There is a subgroup of the second type of pituitary dwarfism listed above. African pygmies are an example of this type of pituitary dwarfism. At least four somatomedins are produced by the liver in response to GH and are responsible for the actual growth of bone and tissues. In both types of pituitary dwarfism, height is stunted, but so is growth in the rest of the body, resulting in a perfectly proportioned little person. For this reason, pituitary dwarfism is sometimes called proportionate dwarfism.
Pituitary dwarfism is a rare disease.
It occurs only in children. Low hormonal output from the pituitary in adults produces different disorders. There are many reasons why children do not attain heights within a normal range. Pituitary dwarfism with sexual maturity does run in families and has been linked to an inherited recessive gene. However, in most cases where children fail to attain a normal height, it is not possible to identify a specific pituitary or genetic disorder.