{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T04:23:44Z","timestamp":1782102224755,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,7]],"date-time":"2020-02-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1581033600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":6,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Rep"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,27]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>In Ecuador, a developing South American country, subjects affected with genetic syndromes of severe short stature are commonly referred to as dwarfs or midgets. Furthermore, and because in earlier studies some patients had evidenced mental retardation, such abnormality is assumed to exist in all affected subjects. Herein, we present two discrete instances in which this type of branding occurs. The first is that of individuals with Laron syndrome who are still called \u2018dwarfs\u2019 and considered as having a degree of mental retardation despite evidence showing otherwise. A similar problem, that of a girl affected with a genetic syndrome of short stature, which might include mental retardation, is also discussed. Considering that stigmatising is a form of discrimination, it concerns us all. Hence, the use of derogatory terms such as midget, dwarf or cretin, that might unintentionally occur even when delivering the best and most devoted medical care, must be eliminated.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2019-231737","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,10]],"date-time":"2020-02-10T04:39:23Z","timestamp":1581309563000},"page":"e231737","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Branding of subjects affected with genetic syndromes of severe short stature in developing countries"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jaime","family":"Guevara-Aguirre","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador"},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Limburg, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Instituto de Endocrinologia y Metabolismo, IEMYR, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carolina","family":"Guevara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Endocrinologia y Metabolismo, IEMYR, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexandra","family":"Guevara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Endocrinologia y Metabolismo, IEMYR, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Antonio AWD","family":"Gavilanes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Limburg, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025082802535392000_13.2.e231737.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.76.2.417"},{"key":"2025082802535392000_13.2.e231737.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1367","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM199011153232002","article-title":"The little women of Loja \u2014 growth Hormone\u2013Receptor deficiency in an inbred population of southern Ecuador","volume":"323","author":"Rosenbloom","year":"1990","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"2025082802535392000_13.2.e231737.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/edrv-15-3-369"},{"key":"2025082802535392000_13.2.e231737.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00439-011-1072-z"},{"key":"2025082802535392000_13.2.e231737.5","unstructured":"Berg M , Argente J , Chernausek S , et al . 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