A deformity, dysmorphism, or dysmorphic feature is a major abnormality of an organism that makes a part of the body appear or function differently than how it is supposed to.

Causes

Deformity can be caused by a variety of factors: *

Arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

and other rheumatoid disorders *Chronic application of external forces, e.g. artificial cranial deformation *Chronic paresis,

paralysis Paralysis (also known as plegia) is a loss of motor function in one or more muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory damage. In the United States, roughly 1 in 50 ...

or muscle imbalance, especially in children, e.g. due to

poliomyelitis Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sym ...

or cerebral palsy *Complications at birth *Damage to the fetus or uterus *Fractured bones left to heal without being properly set ( malunion) *Genetic mutation *Growth or hormone disorders *Infection *Reconstructive surgery following a severe injury, e.g. burn injury Deformity can occur in all organisms: * Frogs can be mutated due to Ribeiroia ( Trematoda) infection. * Plants can undergo irreversible cell deformation * Insects, such as

honeybees A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cosmo ...

, can be affected by

deformed wing virus ''Deformed wing virus'' (DWV) is an RNA virus, one of 22 known viruses affecting honey bees. While most commonly infecting the honey bee, ''Apis mellifera'', it has also been documented in other bee species, like '' Bombus terrestris'', thus, i ...

* Fish can be found with

scoliosis Scoliosis is a condition in which a person's spine has a sideways curve. The curve is usually "S"- or "C"-shaped over three dimensions. In some, the degree of curve is stable, while in others, it increases over time. Mild scoliosis does not t ...

due to environmental factors

Mortality

In many cases where a major deformity is present at birth, it is the result of an underlying condition severe enough that the baby does not survive very long. The mortality of severely deformed births may be due to a range of complications including missing or non-functioning vital organs, structural defects that prevent necessary function, high susceptibility to injuries, abnormal facial appearance, or infections that eventually lead to death. In some cases, such as that of twins, one fetus is brought to term healthy, while the other faces major, even life-threatening defects. An example of this is seen in cattle, referred to as amorphous globosus.

In Mythology

There are many instances of

Mythological Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...

characters showing signs of a deformity. * Descriptions of mermaids may be related to the symptoms of Sirenomelia. * The Irish Mythology includes the Fomorians, who are almost without exception described as being deformed, possessing only one of what most have two of ( eyes,

arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

legs A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ...

, etc.) or having larger than normal limbs. * Hephaestus, of Greek Mythology, was born with a club foot.

Causes

Mortality

In Mythology

See also

References

Further reading