Megan
Daisy-First of all, you are blessed with a little girl who could have a lot worse problems than being below average height. Try not to think of her condition as a problem, but as a difference, and how boring would this world be if we were all the same? My son is eight months old with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. We definitely go through things that an average size child doesn't. You can't let that stop you from making your daughter KNOW that God made her special for a reason and other than being a professional basketball player or police officer, she should follow her dreams no matter how far-fetched they seem. There is a dwarf doctor named Dr. Ain, I believe, that works at John Hopkin's Hospital in Baltimore as a pediatric orthepedic surgeon. He climbs onto his stool and performs surgery every day. Also, the more you educate yourself and the people around you, the easier it will be for your daughter. First of all, if anyone uses the term midget, let them know that the dwarf community finds that very offensive. They consider this a parrallel between "cracker" or the "N" word. I did not know this before I had my son, that was the only term I knew for a little person. They prefer to be called little people or dwarfs. Educating those around us will start a chain reaction where eventually everyone will know that dwarfs are not circus freaks (a streotype) but an individual with the same intelligence level as you, me, or Albert Einstein that have a genetic bone disorder that causes their long bones not to grow to the average length. Please e-mail me if you'd like to talk.