Friendships An Important Part Of Everyday Life - 3613 Words

Scott Owen Chappuis MC 6300 Dr. Itay Gabay May 6, 2015 Friendships are an important part of everyday life. The vast amount of research focusing on friendship (i.e., Fehr, 1996; Hays, 1984; Argyle Henderson, 1985) is indicative of just how important friendship is to everyday life. The importance and necessity of friendship is also evident by how these relationships are portrayed on television. Shows such as Friends, Cougartown, Psych, and How I Met Your Mother portray various different kinds of friendship. Shows such as these provide viewers with a unique opportunity to be able to be an observer in these relationships and to see how these relationships form and develop. In some instances, viewers may have the opportunity to watch a friendship begin and blossom throughout the course of a television series. This study focuses on how friendships are developed and maintained in the American television comedy How I Met Your Mother. While research focusing on friendship is ever present, little research examines how these friendships are portrayed in television. Some may argue that relationships on television are not real and, therefore, do not warrant being studied. However, studying these relationships may be beneficial, as it may allow individuals an opportunity to learn how other relationships are maintained. In order to understand how the friendships are maintained, the researcher focused on the portrayal of friendship rituals. Quantitative content analysis was utilized inShow MoreRelatedIn Emerging Adulthood, Many People Experience The Need1392 Words   |  6 Pagespeople experience the need to share their personal life with someone else. Erikson name for this crisis is intimacy versus isolation and emerging adults and many older adults know this feeling very well (Berger, 2014, p. 5 51). As emerging adults begin feeling the need for human connection, friendships and intimate relationships deepen for this reason (Berger, 2014, p. 551). As a senior in high school my friends became an extremely important part of my life, we told each other everything and the need forRead MoreEssay on The Pact902 Words   |  4 Pageskind from lower species of life. Our intellect, communication skills and opposable thumbs are a few of the many advantages to being a human. Human’s ability to construct a deep and rewarding lifelong friendship is no less incredible than any of the previously mentioned traits. These friendships are an integral part of our lives each and everyday, and friendships that last can certainly help lead to ones success later on in life. I have had many very close friends in my life and they all have helpedRead More Friendship Essay: The Qualities of a Best Friend1152 Words   |  5 PagesSurely, everyone is fond of the idea of friendship. In fact, t o most people living on this earth believe that friends are the most important part of their lives. There have been lots of sayings, quotes, movies and music about the theme, friendship; and this also impacted many people in the way they see the idea of having friends and that it is worthwhile to have someone to rely on. The importance of friendship cannot just be forgotten like a snap of one’s fingers. It has stuck on to the minds ofRead MoreImportant Atributes of Friendship Essay548 Words   |  3 PagesWhen we think of friendships, we think of the people in our lives that make us smile and of the times that we have spent with them. Friends bring a joy and an important fufillment into our lives. They leave an important mark on us, and memories that last a lifetime. Friendships can provide us with support and a safety from everyday hardships and obstacles of life. On the otherhand a fake friendship can turn out to be detrimental, hurtful and leave us feeling alone. There are certain things that aRead MoreThe True Meaning Of Friendship1691 Words   |  7 PagesMesnyankin Friendship, a term vaguely defined, however, the true meaning lies within each individual through experiences. Friendship seems to be sort of a necessity in our existence as Aristotle compels that â€Å"A human being is by nature a social being† (Nicomachean Ethics (1097b12-13)). What Aristotle also noted is that there are three types or as he called them species of friendship which are complete friendships and incomplete friendships such as friendships of pleasure, friendships of utility.Read MoreDavid Whytes Consolations : Literary Analysis1678 Words   |  7 Pageshumanity comes friendship, but friendship may not be as one-dimensional and simplistic as the common person believes it to be- it may not stop at the surface level. In David Whyte’s book, Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words, he writes on friendship, exposing the true facets of an authentic friendship that oftentimes are overlooked by many people. In Whyte’ s opinion, friendship is an eternal experience, or at least an experience in which people take part over anRead MoreValues in quot;The Chosenquot; Essays511 Words   |  3 Pagesof the novel, The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, and I definitely did read it, I found three distinct values to be evident. Friendship, individuality and religion were very focused on and even shaped the lives of the two main characters. Each of these values have a big impact on my life not only since I have come to Augustana, but every day since I can remember. To define friendship is not easy. It is so many things and so many feelings. It is kindness, compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, respectRead MoreImportance of Friendships1027 Words   |  5 PagesKatie Holland November 9, 2011 Psychology The Importance of Friendships Katie Holland Psychology Importance of Friendships Picture this, a young boy sitting alone at a playground admiring his peers from across the school yard enjoying a game of hide and seek, that he was not invited to. Now shift your attention to the other set of children who are engaging in a rigorous game of hide and seek, all laughing and playing with one another. Which side would you want to be on? How do you get toRead MoreMy Birthday Celebrations - Original Writing995 Words   |  4 Pagesthey were just that amazing. I had planned for all my parties with exact precision and care. This time was slightly different as it was my 40th year; my plan was to go all out. Somewhere deep inside, I could feel this year would be different, almost life-defining, and indeed it was. I painfully stepped into my forties with the reality that I was losing friends. This truth, as shocking as it was, did not happen overnight as the tapestry of my world had been changing for a period time. Many of my lifelongRead MoreThe American Dream In John Steinbecks Of Mice And Men836 Words   |  4 Pages In doing so, he discusses the important controversial issues in a prà ©cis 106 pages. Everything has a purpose, and in writing these 106 pages, Steinbeck had a purpose to fulfill. Steinbeck’s purpose in writing Of Mice and Men consisted of many components, but it can be summed up in three main points. This includes portraying the American dream in the 1930’s, giving insight into life during the Great Depression, and to enlighten readers about what a true friendship consists of.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The American Dream

Traffic Along The South- Centre Iraq And East West...

trade movements. The traffic along the South- Centre Iraq and East-West Corridors is being served by Expressway No.1 with 1250 km long, the rote 2 sections and 10 parts; Southern with 510 km Western with 455 km. This corridor is considerate as one of the longest routes in the Middle East and one of the most important highways in Iraq. †¢ Most of the expressway adjacent land along the road is owned by the Government, except some farms and installations owned by private. There are 176 official and private installations and adjoining to this expressway; many of them are assembling randomly on the right of way. These installations include; Police posts, Army posts, check points, Commercial (stand-alone) privately owned rest areas. Formal rest areas with integrated services, Small and fragmented shops, some of which are informal and unlicensed and farms or state leased lands. †¢ Most of the installations include medium or bad partial services like restaurants and shops. Many restaurants moved from the city to the area of the express way to follow traffic. In fact, Informal and illegal service stations are now dominating service delivery and they are very close to road and cannot be moved back because of obstacles behind it parking, especially of trucks needs management and repair. Most of the parking of trucks is obstructing movement and activities. The installation along the way slows traffic unnecessarily on a high speed Expressway, distracts drivers, and in effect removesShow MoreRelatedOutline Of A Re Deficiencies1418 Words   |  6 Pagesdeficiencies. [4] [7] About 50 % of Iraq’s imports come through its North-South corridor and enter through the Ibrahim El Khalil on the northern border, from Europe, Russia and Central Asia via Turkey. Most Asian imports are transshipped at Dubai and use the port of Um Qassr to access the South-North corridor to reach Baghdad [1][5].This part of the corridor accounts for about 25% of total imports. The East-West corridors carry about 25 % of the imports coming from Europe, Africa and Asia throughRead MoreCrossing The Western Desert Of Iraq1008 Words   |  5 Pagescrossing the western desert of Iraq to the Euphrates. The stony desert carries only a sparse herb growth, and only in the valley where there are temporary pools and springs is there more abundant vegetation. The Expressway No. 1 passes 2 km to the North of the ecologically important site boundary within the Mesopotamian Shrub Desert Ecoregion of the Habbaniyah Lake. Sand dunes are very common which cause many accidents; there should be special equipment at Al Rutbah Centre to avoid these accidents. [38]Read MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesindustry. IKEA – quality and low prices at the Swedish furniture giant News Corporation – corporate logic and corporate management in a worldwide media business. CRH – impressive international growth of an Irish company driven from a ‘lean’ corporate c entre. Numico – difficulties with diversification for a Dutch nutritional products company. AIB – competing in the global banking industry: the challenges for a mid-size bank. SABMiller – an African brewer takes on the world: learning to thrive in difficultRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pagessimilar or different configurations. They might find, for example, that however the maps are drawn up, some companies always tend to end up in the same groups. In other words, some companies may have a very similar set of strategic characteristics along many dimensions. †¢ 43  © Pearson Education Limited 2011 Johnson, Whittington and Scholes, Exploring Strategy, 9th Edition, Instructor’s Manual †¢ Students are asked to examine the strategic group maps to see if there are any underpopulatedRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pageswhilst xii P R E FA C E the new competition is frequently far less predictable and often more desperate than previously. At the same time, the marketing environment has also been affected by a series of unpredictable events (SARS and the Iraq war are just two of the more recent of these), and by the emergence of new technologies and delivery systems. Together, these changes have led to a new type of marketing reality which has major implications for the marketing planning and strategy processesRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesto the workers, and each individual worker performs a single task along the production line. Even today cars are still built using this system, as evidenced in the photo of workers along a modern-day computerized automobile assembly line. Jones−George: Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition I. Management 2. The Evolution of Management Thought  © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2005 19 42 Chapter Two task along a production line, and the speed of the conveyor belt is the primary

7 ps with reference to Taj Hotels free essay sample

This gracious turn-of-the century hotel is located 32 km from the airport and minutes away from Mumbais commercial, shopping and banking districts. The Taj Mahal Hotel has an old-world Heritage Wing and a contemporary Tower Wing. The hotels premium suites have been used by royalty and Heads of State. Taj believes that the their core product is space. This space is supplemented with the services they provide like the restaurants, health club, banquets, discotheque, bar, business centers etc. Their other supplementary products also include travel arrangements, ticketing, airport pick-ups, sightseeing etc. The hotels various other departments like the house keeping, front office, food and beverage, room service and maintenance, all provide the supplementary services to the customer. A few of the Facilities and Services offered are as follows:- Types of Accommodation 582 centrally air-conditioned rooms including 49 suites. Tower Wing Rooms: With easy access to the Business Centre, these contemporary rooms offer guest amenities like Internet connectivity, 2-line speaker phones with international direct dial facility and voice mail. Mini bar, personal safe, channel music and television with satellite programmes. A complimentary in-room fax can be provided on request. Guests have a choice of rooms that overlook the city or face the Gateway of India and the Arabian Sea. Heritage Wing Rooms: These rooms are renowned for their architecture and exude an aura of old-world elegance. Each corridor in this Wing resembles an art gallery, and the design, decor and furnishing ensure that no two rooms are alike. Guests have a choice of rooms that overlook the city or pool or face the Gateway of India and the Arabian Sea. Taj Club: Located on the top floors of the Heritage Wing, Taj Club is designed for the discerning business traveler. Guest amenities and services include complimentary airport limousine transfers, private check-in at the Club desk, in-room fax, personal safe, a complimentary bottle of wine, valet service and complimentary deluxe Continental breakfast. Taj Club guests can also enjoy complimentary tea/coffee throughout the day and cocktails during the Cocktail Hour at the Club Lounge. Taj Club also offers guests exclusive Meeting Rooms and a Business Service Unit on the Club Floor. Suites: Choose from elegantly appointed Junior Suites, Executive Suites, tastefully decorated Large Suites, newly renovated Luxury Suites or spacious, plush Grand Luxe Suites. The finest suites at The Taj Mahal are the luxuriously appointed Presidential Suites. Each of these suites is decorated with original paintings and antiques that transport guests into a world of regal luxury and grandeur. Grand Luxe and Presidential Suite guests can also avail of a personal Valet Service. Broadband wireless Internet access at select Taj hotels Now when you stay at select Taj hotels in Mumbai (including The Taj Mahal Hotel), New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, you no longer need to be in your room or at the Business Centre to use the Internet. Multiple hot spots located across the hotels lets you get onto the Internet from almost any place in the hotel quickly and without plugging in! Whats more, there is a Cyber Butler on call, should you need any assistance with getting connected. Facilities and Services Swimming pool, fitness centre and spa, beauty parlour, barber shop, travel desk, car rental, pastry shop, book shop, shopping arcade, currency exchange, doctor-on-call and babysitting. Complimentary use of steam, Jacuzzi and gymnasium at the fitness centre for all guests. Arrangements for golf, badminton, squash, billiards, tennis and table tennis on request. 24-hour room service and laundry service Place and Time As far as place is concerned, all the Taj services and facilities are provided at one point. To ensure timely delivery of their services, they have set processes in place and incase of failure or delay of service, they have built in contingencies and trained their staff to communicate the delay to the customer in the right manner. One of the incidents that Mr. Vivek Sah, the Training Manager at Taj provided us with to explain this concept further is of the implementation of the contingency plan during the breakdown of the elevator. In case of breakdown of the elevator, the Room Service makes use of the elevator in the other wing to ensure timely delivery to the customer. They also have complaint management systems where they encourage customer feedback. Each of their feedback form is numbered and hence if any feedback form is missing, the staff is held liable for it. This is to ensure that the management views every feedback form. To ensure standadization in their services, they have Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), e. g the food that is served in the restaurant will be of the same quality and taste at any given day and time. Process In order to ensure that the core product and the supplementary product is developed and delivered in the right manner and at the right time, the hotel has formed certain set processes. When the room is being prepared for customer check-in , the house-keeping department make sure that all the room amenities are provided as per the check list. For e. g. certain room amenities like 3 embroidered laundry bags, 2 closed slippers with logo, 2 shoe bags, etc. are provided by The Taj Mahal Hotel. Infact the processes are so specifically laid down that hotel staff are even advised on what to say and what words to use while talking to a customer. The following example will illustrate this better. When a customer asks for something to be done instead of saying â€Å"no problem, the staff is taught to say ‘ most certainly’. The Taj Blueprint When the service provider comes in contact with the customer, he needs to surpass the customer’s expectations, for which a blue print is made and followed by the service provider, in this case the Taj Mahal Hotel. Dinner Service Sequence Procedure 1 Greet Guests Entrance Host(ess) / Manager 2 Smile using appropriate salutation,correct posture,eye-contact and guest name where possible. Entrance Host(ess) / Manager 3 Smoking/Non-smoking preference to be confirmed. Entrance Host(ess) / Manager 4 Assist guests to their seats. Restaurant Host(ess) / Manager 5 Unfold the napkins, ladies first Restaurant Captain 6 Suggest the Dinner buffet, and describe the buffet highlights specials etc. Table Captain / Manager 7 Present the food menu along with the beverage list/ wine menu, if A La Carte is desired by the guest. Suggest daily specials and advice non availability`s, prior to food orders. Table Captain / Manager 8 Suggest bottled water and offer wine by glass. Table Captain 9 For wine service, appropriate glassware to be present on the table. Table Captain / Server 10 For all orders, serve ladies first Table Captain / Server 11 Clear plates accordingly before guests return after second helping from buffet. Table Captain / Server 12 For A La Carte orders, plates to be cleared only after all complete their meal. Table Captain / Server 13 Replenish the cuttlery accordingly. Table Captain / Server 14 Napkins to be folded neatly in half and placed on the left arm-chair, when guests leave for second helping. Table Captain / Server 15 For A La Carte orders, offer dessert menu and describle items. Table Captain / Server 16 Offer tea / coffee after entree and side plates are cleared. Table Captain / Server 17 Always maintain table top clean, before resetting the table Table Captain / Server 18 Place bill folder with cheque on table for signature, as per guest convinience Table Captain / Server 19 Thank all guests using their names respectively. Table Captain / Server / Host(ess) / Manager 20 Bid farewell. Restaurant Captain / Server / Host(ess) / Manager 21 Upon guest departure, clear table immediately. Table Captain / Server Productivity The Taj as a hotel does not compare itself to only Indian hotels, but even with the hotels internationally as it claims to have â€Å"World Class Quality†. In order to ensure that its inputs are transformed into desired outputs, they provide extensive training to their employees irrespective of the field they come from. The Taj Mahal hotel has various quality tools to enhance quality. This involves every department, as they have to make sure that the raw material as well as the finished product is of top quality. At The Taj, it is the responsibility of the purchase department to make sure that the raw materials are purchased at the Right Time, Right Place, Right Cost and from the Right Source, in order to avoid any hindrances in their productivity and quality. Taj has developed enormous credibility in terms of trustworthiness being the oldest brand of hotels, with the reputation of being World class and honest service provider. Security, Communication and understanding the customer psychology are special assets the Taj management has mastered with time. People People here mean the customers, employees, management and the society. It is the final customer who is to be satisfied and this can be done only with the help of the employees, who are directed and guided by the management. In the end the final motive of Taj is to provide consistently and relentlessly an Indian experience of warmth and hospitality by anticipating and exceeding guest expectations. They also provide various customer services such as ‘The Taj Inner Circle Group’, ‘Taj Advantage’ and ‘Taj Epicure’. In order to ensure the productivity of their employees they provide them with various facilities such as medical help, consultation, traveling facilities, perks and bonuses. The employers here each have their own lockers in which they keep their uniforms and other belongings, they also have bunkers with small beds so that the employees working in shifts can catch some sleep if need be. In spite of the fact that human resources management is such an integral part of the service industry of which hotels form a major part, its role has begun to be acknowledged only recently. The Taj Group of Hotels is probably one of the first Indian hotel chains to have recognised and respected the significance of HR in the hospitality industry. Says K S Srinivasan, GM-corporate human resources, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai, â€Å"Functions like sales, marketing and HR are not hotel-specific, unlike those of chefs, housekeepers, bartenders, stewards and the like. They are, in fact, common to all businesses. † He asserts that HR, as a function, is like a partner in the business in any organisation and not a stand-alone function. It is the key to effective utilisation of the manpower that the hotel industry is so dependent on. And the Indian hotel industry is among the most labour intensive since the number of people serving guests is the maximum here. It is precisely for this reason that the significance of HR requires to be appreciated. It is not merely monetary rewards that employees seek today; the intriguing aspect is the learning experience that the job promises. â€Å"It is precisely with this very thought in mind that the Taj Group of Hotels, a Tata enterprise and one of the oldest hotel chains in the country, decided on a training programme for the operations trainees,† explains Srinivasan. Interactive sessions between the Taj management and the director of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), a Tata educational and research institution, led to an interesting and comprehensive tailor-made course curriculum being chalked out. Thus was born the ‘Taj TISS HR Associate Programme’, a one-year course comprising four modules that are designed to give equal importance to and impart balanced knowledge of both the theoretical and the practical aspects of all HR-related functions of the hotel industry. After finalising the course details, the Taj made announcements about the course, offering interested trainees with two to three years of work experience an opportunity to apply. The response was encouraging and five trainees were shortlisted for the first batch of the training programme. Each of the four modules have four sections. The first stage consists of theoretical lessons, providing a sound background to the practical application of the knowledge required of them in the second stage. In the third stage, the students return to the Institute and their performance is evaluated by professors of TISS. In the fourth and final stage, grades are awarded. While practical training sessions for the first three modules have been organised at the Taj hotels across the country, the fourth modules practical sessions had students of the first batch working in Tata companies such as TISCO and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). â€Å"This gave them a wider scope and more exposure, besides making them realise that HR skills in a service-specific industry like the hotels are much more challenging than their application in the manufacturing or any other industry,† observed Srinivasan. He said he himself had started off in the manufacturing industry and only later did he move over to the service industry. â€Å"I have been in the industry for over a decade now and am well-set here,† he added. The key to retaining staff and ensuring the success of any business organisation lies with the HR department and its effective functioning. Any organisation, including hotels, incur heavy expenditure on their employees, especially between the time of recruitment and the employees’ acquisition of the skills imparted during their training. It can be inferred, therefore, that a high employee turnover rate lowers the efficiency of the staff as a whole owing to their constant on-the-job training and skill enhancement. â€Å"An organisation must be able to create for itself a unique place and image in the minds of the employees, both present and prospective. This enables the employees to aspire to be a part of the organisation, giving it their very best,† says Srinivasan. â€Å"Though the training programme has and will continue to cost us money, we believe that it is truly worthy investment,† he added. â€Å"The Taj group,† says Srinivasan, â€Å"is an expanding organisation and we are a people-oriented company. What we need are people who can match our organisational standards. We are also looking to create and ensure a constant supply of good quality HR professionals, which is why we decided to impart training of an extremely specialised nature to our management trainees. I have observed them at the end of the programme and must say that they appear all charged up and raring to go,† he remarked. The Taj-TISS joint programme is expected to create a demonstration effect in the industry with more hotel groups placing additional emphasis on the HR training programmes. To be a successful HR professional, what is required most is the aspirants’ ability to challenge themselves as well as their colleagues. Only then can they get the very best from themselves and their team. â€Å"Challenges in the HR field are immense and since it is so people-centric, it is only obvious that professionals should have strong people-management skills,† explains Srinivasan. Besides this, a right attitude towards the job and life in general is extremely essential. â€Å"As a manager myself, what I would look for in an applicant would be the ability to fit into my organisation perfectly and be emotionally balanced, competent and above all, be a cultural fit, fulfiling the basic values that the Taj is known for,† concludes Srinivasan. Promotion and Education They carry out their promotions by the means of calendars, monthly letter to their ‘Inner Circle Customers’, informing them about their upcoming events and offers. Taj has television advertisements on popular channels like CNBC, and print ads in magazines and newspapers. Taj takes part in exhibitions like wherein they promote their holiday packages. They also have special offers during the â€Å"off-season† etc. Also The Taj is the only hotel chain to personify itself and in promotion campaigns and advertisements the Taj is often referred to as â€Å"She† The print ads for the Taj are :- Physical Evidence The Taj Mahal Hotel was built in 1903. The architect was Sitaram Vaidya. It had a very ethnic look to it, which kept up their image of providing an Indian experience of warmth and hospitality. They realized that modernization is the name of the game and had The Taj redesigned by Mr. Chambers, Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Bernard from Singapore. Some of the recent renovations that have been carried out at the Taj are The exterior has been given a new and modern look while still retaining the old world charm of the building. The entrance has splendidly carved bronze and glass doors Soaring onyx columns stretch to a luminous alabaster ceiling; while underfoot, rich hand-woven carpets set off a magnificent floor painstakingly inlaid with semi-precious stones. The eclectic mix of western contemporary style and traditional Indian motifs creates a veritable feast for the sense. The citys most exclusive restaurant, The Zodaic Grill provides a graceful setting for an intimate dining experience. Under a magnificent trompe loeil dome, they serve the finest gourmet cuisine complemented by an extensive wine list, as a classically trained pianist entertains patrons. Price and Other User Costs Taj realizes that their prices are high and not affordable by all, but this is due to various overheads that it incurs and the superior quality that it offers. For e. g. a roadside sandwich seller sells his sandwich for Rs. 10 as he has no overheads and has no quality standards to maintain, like the quality of the bread and the vegetables. But at The Taj, they serve the best quality and also incur overhead expenses. Also the target audience that the Taj caters to are the one’s who come to the Taj for it’s ambience and world class standards, therefore they say that their prices are justified as they help The Taj retain the exclusivity that it stands for.

Mrs. McCaulskyDwarfism ReportACHONDROPLASIA In Medicine, ACHONDROPLASI

Mrs. McCaulskyDwarfism ReportACHONDROPLASIA In medicine, ACHONDROPLASIA is known as being undersized, orless than 50in. in height. Having short limbs, a normal sized trunk, large headwith a depressed nasal bridge and small face. This is a result of a disease inthe thyroid gland. It can also be caused by Down syndrome or absorption, acartilaginous tissue during the fetal stage. Hypochondroplasia, a mild form ofdwarfism. Spinal tuberculosis and the deficiency of the pituitary glandsecretions. Treatment with thyroxin or thyroid extract early in childhoodresults in normal growth and development. Somatrophin, also known as thehuman growth hormone is secreted by the anterior pituitary. Respiratory problems start to occur in infants. Symptoms of problems include snoring andsleeping with neck in a hyperextended condition. The limbs have rhizometicshortening. The legs are straight in infantry but when a child. He beginswalking they develop a knock-knee position. When the child continues towal k legs begin to have a bowed-leg look. Occasionally, these curvatures arefixed. As the child continues to walk the kyphosis disappears and the backassumes a lordotic posture. If a delay in child's walking occurs, the spineshould be monitored closely for signs of gibbous formation. In infancy, hypercephalus can occur. Infants head circumference shouldbe monitored close . Monthly checks of head circumference must bemonitored. Radiologic studies are indicated if head circumference raises todisproportionately, or if symptoms of hydrocephalus. Child's pediatricianshould have a copy of head circumference curves for children withachondroplasia. Radiologic procedures for dwarfism include head ultrasound,C-T scan, or MRI of the head. If intervention is necessary, aventriculoperitoneal shunt is placed relieving the pressure. Infants should alsobe monitored for foramen magnum compression. It is the opening at the base of the skull in which the brain stem and cervical spinal cord exit. When you have achondroplasia the foramen magnum is compressingthe brain stem and spinal cord. Symptoms of narrowing include apnea thecessation of breathing and cervical myleopathy. C-T scans and MRI scans aredone to examine the size of the infectious foramen magnum. A neurosurgicalprocedure called a foramen magnum decompression is executed to alargeforamen and alleviate further symptoms. Adolescents are at risk of getting lumbosacral spinal stenosis. Thelumber spinal cord or nerve roots become compressed producing nerosurgicalsymptoms. Initial symptoms including weakness, tingling, and pain of thelegs. Pain usually alleviated by assuming a squatting position. When conditionworsens, pain in lower buttocks occurs. Diagnosis made by neurosurgicalprocedure called a lumber laminectomy. Dwarfism is an autosomal dominant condition. This means a personwith achondroplasia has a 50% chance of passing it to his children. 75% ofindividuals with achondroplasia are born to normal size parents. The gene f orDwarfism, fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is acquired when oneundersized individual and a normal sized individual produce a child. Couplesat risk of having a child with 2 copies of the changed gene. A DNA test isnow also available to detect double homozygosity.WORK CITEDThe Merck Manual of Medical Information. P 295, Merck & Co, Inc. Whitehouse Station, NS 1997Hunter, AGW, et. al. Standard weight for height curves in achondroplasia. Am J Med Genet, 1996, 62:255-261Science Publishing Inc., Disease Volume 7, p 73"Dwarfism","Microsoft (R) Encarta (R) 98 Encyclopedia (c) 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved