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Gestational Diabetes What is gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that happens during pregnancy. Unlike type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes is not caused by having too little insulin. Instead, hormones made by your placenta keep your body from using

Pulmonary Emphysema What is emphysema? Emphysema is a progressive chronic lung condition in which the tiny air sacs (alveoli) are damaged or destroyed. When this happens, it causes the tiny air sacs to rupture and create one big air pocket instead of many tiny ones. Air becomes

Anomalous Coronary Artery in Children What is an ACA in a child? An anomalous coronary artery (ACA) is a heart defect. This is something your baby is born with (congenital). In ACA, the blood vessels that supply blood to your child’s heart muscle aren’t normal. In some cases, the

Hydrops Fetalis What is hydrops fetalis? Hydrops fetalis is severe swelling (edema) in an unborn baby or a newborn baby. It is a life-threatening problem. There are two types: immune and nonimmune. What causes hydrops fetalis? There are two types of hydrops fetalis. The type that

Tricuspid Atresia What is tricuspid atresia? Tricuspid atresia (TA) is a heart defect present at birth (congenital). It occurs when the tricuspid valve doesn’t form, or only partly forms. Normally the tricuspid valve is located between the right upper chamber (atrium) and the

Obesity in Children and Teens What is obesity in children and teens? Obesity is when a person has too much body fat. Without treatment, obesity can become a serious, long-term disease. What causes obesity in a child or teen? In many ways, childhood obesity is a puzzling disease

Delayed Puberty What is delayed puberty? Puberty that happens late is called delayed puberty. This means a child's physical signs of sexual maturity don’t appear by age 12 to 13 in girls or age 13 to 14 in boys. This includes breast or testicle growth but can also include pubic

Syncope in Children What is syncope in children? Syncope is a brief loss of consciousness and muscle tone (or posture) that can occur when not enough blood gets to the brain. Syncope is commonly called fainting. In most children, it’s usually harmless. But in a few children

Juvenile Dermatomyositis What is juvenile dermatomyositis? Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare disease that causes muscle inflammation and a skin rash. It's different from other muscle diseases because it also causes skin problems. Symptoms often first appear in children

Cholesterol in the Blood Facts about cholesterol Cholesterol is a fat-like, waxy substance that can be found in all parts of your body. It helps your body make cell membranes, many hormones, and vitamin D. The cholesterol in your blood comes from 2 sources: the foods you eat and