Which description best defines dwarfism?

• A. Congenital hyposecretion of growth hormone; hypopituitary dwarfism
• B. Excess growth hormone leading to gigantism
• C. Acquired deficiency due to aging
• D. Deficiency of growth hormone caused by nutritional factors

Answer: (A)

Growth hormone from the pituitary gland drives a child’s long-bone growth. When this hormone is deficient from birth due to underactivity of the pituitary (congenital hyposecretion), growth signals are insufficient, leading to short stature commonly described as dwarfism. This direct link between a lack of growth hormone and reduced childhood growth is why this description fits dwarfism best.

The other ideas describe different scenarios: too much growth hormone causes gigantism in children, not dwarfism; aging-related declines aren’t the same developmental issue that causes dwarfism, and nutritional factors can affect growth for various reasons but don’t define a hormone-deficiency state of the pituitary.