Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Diastrophic Dysplasia is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Diastrophic Dwarfism
• DTD
• DD
• Diastrophic Nanism Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Diastrophic dysplasia, which is also known as disastrophic dwarfism, is a rare disorder that is present at birth (congenital). The range and severity of associated symptoms and physical findings may vary greatly from case to case. However, the disorder is often characterized by short stature and unusually short arms and legs (short-limbed dwarfism); abnormal development of bones (skeletal dysplasia) and joints (joint dysplasia) in many areas of the body; progressive abnormal curvature of the spine (scoliosis and/or kyphosis); abnormal tissue changes of the outer, visible portions of the ears (pinnae); and/or, in some cases, malformations of the head and facial (craniofacial) area.

In most infants with diastrophic dysplasia, the first bone within the body of each hand (first metacarpals) may be unusually small and "oval shaped," causing the thumbs to deviate away (abduction) from the body ("hitchhiker thumbs"). Other fingers may also be abnormally short (brachydactyly) and joints between certain bones of the fingers (proximal interphalangeal joints) may become fused (symphalangism), causing limited flexion and restricted movement of the finger joints. Affected infants also typically have severe foot deformities (talipes or "clubfeet") due to abnormal deviation and fusion of certain bones within the body of each foot (metatarsals). In addition, many children with the disorder experience limited extension, partial (subluxation) or complete dislocation, and/or permanent flexion and immobilization (contractures) of certain joints.

In most infants with diastrophic dysplasia, there is also incomplete closure of bones of the spinal column (spina bifida occulta) within the neck area and the upper portion of the back (lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae). In addition, during the first year of life, some affected children may begin to develop progressive abnormal sideways curvature of the spine (scoliosis). During adolescence, individuals with the disorder may also develop abnormal front-to-back curvature of the spine (kyphosis), particularly affecting vertebrae within the neck area (cervical vertebrae). In severe cases, progressive kyphosis may lead to difficulties breathing (respiratory distress). Some individuals may also be prone to experiencing partial dislocation (subluxation) of joints between the central areas (bodies) of cervical vertebrae, potentially resulting in spinal cord injury. Such injury may cause muscle weakness (paresis) or paralysis and/or life-threatening complications.

In addition, most newborns with diastrophic dysplasia have or develop abnormal fluid-filled sacs (cysts) within the outer, visible portions of the ears (pinnae). Within the first weeks of life, the pinnae become swollen and inflamed and unusually firm, thick, and abnormal in shape. Over time, the abnormal areas of tissue (lesions) may accumulate deposits of calcium salts (calcification) and eventually develop into bone (ossification). Some affected infants may also have abnormalities of the head and facial (craniofacial) area including incomplete closure of the roof of the mouth (cleft palate) and/or abnormal smallness of the jaws (micrognathia). In addition, in some affected infants, abnormalities of supportive connective tissue (cartilage) within the windpipe (trachea), voice box (larynx), and certain air passages in the lungs (bronchi) may result in collapse of these airways, causing life-threatening complications such as respiratory obstruction and difficulties breathing. In some individuals with the disorder, additional symptoms and physical findings may also be present. Diastrophic dysplasia is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.
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Resources

Human Growth Foundation
997 Glen Cove Avenue
Glen Head, NY 11545
Tel: (516)671-4041
Fax: (516)671-4055
Tel: (800)451-6434
Email: hgf1@hgfound.org
Internet: http://www.hgfound.org/

MAGIC Foundation for Children's Growth
6645 W. North Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60302
Tel: (708)383-0808
Fax: (708)383-0899
Tel: (800)362-4423
Email: mary@magicfoundation.org
Internet: http://www.magicfoundation.org

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Tel: (914)428-7100
Fax: (914)997-4763
Tel: (888)663-4637
Email: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com

AmeriFace
PO Box 751112
Las Vegas, NV 89136
USA
Tel: 7027699264
Fax: 7023415351
Tel: 8884861209
Email: info@ameriface.org
Internet: http://www.ameriface.org

Little People of America, Inc.
250 El Camino Real
Suite 201
Tustin, CA 92780
Tel: (714)368-3689
Tel: (888)572-2001
Email: info@lpaonline.org
Internet: http://www.lpaonline.org

Cleft Palate Foundation
1504 East Franklin Street
Suite 102
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-2820
USA
Tel: 9199339044
Fax: 9199339604
Tel: 8002425338
Email: info@cleftline.org
Internet: http://www.cleftline.org

Prescription Parents
Prescription Parent, Inc.
P.O. Box 920554
Needham, MA 02492
USA
Tel: 6174991936
Email: info@prescriptionparents.org
Internet: http://www.prescriptionparents.com

National Craniofacial Foundation
3100 Carlisle Street
Suite 215
Dallas, TX 75204
Tel: (800)535-3643

National Spinal Cord Injury Association
6701 Democracy
Suite 300-9
Bethesda, MD 20817
USA
Tel: 3012144006
Fax: 3018819817
Tel: 8009629629
Email: info@spinalcord.org
Internet: http://www.spinalcord.org

NIH/National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
USA
Tel: 3014954484
Fax: 3017186366
Tel: 8772264267
TDD: 3015652966
Email: NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info

NIH/National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (Preg & Perinat)
Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch
6100 Executive Blvd Rm 4B03
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Tel: (301)496-5575
Email: BOCKR@mail.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.nichd.nih.gov

NIH/National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (Balance)
National Temporal Bone, Hearing
and Balance Pathology Resource Registry
Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary
243 Charles Street
Boston, MA 02114-3096
Fax: (617)573-3838
Tel: (800)822-1327
TDD: (888)561-3277
Email: TBRegistry@meei.harvard.edu
Internet: http://www.tbregistry.org

Wide Smiles
P.O. Box 5153
Stockton, CA 95205-0153
USA
Tel: 2099422812
Fax: 2094641497
Email: JoSmiles@yahoo.com
Internet: http://www.widesmiles.org

Spinal Cord Injury Network International
3911 Princeton Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95405-7013
Tel: (707)577-8796
Fax: (707)577-0605
Tel: (800)548-2673
Email: library@spinalcordinjury.org
Internet: http://www.spinalcordinjury.org