Shauna Rae: 22-Year-old New TV Star Looks 8 Due To Rare Condition

Shauna Rae I am Shauna Rae Pituitary Dwarfism TLC growth hormones rare condition brain tumor dwarfism chemotherapy reproductive system fertility

By Lili Scott , Parent Herald Jan 27, 08:33 pm

Photo: (Photo : Carsten Koall/Getty Images)

TLC has a new TV series titled "I am Shauna Rae," that shines the light on a 22-year-old woman who looks like an eight-year-old girl because of a rare condition.

As a young adult, Shauna Rae has not grown beyond the height of 3' 10" because her illness has impacted and damaged her growth hormones. Doctors diagnosed her with a rare condition called pituitary dwarfism when she was only six months old.

They found an aggressive brain tumor that required her to undergo chemotherapy for three years. The chemotherapy essentially rendered her pituitary glands dormant, and her body's growth and metabolism permanently stopped when she hit puberty at 16.

Naturally, her parents are very protective of her because of her illness, despite Shauna Rae's desire for more independence. She also constantly deals with her judgment from people who see her as a little girl. They have no idea that she's in her 20s.

Shauna Rae and Her Struggles with Pituitary Dwarfism

On her TV show, Shauna Rae said that she couldn't even wear makeup in public because people judged her and her mother. Even if her mom explains to people about her rare condition, some don't believe them or call her mom a horrible liar.

@tlctv Shauna talks about the unfortunate realities of wearing makeup in public #IAmShaunaRae #TLC ♬ original sound - tlc

Makeup woes aside, however, Shauna Rae is more concerned that she's at an age where she's ready to pursue a romantic life. However, she fears no one will be encouraged to date her because of her pituitary dwarfism.

"It is scary to put myself out there," Shauna Rae said, adding that only the wrong men are attracted to her. However, she realizes she needs to "put some risk in" to find her happiness and will likely start dating soon.

One episode of "I am Shauna Rae" features her visit to a gynecologist to check on her fertility. Though she does not have any plans for a baby just yet, Shauna Rae said that her doctors never checked if she could have children. She wants to know if her chemotherapy as a baby affected her reproductive system.

What Is Pituitary Dwarfism?

According to the Encyclopedia of Children's Health, one in 14,000 to 27,000 babies are born with some form of dwarfism each year. In the U.S., an estimated 20,000 kids undergo treatments and therapies for growth hormone issues.

Pituitary dwarfism results from a decrease in the production of hormones in the anterior pituitary. The causes of growth hormone deficiencies are linked to genetics, a trauma in the pituitary gland due to an accident or a surgical injury, or a tumor in the central nervous system, such as in Shauna Rae's case. Some kids with leukemia may also develop pituitary dwarfism.

The prognosis for patients dealing with this condition is on a case-to-case basis and will depend on the type of dwarfism. There are no known preventive measures, except in cases resulting from a traumatic injury.