I thought that I would share some facts about dwarfism:
• There are over 200 distinct forms of dwarfism and skeletal dysplasias.
• People with dwarfism are generally not taller than 4' 10" at adult height. The typical height range is 2'8" to 4'5".
• Eighty percent of people with dwarfism have average-height parents and siblings.
• There are an estimated 30,000 people in the United States and 651,000 internationally with a type of dwarfism.
• In July 2009 the word "midget" was declared inappropriate and offensive. Preferable terms are: having dwarfism, short stature, little person, lp, and the medical terminology use of dwarf. A person's name is always the most preferred.
• LPA has registered a complaint with the FCC over the use of the "m" word. The goal is to raise awareness around the offensive impact of the word in order to eliminate its use in media, popular culture and in everyday language.
• LPA has 6500 members across the United States and includes 70 chapters active in all 50 states.
• Skeletal Dysplasias affect bone growth, but generally do not affect cognitive abilities.
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Thanks for these facts Kim. We love Eli and learing about him.
ReplyDeleteI agree!! Eli has blessed us with his chubby cheeks alone, but I know he's going to teach me countless truths about what it means to live and thrive with dwarfism.
ReplyDeleteI'm so lucky to have such an adorable and distinguished-looking instructor!