Achondroplasia MedlinePlus

Description: Achondroplasia is an inherited disorder of bone growth. It is one of the group of disorders that are collectively called chondrodystrophies or osteochondrodysplasias. The disorder causes a type of dwarfism that is recognized by a characteristic normal- to large-sized head, shortened arms and legs (especially the upper arm and thigh), a normal-sized trunk, and waddling gait. Achondroplasia is the most common type of dwarfism. Contents of this page: Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms Signs and tests Treatment Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider Prevention