Surgery also may be necessary to relieve nerve or spinal cord pressure from surrounding bones. Another complication that may need treatment is childhood ear infections. Untreated, these can lead to major hearing loss. Dental problems caused by overcrowding of teeth may require extra routine care and braces, and sometimes removal of one or more teeth. There is no way to prevent the majority of cases of achondroplasia, since these births result from totally unexpected gene mutations in unaffected parents.
Genetic counseling can help affected adults make informed decisions about family planning.
The gene is one of a family of genes that make proteins called fibroblast growth factor receptors. Scientists have recently linked these genes with several skeletal disorders. The fibroblast growth factor receptor gene dictates the production of a protein that is located on the surface of cells of different tissue types, including cartilage. The protein normally responds to signals from chemicals called growth factors which stimulate cell growth and maturation. Now scientists are investigating how the faulty protein actually causes the features of achondroplasia.