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Skin Pigment Disorders What are skin pigment disorders? Skin color is determined by a pigment (melanin) made by specialized cells in the skin (melanocytes). The amount and type of melanin determines a person's skin color. What is the function of melanin? Melanin's role is to

Overview of Sleep Disorders Facts about sleep disorders Loss of sleep can cause problems at home or on the job. It can lead to serious or even fatal accidents. The National Sleep Foundation notes that: Between 50 and 70 million U.S. adults have some type of sleep or wakefulness

Anatomy of a Newborn Baby's Skull The skull may seem to be one large bone, but it's made of several major bones that are connected together. The major bones that compose the skull include: 2 frontal bones 2 parietal bones 1 occipital bone These bony plates cover the brain, and

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in Children What is toxic epidermal necrolysis in children? Toxic epidermal necrolysis is a life-threatening skin disorder. It causes skin tissue to die, resulting in skin blistering and peeling. It's most often caused by a medicine reaction. A milder

Postpartum Thyroiditis What is postpartum thyroiditis? Postpartum thyroiditis happens when a person's thyroid gland becomes inflamed within one year of delivering a baby or having a miscarriage or abortion. This condition affects a small percentage of people. The thyroid is a

Pollen and Children What is pollen? Each grain of pollen is tiny (microscopic). When there is a lot of pollen together, it becomes a fine yellow powder. It's made of the male reproductive cells of flowering plants, trees, grasses, and weeds. It's the most common cause of hay

Risks of Pregnancy Over Age 30 Many women wait until later in life to have children. In the U.S., birth rates for women in their 30s are at the highest levels in four decades. But an older mother may be at increased risk for things such as: Miscarriage Birth defects Twins High

Head Injury What is a head injury? A head injury is a broad term that describes many injuries that occur to the scalp, skull, brain, and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head. Head injuries are also commonly referred to as brain injury, or traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Pulmonary Atresia What is pulmonary atresia? Pulmonary atresia (PA) is a heart defect. It happens when the baby's heart doesn’t form as it should in the uterus. This can happen during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. PA is a problem with the opening of the pulmonary valve. This

Amenorrhea in Adolescents and Teens What is amenorrhea? Amenorrhea is a menstrual condition characterized by absent menstrual periods for more than 3 monthly menstrual cycles. Amenorrhea may be classified as primary or secondary: Primary amenorrhea. From the beginning and may be