INFANCY +
TODDLERHOOD
Birth to 2 years
Physical development
Physical growth
Your child may not be shorter than their peers during infancy, but their height difference will become more noticeable over time. Your child’s growth will be tracked during their routine check-ups using achondroplasia-specific growth charts for height, weight, and head size. The charts can be found here.
Motor development
Delayed motor development is common in children with achondroplasia. They may develop certain motor skills (such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking) later than their peers and in a unique way. Before they start walking, many children with achondroplasia get around by supporting their body with their feet and forehead, supporting their body with their heels and bottom, army crawling, logrolling, seat scooting, and more. Although these movements may seem concerning, they are natural and common in children with achondroplasia.
It’s important to let your child develop at their own pace. In fact, it could even be harmful to push them to do certain movements, like sitting without support, before they are ready. Some children with achondroplasia start walking independently around 18 or 19 months old, while others do so after the age of 2 years. The achondroplasia-specific developmental timeline (below) can help you and your child’s pediatrician monitor your child’s milestones.
In rare cases, muscle weakness may be caused by neurological problems. If your child has severe muscle weakness, medical guidelines recommend an evaluation by a pediatric neurosurgeon. Remember to talk to your child’s care team if you have any concerns about their development.
Achondroplasia-specific developmental timeline
Download PDF
References
- Campbell J & Dorren N. It’s a Whole New View: A Guide for Raising a Child with Dwarfism. Little People of America, Inc. https://www.lpaonline.org/assets/documents/LPA%20New%20View%20FINAL.%20122806.pdf.
- Hoover-Fong J, et al. Achondroplasia Natural History Study (CLARITY): a multicenter retrospective cohort study of achondroplasia in the United States. Genetics in Medicine. 2021. 23:1498 – 1505.
- Hoover-Fong J, et al. Health supervision for people with achondroplasia. Pediatrics. 2020;145(6):e20201010.
- Ireland P, et al. Optimal management of complications associated with achondroplasia. The Application of Clinical Genetics. 2014. 7:117-125.
- Pauli R, et al. Achondroplasia: a comprehensive clinical review. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2019;14:1-49.
Community Connections
“The greatest joy as a parent is seeing my son be energetic and cheerful. I hope that my son will continue to look forward proudly, hold his head high, and live confidently and cheerfully.”
“My friends would describe me as someone with a big personality, very outgoing, and someone that always is smiling. I’m a people person, and I love making people happy.”
“His diagnosis was a major turning point in my life. This was when my new journey as a caregiver and advocate began.”
“Typically, with achondroplasia, people focus on height, but there are other important aspects of the condition that impact quality of life.”
“I see in my future pretty much what anyone else would: graduating school, graduating college, going on to a job I like, starting a family.”
“What we have seen is that she has done a great job of adapting herself, getting creative, doing things a little bit differently, but she always finds a way to be successful.”
“Our daughter is a person. She has feelings. Yes, she may be physically different than other children or other people, but I think that it is important to be aware of those differences without necessarily calling attention to them.”
“There was some unknown going into the birth. As soon as she was born, the first reaction was, ‘she is beautiful!’”
“Really, we are just like everyone else. We may look different, but we like being treated like everyone else.”
“We have relied heavily on the community. We are quite appreciative of the community and the resources that are available to help parents, siblings and individuals with achondroplasia. The diversity within this community has been quite enriching on many levels.”
“Having achondroplasia, you are going to come across challenges consistently. The way you are going to deal with them is really going to impact your life. Yes, I have challenges; obstacles get thrown at me all the time, but it’s the way of going about it and realizing there is so much more to life than having achondroplasia.”
“What I want to convey to society is that rare conditions exist, and there are many people in the world who need help. I genuinely wish that the world would be kinder. I hope people have a level of knowledge that allows them to understand the condition when they see a child that is smaller or looks different.”
“We were always outside, we always were being competitive, playing sports, just being kids.”
“My joy is seeing my child’s daily progress. There were many things she couldn’t do like other children. She is gradually becoming capable of those things, little by little. I realized that it’s okay to grow slowly.”
“I was four years old when my younger brother was born. I was young and didn’t understand what achondroplasia was. I don’t care if my brother is tall or short. I was simply happy to have a younger brother.”
“I would tell myself back then [at time of diagnosis], just take a deep breath and let go of the fear a little bit. Fear is normal. Once you are over that fear, you kind of just dive in. You dive into the information, and you educate yourself and learn everything you can learn about achondroplasia and really try to be your kid’s biggest advocate.”
“Shortly after he was born, he was diagnosed with achondroplasia. At first, I was worried and anxious. However, as I learned about people with achondroplasia who thrive and lead full lives, I gradually began to feel at ease.”