Question
My son was born with his fourth toe dislodged but still growing under the skin. His left foot is also 1 cm smaller than the other and narrower than the other. At the age of 7 his left leg is also 2 cm shorter than the other and the fema bone never fully developed. I am looking for the name of this bone disease as doctors have advised that it can effect the heart, eyes, ears and brain.  His hearing in the one ear has degenerated.  Please can you help?

Answer
Hi Lynette,

That's a tough question.  There are many syndromes that have these features.  Have you ever been given a name?  Have you seen a Specialist such as a Pediatric Orthopedist?

Do you have more information on any other problems that your son currently exhibits?

Here is a list of some of the syndromes:
   * Achondroplasia
   * Campomelic Dysplasia
   * Cartilage Hair Hypoplasia
   * Diastrophic Dysplasia
   * Ellis-Van Creveld Dysplasia
   * Hypochondroplasia
   * Kniest Dysplasia
   * Metatropic Dysplasia
   * Morquio Syndrome
   * Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia (MED)
   * Primordial Dwarfism
   * Pseudoachrondroplasia
   * Spondylo-epiphyseal Dysplasia (SED)
   * Thanatophoric Dysplasia

The best solution would be to talk to your sons Pediatrician and get a referral to a Specialist.

This is a highly specialized area that is really out of the scope of my practice.

Hope that will get you started.  Sorry that I can't provide more information.

Sincerely,

Marc Katz, DPM
Tampa, FL
www.thetampapodiatrist.com