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Achondroplasia

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Treatment:

There is no specific treatment for achondroplasia. Related abnormalities, including spinal stenosis and spinal cord compression, should be treated when they cause problems.

Expectations (prognosis):

People with achondroplasia seldom reach 5 feet in height. Intelligence is in the normal range. Infants who are homozygous for achondroplasia (both parents are achondroplastic and each has contributed an affected gene ) seldom live beyond a few months.

Complications:

• Hydrocephalus
• Clubbed feet

Calling your health care provider:

If there is a family history of achondroplasia and you plan to have children, you may find it helpful to speak to your health care provider.

• Review Date: 12/18/2006
• Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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