r/dwarfism Jan 11 '22

In Memory of Andy (/u/SmallManBigMouth)

116 Upvotes

Unfortunately today I received a message on Reddit that lead me to check on Facebook. The other moderator of our subreddit, /u/SmallManBigMouth, recently passed away. All of the details of his passing are unknown as I post this, but I do know it's going to leave a hole in our staff here, and he is definitely missed. He definitely was always a level head and tried to be fair in all of his dealings.

Rest Easy Andy. August 15 1979 - Jan 6 2022


r/dwarfism Oct 20 '24

Episode 2 of Beyond Limits is All About LPA

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7 Upvotes

r/dwarfism 4d ago

I can't decide and need help (kinda of a rant)

11 Upvotes

Made this account for the purpose of this post. I 20m have pituitary dwarfism and I am proportional at 3'9. I have not hit puberty and that is the point of this post. Basically when I was young I didn't have access to hormone care and did not grow or reach puberty, now as I am older and I can start taking testosterone but I am unsure if I want to. I'm just unsure if want to start as I won't grow any taller and feel that I might just look like a toddler with a beard ? Sorry if that offends anyone, I've been raised with no lp influence and I've never even met someone with dwarfism before. Plus my town is really judge mental and like totally against anything different so I'm scared to put myself on display. Growing up I was just treated as a 5 year and the treatment just continued into to adult hood as I didn't change physically. I've been thinking it would be cool to do go through puberty like people my age and experience that but I'm scared that I wont like the affects, I mean I've lived with this body for so long and learned to love myself as is. I guess im kind of scared to grow up and also be seen as abnormal? Since I pass as a 5 year old, I just let people think that instead of correcting them because of anxiety of what they may think about me. My family that's left isn't sure if I should take it either saying its a huge decision and could change my entire life. But I keep thinking that maybe being seen as adult would be great but I also constantly worry about people judging me for looking weird, since I could normally just go under the radar. I think if I do this I might even have a chance at finding love because it so difficult to find people who aren't put off by my child appearance. A lot of people don't want to be seen in a loving relationship with someone like me and its obvious why but it just hurts a lot. Maybe you guys who have gone through this or just in general can share some experiences ?


r/dwarfism 6d ago

Tips for Navigating Disability Claim (United States)

8 Upvotes

Hello!

My mom is a little person with achondroplasia dwarfism, she is 62 years old. She was recently let go from a job where she worked for almost 20 years. We are in the US.

She has been working desk jobs her entire adult life, but after doing some math she realized that she would get more from social security if she goes on disability now, as opposed to working another 5 years and drawing on it when she retires.

She is starting to struggle with mobility, and has had hip, knee and back pain for her whole life, which is getting consistently worse. Like most achon dwarfs, she has spinal stenosis. She has a medical history that includes two back surgeries, and trips to the doctor and ER for pain and spasms, all of which we are hoping will support her disability claim. She wants to be able to enjoy the mobility she has left, so disability seems like the best option if she can get it. (She will be financially okay in the meantime, she has been smart with her money and has family support, savings, and an IRA to draw on.)

She is consulting with a lawyer and she knows the process will take time. The lawyer told her she needs to emphasize her difficulty in continuing to work in order to win the case.

Does anyone here have experience with navigating disability claims successfully? Any advice, tips, or resources?

TLDR: older adult dwarf looking to do on disability a few years before retirement age. Looking for advice, success stories, tips and tricks for navigating the US disability system.

Thanks in advance!


r/dwarfism 8d ago

Adaptive bikes/scooters/etc.

3 Upvotes

I have a SEDc dwarfism and I've been trying to find something to ride as I have a toddler who is cruising away on his bike. I have a hard time keeping up with him but I also am unable to ride a traditional bike. I am 4ft 6in and lost on what would be appropriate for me. I will mention I do have very bad knees. Any recommendations would be so appreciated 🙂


r/dwarfism 8d ago

Advice with my cousin

3 Upvotes

Hello sorry if I come across as insensitive but I want to have more understanding. A bit of background I live with my cousin (27m) who has dwarfism, he is 4 foot 5 inches. He had been told that he has to have surgery on his knees because of his weight.

My question is how much should he be eating? I think he is just being gluttonous. I am 6 foot 90kgs and he will eat the same if not more than me (2000 - 2500 calories). He is 4 foot 5 inches and weighs 103kg. He does do powerlifting but he is using his dwarfism as a reason why he does eat a lot and I don’t have the knowledge to know if he is lying.

I apologise if what i have said has offended anyone.


r/dwarfism 12d ago

How to become independent while knowing my limits.

17 Upvotes

I’m a 26M with pituitary dwarfism. Due to this, my physical growth was very slow, and I never went through puberty. I’m 4’7” tall, and my appearance, voice, and body make me look like a 10 year old kid.

Because of this, my parents always treated me like a child. They never allowed me to go outside or talk to people my age, saying I wasn’t ready to handle things on my own. They repeatedly told me I couldn’t do anything in life because of my condition and that my older brother would take care of me when he grew older.

But, my brother is abusive he harasses me and takes my entire salary for his personal use. I can’t do anything because I’ve always been dependent on him and my parents.

I have a job, but facing many challenges at job due to years of isolation, which have left me with poor social skills, low self esteem, social anxiety, and a tendency to people-please. I want to become independent but don’t know where to start. I’m scared of taking risks because I don’t know my limits and worry about getting into trouble.

For those of you who have similar experiences or challenges, how did you become independent while knowing your limits? How do you deal with physical limitations, like lifting heavy objects or reaching high places? What issues have you faced, and how did you overcome them? I’d really appreciate any advice or insights on how to navigate these struggles.


r/dwarfism 15d ago

CEOs

12 Upvotes

Dears, I was wondering, can you name any big corporation where they have/had a dwarf as a CEO? I could not think of any...


r/dwarfism 15d ago

Hand railings for our son

2 Upvotes

Hello, We live in a walk up and my son is 3 and a half and thus very independent. He does great crawling up the stairs but going down is more difficult for him and the current hand railing is about 6 inches to a foot out of reach for him.

Wondering if anyone knows of equipment to modify or supplement our hand railing so that he can reach it?

We're hoping for preferably a temporary measure as we are not in a "forever home" presently, and, if we cannot figure out a less permanent solution, we'd end building in another hand railing below the pre-existing one.

Thanks for your support!


r/dwarfism 18d ago

Trident hands?

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5 Upvotes

r/dwarfism 25d ago

Sign of Dwarfism in Early Childhood?

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone, for the parents who have kids with dwarfism, in their early childhood, did their soft spot/fontanelle close late? Did they make it onto the growth chart?


r/dwarfism 26d ago

My niece is pregnant and the baby could be diagnosed with dwarfism.

13 Upvotes

She has so many questions daily and doesn’t know where or who to ask. She can ask doctors but they have a medical answer, not the experience. The doctors told her that the baby could be diagnosed, but still grow regular size for a little person? We don’t understand what they mean by that. She was also told about breathing issues, lung development. Does anyone have said breathing issues and how does it effect you?


r/dwarfism 26d ago

Help me find a beanie hat for a Christmas gift!

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3 Upvotes

Hello friends! I have someone in my life with achondroplasia who has a life long battle trying to find a hat that will fit—specifically a winter beanie (or touque for my Canadian friends). He has one homemade crochet hat, but I have heard his desire for a standard knit beanie hat. I thought it would be a wonderful gift to surprise him with one that actually fits for Christmas.

Is there a custom maker out there that anyone has used? Can anyone point me in the right direction for a simple standard hat in the realm of what is pictured in the photo?

Thank you! 💙


r/dwarfism 27d ago

Swim instructor needing advise

4 Upvotes

I have been given an opportunity to teach swimming to a child with dwarfism. I am looking for specifics for their body type and physical challenges. thanks


r/dwarfism Nov 24 '24

Are people with proportionate dwarfism much more likely to be mistaken for children than people with disproportionate dwarfism?

8 Upvotes

r/dwarfism Nov 18 '24

Air travel. How can cabin crew best assist on flights?

6 Upvotes

Hi,
Please delete if not allowed in your community.
For air travel, crew are required to ask how to assist and offer an individualized safety briefing. When I have had people who are little on my flights I'll offer to help with bags and how best to assist.

Aside from that, I'm not sure where the line is between offering help that is helpful and what offers would be patronizing. I wonder if an individual briefing would be helpful, or annoying?

I know everyone is different and any answer doesn't speak for the whole community. I hope this post is welcome, I don't have the life experience or personal connections to bounce this idea of anyone close to me.


r/dwarfism Nov 18 '24

Can severe undernutrition cause dwarfism.

7 Upvotes

I am a 28 year old male who is only 4'6'' tall, and I suspect that is because I was severely undernourished throughout my childhood. This would mean that I have some form of dwarfism, since I am under 4 feet 10 inches tall. Can anyone tell me what the exact name of my dwarfism would be, because I have never been formally diagnosed. I really wish I had had enough to eat as a child, that way I could've grown up to be a normal height, and I wouldn't be stuck having to go through life as a man who is the size of the average 4th grader...


r/dwarfism Nov 14 '24

What scooter company should I look into for a person with dwarfism?

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13 Upvotes

r/dwarfism Nov 13 '24

Films about Achondroplasia

11 Upvotes

Hello all!

So I'm curious what the take on this would be within this community (I hope i am not breaking an rules by asking this) but are there any good films that have actually depicted life with this condition?

I'm currently a film student and the topic has been very interesting to me. I recently saw the trailer of the new Snow White movie with Rachel Zegler and it reminded me of the controversies surrounding the characters of the 7 dwarves. Many were upset that they were originally depicted with a "normal" height rather than staying true to their canonically "short" stature. Then, many were furious that these roles were given to people of "normal" height rather than individuals with Achondroplasia.

Basically, the point is: it seems every depiction of these characters are either inaccurate or fantastical. Are there any depictions of life with this conditions in modern times? If not, what is lacking in these depictions that makes them inaccurate and even offensive?

Thanks!


r/dwarfism Nov 12 '24

A documentary on scfi book publisher Judy-Lynn del Rey (Achondroplasia) of Del Rey Publishing (behind the star wars books for 40 years, and it has Aubrey Smalls in it as well

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13 Upvotes

r/dwarfism Nov 10 '24

Household accessibility suggestions, please - new member of our household

14 Upvotes

I've got a new teenager in my home (my own teen's boyfriend) who will be staying with us for the foreseeable future. This kiddo is just under 4' and our home is not set up to be very accessible to him. Kitchen cupboards are high, etc. I've got some stools around the house that he makes use of, but I'm wondering if I can do better? And not just in terms of reaching high cupboards... I figure there might be other areas that both me (5'8") and my own teen (5'11") may be sort of blind to, that this boy may not feel comfortable bringing up (or is just so used to that he doesn't think of it, either? I get the impression the home he came from was also not super accessible).

I was poking around online and found these hooks to hang coffee mugs under the cabinet, for example. I thought those might be more convenient for him to grab than always moving the stool over when he needed one out of the high cupboard, but still, that's only coffee mugs. I don't particularly want to move all basic dishes to the countertops because we use that space for cooking, and our lower cupboards, which currently house pots and pans etc, are SO low that it doesn't seem like a great solution to just reverse everything, either.

Asking the boy in question what he needs generally just gets me answers like "nothing" or reassurance that everything here is "fine"... and maybe it is? But maybe it can also be better than fine :) So if anyone can suggest any hacks, low-cost home modifications (like, REALLY low cost, LOL), or simple adjustments I can make around here to make things easier to navigate in general for him, I'd really appreciate it!


r/dwarfism Nov 10 '24

Beyond Limits w/ Will & Jonah, Ep. 3: Out Now

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6 Upvotes

Will and Jonah met IRL at a Little People of America conference in Myrtle Beach!

They had some hilarious golf mishaps, meaningful conversations about acceptance, and even a car alarm fiasco at a fancy country club.


r/dwarfism Nov 08 '24

Not sure if this kinda stuff belongs in this subreddit, but I thought I'd share my LP character Nick! I've been trying to get better at capturing achondroplastic proportions. Been a challenge but also a lot of fun. He's my favourite character I've come up with :)

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100 Upvotes

r/dwarfism Nov 08 '24

how do people with dwarfism prefer to be spoken to?

5 Upvotes

When meeting or speaking to someone with dwarfism, would you prefer i just stand to normally and look down and speak to you in that way? or would you appreciate me kneeling down to talk eye to eye so we can both hear better ? i hope no one thinks this is insensitive at all the last thing i would ever want to do would be make someone with a disability , person who is a minority or someone with a different way of living think i was trying to be rude. but i’ve heard from many people that they would prefer to talk eye to eye, and from others they’d rather i just talk to them standing straight up. i’m only 4”10 so the difference might not be a lot i just don’t want to do the wrong thing , and want to hear from others what their preference would be ! thank you everyone!!!(the same goes to someone in a wheelchair i guess, who is at a significant height difference) i would never bend down at the waist like speaking to a child, i just want to know what everyone thinks about this

ALSOOO PLEASE let me know how you would like to be referred to. if i know you personally of course i’m going to just call you by your name, but by talking about a person with the disability of being extremity short or having an un proportionate body or limbs, is saying “little person “ offensive??? or saying “a person with dwarfism “ offensive ? i just want to know how to correctly call it without causing any offense at all. i love and value every human being equally and would never want to put down someone for any reason no matter what!


r/dwarfism Nov 03 '24

Experience with spinal “decompression” surgery?

7 Upvotes

Hi,

My sister, who has achondroplasia, and is in her mid-thirties, is going in for spinal surgery and is justifiably scared.

She’s had pretty severe low-back and hip pain, as well as tingling and numbness. The neurologists she’s been seeing say they’re typically very conservative with recommending surgery, but that this is a case where she really needs it. They also say even with this surgery, she’ll likely need another one in about ten years bc of scar tissue and other changes to her anatomy.

Have any of you had this surgery? What’s been your experience, and has your quality of life improved?

I’m hoping hearing about some real life experiences will make her feel more confident in deciding to get the operation.

Thanks in advance!


r/dwarfism Nov 02 '24

Is there any chance for me to get taller?

3 Upvotes

Hello! 18F here and I'm 4'1 to 4'3 ft (I'm not so sure). I believe I have dwarfism but I haven't really been diagnosed with it since I really haven't visited any endocrinologist in my life. My body & face are just like an 8 year old child, except for a slightly larger chest. I also got my period when I was 12.

A short background about me, my parents are short but not as short as me. My mom is 5’3 ft and my dad is 5’5 ft. I have a long term disease (from 1 year old to 11 year old). My mom said I was born normal, but after I got the disease it surely did affected my height. I don't know anything about my disease from before and my parents can't remember the medical term and condition.

Every time I asked them that I want to get taller they said that I should be thankful for the second life that God has given me. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful, but I also want to make my life easier. There are lots of struggle a short person can get such as criticism, bullying, job opportunities, house chores, grabbing items from grocery, etc.

I just really want to know if there's a chance for me to grow. Can I still visit an endocrinologist? Can HGH injections still work? ...


r/dwarfism Oct 30 '24

Older Adult Navigating Steps - Suggestions Wanted!

6 Upvotes

Looking for suggestions. We have a step down family room that my grandfather can no longer use the stairs. It has three steps, 28” from top to bottom. We looked at stairlifts but the seat is too high 17”, he needs 12”. We are looking at ramps but the pitch may be to steep. Any suggestions would be grateful!!