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Short Bowel Syndrome in Children What is short bowel syndrome in children? Short bowel syndrome is when the body has trouble absorbing nutrients from food because of a problem with the small intestine. It often happens to children who have had a large part of their small

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) What is PDA? Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart defect found in the days or weeks after birth. The ductus arteriosus is a normal blood vessel that's part of fetal blood circulation before a baby is born. It’s an extra blood vessel that

Arrhythmias in Children What are arrhythmias in children? An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. When a child has an arrhythmia, abnormal electrical signals sent through the heart muscle may cause the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or in an

Biliary Atresia in Children What is biliary atresia in children? Biliary atresia is a rare liver disease that occurs in newborn babies. It's often found shortly after birth. The disorder affects tubes in the liver called bile ducts. If not treated with surgery, it can be fatal

Lyme Disease in Children What is Lyme disease in children? Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacteria are spread by tick bites. Lyme disease is a year-round problem, but it peaks during the spring and summer months. It can cause

Cerebral Palsy in Children What is cerebral palsy in children? Cerebral palsy (CP) is a brain (neurological) disorder that causes problems with normal motor function. It's a lifelong condition that affects how the brain and muscles communicate. CP affects body movement, muscle

Epilepsy and Seizures in Children What is epilepsy in children? Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes a child to have recurring seizures over time. These seizures can't be linked to a short-term (acute) illness such as an infection, or a short-term injury such as a brain

Allergy Overview What are allergies? Allergies are due to a problem with the body's immune system. Most allergic reactions happen when the immune system reacts to a false alarm. Normally the immune system attacks harmful things, such as viruses or bacteria. But sometimes it

Atherosclerosis What is atherosclerosis? Atherosclerosis is thickening of the walls of the arteries. It is also known as hardening of the arteries. It is caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery. Plaque is made up of deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol

Shingles What is shingles? Shingles (herpes zoster) is a common infection of the nerves. It is caused by a virus. Shingles set off a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin. It can appear anywhere on the body, but it typically appears on only one side of the face or