Denouement and Discussion
Bird-Headed Dwarfs
Manifestations
There are several conditions which can fall into the descriptive term of "bird-headed." Patients with progeria for example, could be called bird-headed dwarfs. The Virchow-Seckel dwarf, who is indeed "bird-headed" in appearance, is a diagnosis which should probably be reserved for children who show intra-uterine dwarfism and are bird-headed. They have a prominent nose, which is sometimes beaked, and micrognathia. Also present are hypoplasia of the malar bones, high arched or cleft palate, low set ears, lobeless ears, and prominence of the eyes. The head is microcephalic. The teeth may be absent, atrophic, or have hypoplasia of the enamel. The total appearance of the head, eyes, and facial structures does indeed suggest a bird-like quality.The dwarfism is proportional with a slender body build. Abnormalities of the extremities include dislocation of the head of the radius, congenitally dislocated hip, and an increased distance between