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Hydrocele in Children What is a hydrocele in children? A hydrocele is fluid buildup in the thin pouch that holds the testes in the scrotum. Up to 1 in 10 baby boys have a hydrocele at birth. In most cases, it goes away without treatment in the first year. What causes a hydrocele

Encephalitis in Children What is encephalitis in children? Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. The inflammation causes the brain to swell. This leads to changes in a child's nervous system that can include confusion, changes in alertness, and seizures. Meningitis often

Rett Syndrome in Children What is Rett syndrome in children? Rett syndrome is a rare genetic developmental and neurological disorder. It almost exclusively affects girls. Children with this disorder often develop normally for their first 6 to 18 months. After that, they start to

Heart Transplant for Children What is a heart transplant for a child? A heart transplant is surgery to replace a heart that isn't able to work the way it needs to with a healthy one. The healthy heart comes from an organ donor. Heart donors are adults or children who are

Inguinal and Umbilical Hernias in Children What are hernias in children? A hernia is when a part of the intestine or other tissue pushes through an opening in the belly (abdominal) muscles. The hernia creates a soft lump or bulge under the skin. In children, a hernia often

Cancer and Tobacco How are tobacco and cancer linked? Using tobacco makes it more likely that you will get cancer. This includes lung, mouth, throat, bladder, and other cancers. In fact, 1 out of 5 people with cancer in the U.S. got it from smoking. All tobacco products, such as

Brain Abscess in Children What is a brain abscess in children? An abscess is a pocket of infection. In the brain, an abscess may be in one or more areas. This condition may cause problems with how the brain and spinal cord function. It's a serious and life-threatening condition

Sunburn What is sunburn? Sunburn is a red, painful skin reaction that occurs after too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light is a type of radiation in sunlight. The symptoms of a sunburn most often appear a few hours after sun exposure. They are often worst at 6 to 36

Polio (Poliomyelitis) What is polio? Poliomyelitis is commonly called polio. It's an infectious disease. It is caused by 1 of 3 types of poliovirus. Polio is easily spread from person to person. The poliovirus is a virus that can cause paralysis. But most people who are infected

Vascular Malformations and Hemangiomas What are hemangiomas and vascular malformations? Hemangiomas Hemangiomas are growths of blood vessels. They’re also called birthmarks. But they often can't be seen at birth. They usually form in the first few weeks of life. These growths