Achondroplasia occurs 1 in every 15,000 to 40,000 live births.
Over 80% of all children born with Achondroplasia are born to average-sized parents.
If two people with Achondroplasia have children, they have a 50% chance of having a child with Achondroplasia, 25% chance of having an average-sized child, and 25% chance of having a child with a lethal form called Thanatophoric Dysplasia.
Achondroplasia can be diagnosed during pregnancy, although it is too often mistaken for the lethal Thanatophoric Dysplasia, with which parents are often given the option to terminate the pregnancy. The two are very similar and can easily be confused. Nothing is 100% until diagnosed through amniocentesis or by blood test after delivery of the infant.
There is no "cure" for Achondroplasia. Growth Hormone does not help growth, as these individuals are not Growth hormone deficient. Even limb-lengthening surgeries do not cure the spinal problems or change the typical facial features of an individual with Achondroplasia. There are treatments for various ailments such as spinal stenosis, kyphosis, or leg bowing.
Adult height is between 42-56 inches.
Individuals with Achondroplasia come from all walks of life and work in just about every occupation imaginable. They enjoy a normal life span as well as average to above average intelligence.
Little People of America
Dwarf Athletic Association
Little People's Research Fund
Greenberg Center for Skeletal Dysplasias
March of Dimes
Gene Reviews: Achondroplasia
Genetics Home Reference: Achondroplasia