March 11, 2025
Helping Kids Heal: Rehab for Injuries & Chronic Conditions
Pediatric orthopaedic care can help with injury recovery and chronic illnesses; here’s how.
Luskin Orthopedic Institute for Children (LuskinOIC) provides world-class skeletal dysplasia and dwarfism treatment for your child, led by award-winning pediatric orthopedic doctors. Our focused team of specialists, using state-of-the-art technology, are committed to ensuring the children of our community live happy, healthy lives.
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Los Angeles, CA 90007
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For Medical ProfessionalsSigns and Symptoms
Living with Hemophilia
Skeletal dysplasias, also known as Dwarfism, are a group of more than 300 genetic disorders that affect bone development, neurological function and cartilage growth, usually causing short stature. A person is considered to have dwarfism when their adult height is 4 feet 10 inches or less. The condition affects 1 in 5,000 children.
Skeletal dysplasia has many signs and symptoms, including:
- A small thorax (the area of the body between the neck and the abdomen)
- Abnormal ribs
- Bowed or fractured bones
- Shortening in the bones of the legs and/or arms
- Asymmetric bone growth
- Duplication of fingers or toes
- Irregular, thickened or thin bones
Signs and Symptoms
Skeletal dysplasias, also known as Dwarfism, are a group of more than 300 genetic disorders that affect bone development, neurological function and cartilage growth, usually causing short stature. A person is considered to have dwarfism when their adult height is 4 feet 10 inches or less. The condition affects 1 in 5,000 children.
Skeletal dysplasia has many signs and symptoms, including:
- A small thorax (the area of the body between the neck and the abdomen)
- Abnormal ribs
- Bowed or fractured bones
- Shortening in the bones of the legs and/or arms
- Asymmetric bone growth
- Duplication of fingers or toes
- Irregular, thickened or thin bones
Treatment and Recovery
Physical appearance is often enough to alert a doctor to your child’s dwarfism. If our doctors suspect dwarfism, they may run a number of tests:
- Imaging tests. Tests like X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help the physician see abnormalities of the head and body in more detail. They can also show problems with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland—body parts associated with growth hormone.
- Hormone tests. These tests check levels of hormones that are needed for proper development, like growth hormone.
- Family history. Since dwarfism often runs in families, getting a family history can help the physician determine whether the child’s short stature is the average size for the family.
Treatment for disproportionate dwarfism usually doesn’t make a child taller. However, there are treatments for complications caused by dwarfism. These may include:
- Surgery. A surgeon may be able to take steps such as correcting a spine that isn’t forming in the normal shape, or bones that aren’t growing in the right direction.
- Growth hormone therapy. A child with dwarfism caused by abnormal hormone levels may receive injections of growth hormone. This can only correct short stature in a child with proportionate dwarfism.
- Estrogen therapy. This treatment may be given to a female child with Turner syndrome. Estrogen will initiate puberty, and can stimulate growth of her sex organs. This therapy can also help her pay attention, plan tasks, and have a better sense of visual or spatial relationships.
Conditions & Injuries
Common Types
In general, skeletal dysplasia disorders are divided into two categories:
Proportionate Dwarfism
Proportionate dwarfism is when a person’s body parts are in proportion but shortened. A person may have a head, limbs, and trunk that are short but still proportionate to one another. This is often due to metabolic and hormonal disorders, such as growth hormone deficiency — a condition where a child’s pituitary gland doesn’t produce enough growth hormone to help the body grow. This type of dwarfism can affect other parts of the body, like the heart.
Disproportionate Dwarfism
Disproportionate dwarfism is when a person has body parts that are not proportionate to each other — they can be several different sizes. In most cases, the trunk is average-sized and the limbs are short. However, it’s also possible that a person could have a very short trunk, and limbs that are technically “short” but appear large compared to the trunk.
The most common types and symptoms of disproportionate dwarfism are:
- Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the most common type of dwarfism, causing about 70% of cases. It occurs when cartilage – the tissue that makes up most of a fetus’s skeleton during development – doesn’t convert to bone the way normal cartilage does, resulting in a normal torso and shortened limbs. Learn More
- Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc). SEDc is a rare genetic disorder that results in short stature and skeletal abnormalities that primarily affect the spine and long bones of the arms and legs. Learn More
- Diastrophic Dysplasia. A disorder that affects the body’s ability to form cartilage and bone development and results in short stature, joint and hand deformities, and abnormal curving of the spine. Learn More
- Pseudoachondroplasia. A rare form of dwarfism that affects bone growth. Children with pseudoachondroplasia have a normal head size, facial features and intelligence level. However, they are small in stature. Learn More
- Hypochondroplasia. A form of short-limbed dwarfism. Like other forms of dwarfism, it occurs when a fetus is still in the womb and there is a problem related to the cartilage converting into bone. It is considered a milder form of dwarfism. Learn More
- Turner Syndrome. A type of dwarfism that only affects females. In addition to being short in stature, girls with Turner syndrome often have heart defects and their ovaries do not develop normally. Often at around age 5 their growth slows and their short stature becomes noticeable. Learn More
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Setting the standard in treating Hemohilia
At LuskinOIC’s Orthopaedic Hemophilia Treatment Center (OHTC), we set the standard in treating hemophilia joint and limb issues. In 1970, OHTC was designated by the World Federation of Hemophilia as one of the first four International Hemophilia Training Centers.
We’ve consistently been pioneers for our patients: we were the first comprehensive care center on the West Coast, we performed the first successful hip replacement surgery in a patient with hemophilia, and through clinical trials we have been providing the newest treatments available.
In addition to treatment, we conduct groundbreaking research, provide innovative and personalized physical therapy, and offer genetic counseling for patients and their families.
Why LuskinOIC for Skeletal Dysplasia and Dwarfism?
At Luskin Orthopedic Institute for Children (LuskinOIC), your child will receive world-class skeletal dysplasia and dwarfism treatment from award-winning doctors in pediatric orthopedics. We provide a specialized approach and exceptional care from renowned doctors.
For Medical Professionals
We provide different type of medical services.
Family Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Pediatric Orthopedics
Orthopaedic Oncology
Urgent Care
Arthrogryposis
Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors
Rehabilitation Center
Scoliosis
Clubfoot
Skeletal Dysplasia & Dwarfism
Congenital Limb Disorders
Sports Medicine
Cerebral Palsy
Hip Disorders
Fractures
Connective Tissue Disorders
Craniofacial and Cleft Palate
Hemophilia
Hand and Microsurgery
Our Experts
Anthony Scaduto, MD
Congenital Limb Disorders
Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors
Arthrogryposis
Scoliosis
Connective Tissue Disorders
LuskinOIC provides comprehensive care for children, starting with precise diagnoses and continuing through the entire treatment process.
Medical Professional's Help Line: (213)741-8325
Fax Referrals: (213) 741-8338
Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday
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