What is the difference between dwarfism and cretinism?

Cretinism and dwarfism are actually two diseases. Dwarfism is caused by a genetic disease that results in short stature and disproportionate bones. Cretinism is a metabolic disease caused by congenital thyroid hypoplasia or hypofunction, which causes developmental disorders in young children.

1. Dwarfism is caused by a genetic disease that leads to short stature and disproportionate bone growth. According to Little People of America, Inc., a 5,000-member organization open to anyone under 4 feet 10 inches tall, 400 children with severe dwarfism are born each year to parents of normal height. Dwarfism is a condition in which the body slows down due to insufficient secretion of growth hormone caused by various reasons. The causes of dwarfism can be attributed to both congenital and acquired factors. Congenital factors are mostly caused by the deficiency of essence and blood of the parents, which affects the growth and development of the fetus. Most of them are related to genetics, and the intellectual development is generally normal.

2.

Cretinism is also known as cretinism. It is a metabolic disease caused by congenital thyroid hypoplasia or hypofunction, which causes developmental disorders in young children. The main manifestation is that the growth and development process is significantly blocked, especially the skeletal and nervous systems. For example: (1) Short stature, long upper body and short lower body, often accompanied by bone deformities in the limbs. Because thyroid hormone, like growth hormone, is necessary for the growth of long bones and normal skeletal development. (2) The patient has a dull expression, dull mind, slow movements, low intelligence, and often deafness. This is mainly because the formation of nerve cell dendrites and axons, the growth of myelin and glial cells, the occurrence and development of nervous system functions, and the blood flow supply to the brain all depend on adaptive thyroid hormones. The lack of thyroid hormone leads to the obstruction of this series of processes. (3) It is often accompanied by a series of general symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as low body temperature, sparse hair, and facial edema. Children with cretinism may have no obvious abnormalities in height and weight at birth, but obvious symptoms will appear when they are 3 to 6 months old. If the diagnosis can be made clearly and thyroid hormone supplementation can be started around 3 months after birth, the child can develop basically normally. Once it is discovered too late and the opportunity for early treatment is missed, the treatment will be difficult to be effective.

3.

Both cretinism and dwarfism are curable, so it is important to detect the disease in time and go to the hospital for examination and treatment once the disease is discovered. If the optimal treatment period is missed, the patient's development will be delayed. Timely treatment can help improve the patient's height. Although there are still patients with cretinism and dwarfism, their status is equal to ours. We should treat everyone around us equally, give them confidence, and let them feel the beauty of this world.