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Addison Disease in Children What is Addison disease in a child? Addison disease, also called primary adrenal insufficiency, is when the adrenal glands don't make enough of the "stress" hormone called cortisol. Cortisol controls metabolism, blocks inflammatory reactions, and

Hyperparathyroidism in Children What is hyperparathyroidism in children? Hyperparathyroidism is when the parathyroid glands make too much parathyroid hormone. The condition is rare in children. The parathyroid glands are 4 tiny glands located on the back of the thyroid. The

Congenital Hypothyroidism in Children What is congenital hypothyroidism? When the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone, it's called hypothyroidism. Congenital hypothyroidism is when the disorder is present in a baby at birth. If not treated, it can lead to serious

Psychological Complications of Chronic Illness Being a teen is stressful even for physically healthy teens. Chronic illness at this age can complicate development. The illness, treatment, and hospital stays all magnify concerns about how a teen looks. They also interfere with

Acquired Hypothyroidism in Children What is hypothyroidism in a child? Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone. The condition is more common in adults. But it’s the most common thyroid disorder in children. Not enough thyroid hormone leads to

Cardiomyopathy and Your Child What is cardiomyopathy? Cardiomyopathy is disease of the heart muscle. It makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. There are different types of the disease. Each of these can cause the heart muscle to get larger, thicken, or become stiff

Meckel Diverticulum What is Meckel diverticulum? Meckel diverticulum is a small pouch in the lower wall of the small intestine. The normal intestine does not have a pouch. It’s near where the small and large intestines meet. The pouch is left over from when your child’s digestive

Aplastic Anemia in Children What is aplastic anemia in children? Aplastic anemia is a serious condition in which the bone marrow doesn’t make enough new blood cells. With fewer blood cells, a child with aplastic anemia has: Less oxygen sent to organs, tissues, and cells from too

Scleroderma in Children What is scleroderma in children? Scleroderma is an ongoing (chronic) disease that causes abnormal growth of connective tissue. It can affect the joints, skin, cartilage, and internal organs. It is a rare degenerative disease and gets worse over time. There

Communication Disorders in Children What are communication disorders in children? A child with a communication disorder has trouble communicating with others. They may not understand or make the sounds of speech. The child may also struggle with word choice, word order, or