{"id":2004,"date":"2025-02-20T09:45:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T09:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/achondroplasia.biomarin.com\/en-us\/?page_id=2004"},"modified":"2025-07-14T17:21:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T17:21:14","slug":"about-achondroplasia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/achondroplasia.biomarin.com\/en-us\/about-achondroplasia\/","title":{"rendered":"About Achondroplasia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Closer Look at Achondroplasia<\/h2>\n

Bones play an important role in mobility, daily functioning, and overall health. In achondroplasia, bone growth is slowed or inhibited. Explore how achondroplasia occurs, the different ways it can affect individuals throughout life, and how you can support healthy development with the right care. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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WHAT IS ACHONDROPLASIA?<\/h3>\n

Achondroplasia is the most common type of skeletal dysplasia, with about 250,000 people diagnosed worldwide. Skeletal dysplasias are rare genetic conditions that affect bone and cartilage development.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A rare genetic condition that inhibits bone growth<\/h3>\n

Bone growth<\/h3>\n

Most bones begin as cartilage. The process of cartilage developing into bone is known as endochondral bone growth.<\/p>\n

Growth plates<\/h3>\n

Located at the ends of bones, growth plates are where endochondral bone growth takes place. They remain open from before birth until late adolescence or early adulthood (around ages 15 to 20 years). Once growth plates close, endochondral bone growth stops.<\/p>\n

Inhibited bone growth<\/h3>\n

In achondroplasia, endochondral bone growth is inhibited in over<\/strong> 90% of bones in the body<\/strong> during developmental years.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

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The most significant bone growth in the skull, spine, and chest happens during a child’s first 7 years\u2014especially from birth to 5 years old.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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HOW DOES INHIBITED BONE GROWTH AFFECT HEALTH?<\/h3>\n

When bone growth is inhibited, there’s less space inside the body for organs and nerves. For some people with achondroplasia, this can lead to developmental and health issues that have a lasting impact.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Inhibited bone growth can affect health in different ways<\/h4>\n \t\t \t\t