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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

Kidney Failure What is kidney failure? Kidney failure happens when damage results in loss of normal kidney function. There are 2 types of kidney failure—acute and chronic. Acute kidney failure starts abruptly. It can sometimes be reversed. Chronic kidney failure progresses slowly

The Child's Immune System What is the immune system? The immune system protects your child's body from outside invaders. This includes germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and toxins (chemicals made by microbes). The immune system is made up of different organs, cells

Acute Spinal Cord Injury What is an acute spinal cord injury (SCI)? The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is due to a traumatic injury. The injury may cause a bruise (contusion)

Failure to Thrive (FTT) in Children What is failure to thrive in children? Failure to thrive (FTT) is slow physical development in a baby or child. It’s caused by a baby or child not having enough nutrition. FTT is a clinical observation, not a diagnosis. It is used to describe a

Intussusception in Children What is intussusception in children? Intussusception is a serious problem in the intestine. It occurs when 1 part of the intestine slides inside another part. The intestine then folds into itself like a telescope. This creates a blockage or obstruction

Wilms Tumor What is Wilms tumor? Wilms tumor is a cancerous tumor that starts in the cells of the kidney. It’s the most common type of kidney cancer in children. It’s often found by the time a child is age 5. The tumor can be very large before it’s found. And it may spread

Scars What is a scar? A scar is the body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged skin. A scar is often made of fibrous tissue. Scars may be formed for many different reasons. They may be due to infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue. Scars may

Food Allergy What is a food allergy? A food allergy is when your immune system has a bad reaction to a certain food. This is different from a food intolerance, which does not involve the immune system. This is true even though some of the same signs may be present. What causes a

Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis in Children What is slipped capital femoral epiphysis in children? Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a condition of the hip joint that affects children. In SCFE, the ball of the thighbone (femoral head) slips off the neck of the