilton, p. 47, Paragon, 2006, {{ISBN|1-4054-8288-5}}</ref>]]
Dwarfism can result from many medical conditions, each with its own separate symptoms and causes. Extreme shortness in humans with proportional body parts usually has a hormonal cause, such as [[Growth hormone deficiency|growth-hormone deficiency]], once called ''pituitary dwarfism''.<ref name="LPA"/><ref name="dwarfism-pbshome">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_dwarfism_ety.html |title=Big Enough. What is Dwarfism? |date=2006-08-08 |last=Kennedy |first=Dan |website=[[POV (TV series)]] |publisher=[[PBS]] (Public Broadcasting Service) |access-date=2008-11-18 |archive-date=2009-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313112314/http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_dwarfism_ety.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Achondroplasia is responsible for the majority of human dwarfism cases, followed by [[spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia]] and [[diastrophic dysplasia]].<ref name="urlDwarfism">{{cite web|url=http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/dwarfism.html|title=Dwarfism|publisher=[[KidsHealth]]|access-date=2015-06-30}}</ref>

===Achondroplasia===
{{further|Achondroplasia}}
The most recognizable and most common form of dwarfism in humans is achondroplasia, which accounts for 70% of dwarfism cases, and occurs in 4 to 15 out of 100,000 live births.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Çevik|first1=Banu|last2=Çolakoğlu|first2=Serhan|url=http://www.meja.aub.edu.lb/downloads/20_6/907.pdf|title=Anesthetic management of achondroplastic dwarf undergoing cesarean section|journal=M.E.J. Anesth.|volume=20|issue=6|year=2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713022612/http://www.meja.aub.edu.lb/downloads/20_6/907.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

It produces rhizomelic short limbs, increased spinal curvature, and distortion of skull growth. In achondroplasia the body's limbs are proportionately shorter than the trunk (abdominal area), with a larger head than average and characteristic facial features. Achondroplasia is an [[autosomal dominant]] disorder caused by the presence of an altered [[allele]] in the genome. If a pair of achondroplasia alleles are present, the result is fatal. Achondroplasia is a mutation in the [[fibroblast growth factor receptor 3]].<ref>{{Gene|FGFR3}}</ref> In the context of achondroplasia, this mutation causes FGFR3 to become constitutively active, inhibiting bone growth.<ref name="urlAchondroplasia - Genetics Home Reference">{{cite web |url=http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=achondroplasia |title=Achondroplasia – Genetics Home Reference |date=2008-09-26|work=Genetics Home Reference|publisher=National Institute of Health |access-date=2008-10-01}}</ref>

===Growth hormone deficiency===
{{further|Growth hormone deficiency}}
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition in which the body produces insufficient [[growth hormone]]. Growth hormone, also called [[somatotropin]], is a [[polypeptide]] [[hormone]] which stimulates [[Human development (biology)|growth]] and cell reproduction. If this hormone is lacking, stunted or even halted growth may become apparent. Children with this disorder may grow slowly and puberty may be delayed by several years or indefinitely. Growth hormone deficiency has no single definite cause. It can be caused by mutations of specific genes, damage to the pituitary gland, [[Turner's syndrome]], poor nutrition,<ref name="ghdeficiency">{{cite web | publisher = UK Child Growth Foundation | title = Growth Hormone Deficiency | url = http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/ghd.htm | access-date = 2009-01-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090116030454/http://www.childgrowthfoundation.org/ghd.htm | archive-date = 2009-01-16 | url-status = dead }}</ref> or even stress (leading to [[psychogenic dwarfism]]). [[Laron syndrome]] (growth hormone insensitivity) is another cause. Those with growth hormone issues tend to be proportionate.

===Metatropic dysplasia===
Metatropic means "changing form" and refers to this form of skeletal dysplasia as there is an abnormality in the growth plates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/metatropic-dysplasia#:~:text=What%20is%20metatropic%20dysplasia%3F,flattening%20of%20the%20vertebral%20bodies |title=Metatropic Dysplasia | |publisher=Johns Hopkins Medicine |date=2022-02-03 |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref> Skeletal changes continue over time and may need surgical intervention to help protect the lungs.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/3571/metatropic-dysplasia |title=Metatropic dysplasia | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program |website=Rarediseases.info.nih.gov |date= |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref> Symptoms starting at birth may be mild or can be fatal.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/metatropic-dysplasia/|title=Metatropic dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics|website=Medlineplus.gov|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> There are recognizable features in individuals with this genetic disorder. Some are short stature, narrow chest, " facial features such as a prominent forehead, underdevelopment of the upper jaw, cheekbones and eye sockets (midface hypoplasia), and a squared-off jaw."<ref name="autogenerated1"/> It is considered a more severe skeletal dysplasia, but is very rare, with the exact number of those affected unknown.<ref name="auto"/> Prognosis is largely on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity, and life expectancy may not be impacted unless there are respiratory complications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=2635 |title=Orphanet: Metatropic dysplasia |website=Orpha.net |date=2017-05-17 |access-date=2022-03-02}}</ref>

===Other===
Other causes of dwarfism are [[spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita]], [[diastrophic dysplasia]], [[pseudoachondroplasia]], [[hypochondroplasia]], [[Noonan syndrome]], [[primordial dwarfism]], [[Cockayne syndrome]], [[Kniest dysplasia]], [[Turner syndrome]], [[osteogenesis imperfecta]] (OI), and [[hypothyroidism]]. Severe shortness with skeletal distortion also occurs in several of the [[Mucopolysaccharidosis|Mucopolysaccharidoses]] and other [[lysosomal storage disease|storage disorders]].<ref name="urlCauses of Dwarfism - WrongDiagnosis.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dwarfism/causes.htm |title=Causes of Dwarfism |website=WrongDiagnosis.com |access-date=2009-03-23}}</ref> [[Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism]] may cause proportionate, yet temporary, dwarfism. [[NPR2]] disproportionate dwarfism was discovered recently and is caused by a mutant gene.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Loss-of-Function Mutation in Natriuretic Peptide Receptor 2 (Npr2) Gene Is Responsible for Disproportionate Dwarfism in cn/cn Mouse|url=https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258(19)60512-0/pdf|format=PDF|website=Jbc.org}}</ref>

Serious chronic illnesses may produce dwarfism as a side effect. Harsh environmental conditions, such as malnutrition, may also produce dwarfism. These types of dwarfism are indirect consequences of the generally unhealthy or malnourished condition of the individual, and not of any specific disease. The dwarfism often takes the form of simple short stature, without any deformities, thus leading to proportionate dwarfism. In societies where poor nutrition is widespread, the average height of the population may be reduced below its genetic potential by the lack of proper nutrition. Sometimes there is no definitive cause of short stature.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

==Diagnosis==
Dwarfism is often diagnosed in childhood on the basis of visible symptoms. A physical examination can usually suffice to diagnose certain types of dwarfism, but [[genetic testing]] and diagnostic imaging may be used to determine the exact condition.<ref name="urlDWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) - WrongDiagnosis.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dwarfism/book-diseases-1a.htm |title=DWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) |website=WrongDiagnosis.com |access-date=2009-02-22}}</ref> In a person's youth, growth charts that track height can be used to diagnose subtle forms of dwarfism that have no other striking physical characteristics.<ref name="urlDwarfism"/>

Short stature or stunted growth during youth is usually what brings the condition to medical attention. Skeletal [[dysplasia]] is usually suspected because of obvious physical features (e.g., unusual configuration of face or shape of skull), because of an obviously affected parent, or because body measurements (arm span, upper to lower segment ratio) indicate disproportion.<ref name="urlDWARFISM (Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs) - WrongDiagnosis.com"/> Bone X-rays are often key to diagnosing a specific skeletal dysplasia, but are not the sole diagnostic tool. Most children with suspected skeletal dysplasias are referred to a genetics clinic for diagnostic confirmation and [[genetic counseling]]. Since about the year 2000, genetic tests for some of the specific disorders have become available.<ref name="mayo-diagnosis">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis |title=Dwarfism: Tests and diagnosis |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=2007-08-27 |work=Mayo Clinic |publisher=Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research }}</ref>

During an initial medical evaluation of shortness, the absence of disproportion and other clues listed above usually indicates causes other than bone dysplasias.

===Classification===
[[File:Lavinia Warren - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Lavinia Warren]], an actress with [[pituitary dwarfism]] (growth hormone deficiency)]]
In men and women, the sole requirement for being considered a dwarf is having an adult height under {{cvt|147|cm|ftin}} and it is almost always sub-classified with respect to the underlying condition that is the cause of the short stature. Dwarfism is usually caused by a genetic variant; achondroplasia is caused by a mutation on [[chromosome 4]]. If dwarfism is caused by a medical disorder, the person is referred to by the underlying diagnosed disorder. Disorders causing dwarfism are often classified by proportionality. Disproportionate dwarfism describes disorders that cause unusual proportions of the body parts, while proportionate dwarfism results in a generally uniform stunting of the body.

Disorders that cause dwarfism may be classified according to one of hundreds of names, which are usually permutations of the following roots:
* location
** [[Rhizomelia|rhizomelic]] = root, i.e., bones of the upper arm or thigh
** mesomelic = middle, i.e., bones of the forearm or lower leg
** acromelic = end, i.e., bones of hands and feet.
** micromelic = entire limbs are shortened
* source
** chondro = of cartilage
** osteo = of bone
** spondylo = of the vertebrae
** plasia = form
** trophy = growth

Examples include achondroplasia and [[chondrodystrophy]].

==Prevention==
Many types of dwarfism are currently impossible to prevent because they are genetically caused. Genetic conditions that cause dwarfism may be identified with [[genetic testing]], by screening for the specific variations that result in the condition. However, due to the number of causes of dwarfism, it may be impossible to determine definitively if a child will be born with dwarfism.

Dwarfism resulting from malnutrition or a hormonal abnormality may be treated with an appropriate diet or hormonal therapy. Growth hormone deficiency may be remedied via injections of [[Growth hormone therapy|human growth hormone (HGH)]] during early life.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Jørgensen |first1=Jens O.L. |title=Clinical Aspects of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults |date=2005 |url=https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/88338 |work=Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults |volume=33 |pages=1–20 |publisher=KARGER |doi=10.1159/000088338 |isbn=3-8055-7992-6 |pmid=16166752 |last2=Christiansen |first2=Jens S.}}</ref>

==Management==
Genetic mutations of most forms of dwarfism caused by bone dysplasia cannot be altered yet, so therapeutic interventions are typically aimed at preventing or reducing pain or physical disability, increasing adult height, or mitigating psychosocial stresses and enhancing social adaptation.<ref name="mayo-treatment"/>

Forms of dwarfism associated with the endocrine system may be treated using [[hormonal therapy]]. If the cause is prepubescent hyposecretion of growth hormone, supplemental growth hormone may correct the abnormality. If the receptor for growth hormone is itself affected, the condition may prove harder to treat. [[Hypothyroidism]] is another possible cause of dwarfism that can be treated through hormonal therapy. Injections of thyroid hormone can mitigate the effects of the condition, but lack of proportion may be permanent.

Pain and disability may be ameliorated by physical therapy, braces or other orthotic devices, or by surgical procedures.<ref name="mayo-treatment"/> The only simple interventions that increase perceived adult height are dress enhancements, such as shoe lifts or hairstyle. Growth hormone is rarely used for shortness caused by bone dysplasias, since the height benefit is typically small (less than {{cvt|5|cm|round=0.5|disp=sqbr}}) and the cost high.<ref name="pmid14671400"/> The most effective means of increasing adult height by several inches is [[distraction osteogenesis]], though availability is limited and the cost is high in terms of money, discomfort, and disruption of life. Most people with dwarfism do not choose this option, and it remains controversial.<ref name="LPA"/> For other types of dwarfism, surgical treatment is not possible.

==Society and culture==

===Terminology===
[[File:Two Völuspá Dwarves by Frølich.jpg|thumb|Two [[Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]] as depicted in a 19th-century edition of the ''[[Poetic Edda]]'' poem ''[[Völuspá]]'' (1895) by [[Lorenz Frølich]]]]
The appropriate term for describing a person of particularly short stature (or with the genetic condition [[achondroplasia]]) has developed euphemistically.

The noun ''dwarf'' stems from [[Old English]] ''dweorg'', originally referring to a being from [[Germanic mythology]]—a [[dwarf (Germanic mythology)|dwarf]]—that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting. The [[etymology]] of the word ''dwarf'' is contested, and scholars have proposed varying theories about the origins of the being, including that dwarfs may have originated as nature spirits or as beings associated with death, or as a mixture of concepts. Competing etymologies include a basis in the [[Proto-Indo-European root|Indo-European]] root ''*dheur-'' (meaning 'damage'), the Indo-European root ''*dhreugh'' (whence modern Dutch ''droom'' 'dream' and ''bedrog'' 'deception'), and comparisons have been made with the Old Indian ''[[Dharavi|dhvaras]]'' (a type of demonic being). The being may not have gained associations with small stature until a later period.<ref name="SIMEK67-68">[[Rudolf Simek|Simek, Rudolf]] (2007) translated by Angela Hall. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Zni8GwAACAAJ Dictionary of Northern Mythology]'', pp. 67–68. [[Boydell & Brewer|D.S. Brewer]] {{ISBN|0-85991-513-1}}</ref>

The terms "dwarf", "little person", "LP", and "person of short stature" are generally considered acceptable by most people affected by these disorders.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> However, the plural "dwarfs" as opposed to "dwarves" is generally preferred in the medical context, possibly because the plural "dwarves" was popularized by author [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], describing a race of characters in his ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' books resembling [[Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Dwarf (mythology)|dwarfs]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Tolkien|first=John Ronald Reuel|title=The Return of the King|year=1955|publisher=George Allen & Unwin|pages=Appendix F|url=http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/d/dwarves/dwarfpluralof.htm}}</ref>

"[[Midget]]", whose etymology indicates a "tiny biting insect",<ref name="midget-def">{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/midget |title=midget |access-date=2008-11-18 |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Dictionary.com }}</ref> came into prominence in the mid-19th century after [[Harriet Beecher Stowe]] used it in her novels ''Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands'' and ''[[Oldtown Folks]]'' where she described children and an extremely short man, respectively.<ref name="dwarfism-pbshome"/> Later some people of short stature considered the word to be offensive because it was the descriptive term applied to [[P. T. Barnum]]'s dwarfs used for public amusement during the [[freak show]] era.<ref name="LPA"/><ref name="Adelson2005">{{cite book|last=Adelson|first=Betty M.|title=The Lives Of Dwarfs: Their Journey From Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ym5x3mq2p7EC&pg=PA295|access-date=8 December 2012|year=2005|publisher=Rutgers University Press|isbn=9780813535487|page=295}}</ref> It is also not considered accurate as it is not a medical term or diagnosis, though it is sometimes used as a slang term to describe those who are particularly short, whether or not they have dwarfism.<ref name="midget-med">{{cite web|url=http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=22596 |title=Midget definition |access-date=2008-11-18 |date=9 March 2003 |work=MedicineNet |publisher=MedicineNet, Inc.}}</ref>

===Dwarf sports===
Dwarfs are supported to compete in sport by a number of [[List of dwarfism organisations|organisations]] nationally and internationally.

Dwarfs are included in some events in the [[Athletics at the Summer Paralympics]].

The [[Dwarf Athletic Association of America]] and the [[Dwarf Sports Association UK]] provide opportunities for dwarfs to compete nationally and internationally in the Americas and Europe, respectively.

The Dwarf Sports Association UK organises between 5 and 20 events per month for athletes with restricted growth conditions in the UK.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.dsauk.org/events/?daterange=2&region_ID=0| title = DSAuk Events| website =Dsauk.org| access-date = 2016-02-27}}</ref>

For instance, swimming and bicycling are often recommended for people with skeletal dysplasias, since those activities put minimal pressure on the spine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/skeletal-dysplasias|title=Skeletal Dysplasias|first=The Children's Hospital of|last=Philadelphia|date=25 March 2014|website=Chop.edu}}</ref>

Since its early days, [[professional wrestling]] has had the involvement of dwarf athletes. "[[Midget wrestling]]" had its heyday in the 1950s–'70s, when wrestlers such as [[Little Beaver (wrestler)|Little Beaver]], [[Lord Littlebrook]], and [[Fuzzy Cupid]] toured North America, and [[Sky Low Low]] was the first holder of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]]'s [[NWA World Midget's Championship|World Midget Championship]]. In the following couple of decades, more wrestlers became prominent in North America, including foreign wrestlers like Japan's [[Little Tokyo (wrestler)|Little Tokyo]]. Although the term is seen by some as pejorative, many past and current midget wrestlers, including [[Hornswoggle]], have said they take pride in the term due to its history in the industry and its marketability.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

===Art and media depictions===
{{See also|Cultural depictions of dwarfism|List of people with dwarfism|Dwarfs and pygmies in Ancient Egypt}}
[[File:Ivory statuette of a woman with dwarfism-IMG 4539-white.jpg|thumb|upright|Ivory statuette of a woman with dwarfism, [[Gerzeh culture]] (Naqada II), [[Prehistoric Egypt]]]]
In art, literature, and movies, dwarfs are rarely depicted as ordinary people who are very short but rather as a species apart. [[Novelist]]s, [[artist]]s, and [[filmmaking|moviemakers]] may attach special moral or aesthetic significance to their "apartness" or misshapenness.

Artistic representations of dwarfism can be found on [[ancient Greece|Greek]] vases and other ancient artifacts, including [[ancient Egypt]]ian art in which dwarfs are likely to have been seen as a divine manifestation, with records indicating they could reach high positions in society.<ref name="nunn">''Ancient Egyptian Medicine'', John F. Nunn, University of Oklahoma Press, 2002, pp. 78–79, {{ISBN|0-8061-3504-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051227102614.htm|title=Dwarfs Commanded Respect In Ancient Egypt|website=Sciencedaily.com}}</ref>

The [[Bhagavat Purana]] [[Hindu]] text devotes nine chapters to the adventures of [[Vamana]], a dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu.
[[File:Velázquez – Bufón don Sebastián de Morra (Museo del Prado, c. 1645).jpg|upright|left|thumb|''[[Portrait of Sebastián de Morra|The Dwarf Don Sebastián de Morra]]'', by [[Diego Velázquez|Velázquez]]]]

Depictions of dwarfism are also found in European paintings and many illustrations. Many European paintings (especially [[Spain|Spanish]]) of the 16th–19th centuries depict dwarfs by themselves or with others. In the [[Talmud]], it is said that the second born son of the [[Egypt]]ian [[Pharaoh]] of the [[Bible]] was a dwarf.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/pol/pol09.htm The Talmud – Chapter VI. Death Of Jacob And His Sons – Moses – The Deliverance From Egypt.] URL accessed April 23, 2007.</ref> Recent scholarship has suggested that ancient Egyptians held dwarfs in high esteem.<ref name="dwarfism-egypt">{{cite journal|title=Dwarfs in ancient Egypt|journal=American Journal of Medical Genetics|date=2005-12-27|first=Chahira|last=Kozma|volume=140A|issue=4|pages=303–11|doi= 10.1002/ajmg.a.31068|url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112222883/abstract|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105124935/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112222883/abstract|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-05|access-date=2008-11-12|pmid=16380966|s2cid=797288}}</ref> Several important mythological figures of the North American [[Wyandot people|Wyandot]] nation are portrayed as dwarfs.<ref>Trigger, Bruce G., ''The Children of Aataentsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660'' McGill-Queen's University Press, 1987 {{ISBN|0-7735-0627-6}}, p. 529.</ref>

As popular media have become more widespread, the number of works depicting dwarfs have increased dramatically. Dwarfism is depicted in many books, films, and TV series such as ''[[Willow (film)|Willow]]'', ''[[The Wild Wild West]]'', ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (and later parodied in'' [[Austin Powers (film series)|Austin Powers]]''), ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]'' by [[Jonathan Swift]],<ref>''Gulliver's Travels: Complete, Authoritative Text with Biographical and Historical Contexts'', Palgrave Macmillan 1995 (p. 21). The quote has been misattributed to [[Alexander Pope]], who wrote to Swift in praise of the book just a day earlier.</ref> ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz|The Wizard of Oz]]'', ''[[Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory]]'', ''[[Bad Santa]]'', ''[[A Son of the Circus]]'', ''[[Little People, Big World]]'', ''[[The Little Couple]]'', ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' (and its TV adaptation ''[[Game of Thrones]]''), ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[The Orator (film)|The Orator]]'', ''[[In Bruges]]'', ''[[The Tin Drum]]'' by [[Günter Grass]], the short-lived reality show ''[[The Littlest Groom]]'', and the films ''[[The Station Agent]]'' and ''[[Zero (2018 film)|Zero]]''.

The [[Animal Planet]] TV series ''[[Pit Boss (TV series)|Pit Boss]]'' features dwarf actor [[Shorty Rossi]] and his talent agency, "Shortywood Productions", which Rossi uses to provide funding for his pit bull rescue operation, "Shorty's Rescue". Rossi's three full-time employees, featured in the series, are all little people and aspiring actors.

In September 2014, Creative Business House, along with Donnons Leur Une Chance, created the [[International Dwarf Fashion Show]] to raise awareness and boost self-confidence of people living with dwarfism.<ref name=GLAM>{{cite news|last1=Stark|first1=Stephanie|title=The Dwarf Fashion Show Debuts in New York City|url=http://www.glammonitor.com/2015/dwarf-fashion-show-debut-2580/|access-date=22 July 2015|publisher=Glammonitor|archive-date=26 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126052848/http://www.glammonitor.com/2015/dwarf-fashion-show-debut-2580/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A number of reality television series on [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]], beginning with ''[[Little Women: LA]]'' in 2014, focused on showing the lives of women living with dwarfism in various cities around the United States.

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Dwarfs and pygmies in Ancient Egypt]]
* [[Dwarf-tossing]]
* [[Ellis–Van Creveld syndrome]]
* [[Gigantism]]
* [[Human height]]
* [[Kingdom of the Little People]]
* [[Laron syndrome]]
* [[List of people with dwarfism]]
* [[List of dwarfism organisations]]
* [[List of the verified shortest people]]
* [[Midget]]
* [[Mulibrey nanism]]
* [[Phyletic dwarfism]]
* [[Short stature]]
* [[Pygmy peoples]]
* [[Dwarf hamster (disambiguation)]]
* [[Dwarf rabbit]]
{{div col end}}
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wiktionary|dwarf}}
* [https://www.littlepeopleoftheworld.org/ Little People of the World Organization] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510232841/https://www.littlepeopleoftheworld.org/ |date=2021-05-10 }} [Hub for all International Organizations; services/advocacy/know your rights/support]
* [http://www.lpaonline.org/ Little People of America] (Includes a list of International support groups)
* [http://www.littlepeopleofcanada.com/ Little People of Canada] (Includes a list of Canadian Provincial support groups)
* [https://littlepeopleuk.org/ Little People UK]
* [http://www.dsauk.org/ Dwarf Sports Association UK]
* [https://rgauk.org/ Restricted Growth Association UK]

{{Medical resources
| DiseasesDB = 80
| ICD10 = {{ICD10|E|23|0|e|20}}, {{ICD10|E|34|2|e|20}}, {{ICD10|E|45|0|e|40}}, {{ICD10|Q|77|4|q|65}}
| ICD9 = {{ICD9|253.3}}, {{ICD9|259.4}}
| ICDO =
| OMIM =
| MedlinePlus = 001176
| eMedicineSubj =
| eMedicineTopic =
| MeshID = D004392
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dwarfism| ]]
[[Category:Growth disorders]]
[[Category:Human height]]