*Little People of America (LPA) defines dwarfism as a medical or genetic condition that usually results in an adult height of 4'10" or shorter, among both men and women, although in some cases a person with a dwarfing condition may be slightly taller than that.

**Dwarfism occurs in all races and with equal frequency in males and females, and affects about one in every 40,000 children (this was the most conservative estimate available). World Population as of (6/6/2002) = 6,250,000,000 (6,250,000,000 / 40,000) / 0.8 = 195,313 Little People (Worldwide)

100's of different conditions can cause short stature. Most of them are genetic and the most common is Achondroplasia.

Achondroplasia is apparent at birth. It causes a person to have disproportionate short stature. Their body may be normal size, but they have arms and legs that are too short.

Another type, caused by a hormonal deficiency, results in the person to be small all over proportionately. This is sometimes treated with hormonal therapy.

Little people will sometines have a large head with a prominent forehead, a flattened bridge of the nose, shortened hands and fingers, reduced muscle tone, clubfeet, cleft palate, cauliflower shaped ears, or a barrel-chested appearance.

People with short stature have normal intelligence and are very capable. They go to school, work, get married and have children, just like people of larger stature.

Parents and siblings may be normal size. A person of short stature may have normal sized children. There can be other medical problems for people with short stature, but those problems are usually dealt with and most people live long, reasonably healthy and happy lives.

The Learning Channel on cable TV has a series "Little People, Big World" and "The Foos Family" . Both are reality shows that follow families of short stature. These programs show how little people experience everday life, and how other people react to them.

Little People Big World Web Site

Foos Family Web Site

Source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/dwarfism.html
* http://www.lpaonline.org/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dwarfism.html
** http://www.dwarfism.org/