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Diphtheria What is diphtheria? Diphtheria is an illness caused by bacteria. There are two types: Respiratory diphtheria. This type affects the throat, nose, and tonsils. Skin (cutaneous) diphtheria. This type affects the skin. It was a common childhood disease in the past. A

Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) What is VWD? Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is an inherited disorder that affects the blood's ability to clot. What causes VWD? VWD is almost always inherited. This means it is passed from parents to children. People with the disorder may have low

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in Children What is Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children? Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder. It occurs when there are very high levels of a type of immune cell called a Langerhans cell. In the past, this disorder was thought to be

Megaloblastic Anemia in Children What is megaloblastic anemia in children? Anemia is a problem in which there are not enough red blood cells or hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. In megaloblastic anemia, the bone marrow

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) What is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)? Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman’s reproductive tract. It can affect the uterus, fallopian tubes, and the ovaries. PID can cause scar tissue that grows between internal organs

Beta Thalassemia in Children What is beta thalassemia in children? Beta thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder. This means it's passed down through a parent’s genes. It's a form of anemia. Anemia is a low red blood cell or low hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin is part of red blood

Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Children What is Guillain-Barré syndrome in children? Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a short-term but often life-threatening disorder that affects the nerves in the body. GBS can cause muscle weakness, pain, and short-term (temporary) paralysis of the

Septic Arthritis (Infectious Arthritis) in Children What is septic arthritis in children? Septic arthritis is an infection in the joint fluid (synovial fluid) and joint tissues. It occurs more often in children than in adults. The infection usually reaches the joints through the

Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy What is neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy? Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of brain damage. It’s caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain before or shortly after birth. It affects the central nervous system. Babies

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Children What is immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in children? ITP is a blood disorder that causes a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood. Platelets help stop bleeding. So a decrease in platelets can result in easy bruising