Growth Awareness Day

Did you know today is Growth Awareness day?

This year, The Chandler Project partnered with Ascendis Pharma to invite patients and families of children with achondroplasia to share insights, experiences, and knowledge about children’s growth. Help raise awareness and encourage others to seek information about the signs and symptoms of children’s growth disorders. Inspire other families and spread the word by sharing your stories using the hashtag #Together4Growth. 

For the past decade, I’ve been sharing about my experience with limb lengthening. And although lengthening is an alternative to achieving growth, it does not change the genetic mutation that causes achondroplasia. (ACH)

• ACH is caused by a mutation of the FGFR3 gene.
• 1/25,000 children are born with ACH.
• 80% of children with ACH are born to average stature parents.
• It starts in the bones. Our bones begin to develop in utero and continue to grow until adulthood.
• Due to the mutation of the FGFR3 gene, it makes the bones grow at a slower rate and makes them think they have fully developed when they have not.
• Although height and disproportion are the most obvious feature of an individual with ACH, it also impacts other areas in the body such as the nervous & respiratory systems.
• When it comes to achondroplasia, it’s not just “being small, that’s all.” everywhere we grow {meaning everywhere the FGFR3 gene is} in our bodies, we grow differently than the ‘average’ person.
• It’s more than height. The most important thing that doctors, patients, and families want to achieve is health over height.
• Your height CAN impact your health.
• For more information, you can sign up for Ascendis Pharma updates related to children’s growth disorders at together4growth.com