Assess and review the child�s growth and development and social adaptation.
1. Determine school readiness.
2. Discuss preparation of the school and teacher for a child with short stature.
3. Prepare the child for psychosocial situations and discussing issues. Be sure the child can explain why he or she is short and can ask for help in an appropriate way. Children with achondroplasia usually are included in the regular education program.
4. Suggest adaptive aids for the school to cope with heavy doors, high doorknobs, reaching for the blackboard, foot support, and a regular-sized desk. Also be sure that the child can use the restroom independently.
5. Test hearing regularly each year, checking for possible recurrent serious otitis media.
6. Check deep tendon reflexes yearly for asymmetry or increased reflexes suggesting spinal stenosis.
7. Continue to assess history for possible obstructive sleep apnea.
8. Review socialization and foster independence.
9. Review weight control. The child may need to restrict food intake and eat as little as half as much as an average-sized child eats.
10. Discuss contact with support groups. It is especially valuable at this age.
11. Obtain an orthopedic evaluation when the child is approximately 5 years of age in order to make appropriate treatment plans, if necessary.
12. Emphasize correct posture and encourage the child to consciously decrease lumbar lordosis by "tucking the buttocks under."KT Web Hosting - UK Based Web Hosting Company offering both Linux and NT Web Space. KT Domains - UK Based Domain Name Registration Services.
