What is limb undergrowth?
Limb undergrowth is a shortening of a limb or multiple limbs because of the underdevelopment of a bone or multiple bones of the extremities. This can include short arms or short legs, symmetrical or disproportionate shortening of the limbs, rhizomelic (rhizomelic refers to the proximal part of the limb, that is, the nearest part to the body) shortening or rhizomelic dwarfism, an asymmetrical undergrowth of the limbs affecting only one side, shortening of the middle portion or outer portion of a limb, or the partial absence of a free limb (meromelia) such as a hand or foot.
Understanding limb-related symptoms and features.
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
Limbs refer to the arms and legs of the body. They also include the hands and feet connected to the main limbs. Parts of the limbs include the fingers and toes, known as digits.
The limbs are an essential part of many different functions of the body, including movement, feeding and other necessary daily skills. Symptoms and features affecting the development and functioning of the limbs may also impact on these activities as well.
Generally, symptoms affecting the limbs may be seen with the naked eye. Although diagnosing a limb related symptom may involve different tests and assessments, both subjective and objective.
What should I do next?
In some instances, limb undergrowth may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Limb Undergrowth, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.