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Cancer Overview What is cancer? Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. The whole body is made of cells that act and grow in controlled ways as the body needs them. Cells are controlled by genes. The genes in any cell in the body can be damaged. Then the cell can grow out of

Overview of Diabetes Complications What complications are linked to diabetes? Complications linked to diabetes may include: Heart disease. This is often caused by an extra buildup of plaque on the inner wall of a blood vessel (atherosclerosis). The plaque buildup limits blood

For Parents: Signs That Your Child Is Being Bullied Bullying is very common. About 1 in 5 children and teens ages 12 to 18 report that they were bullied over the last 12 months. Bullying can cause kids to feel depressed or anxious. Kids who are bullied can see their grades drop

Smoking and Heart Disease The American Heart Association (AHA) says diseases caused by smoking kill more than 440,000 people in the U.S. each year. Most new smokers are children and teens. Smokers have a higher risk for lung disease and other respiratory problems, such as

Exercise for Cancer Prevention People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of getting certain cancers. This includes cancers of the: Breast (for people past menopause). Endometrium. Ovary. Kidney. Liver. Rectum. Esophagus. Colon. Pancreas. Stomach. Thyroid. Gallbladder

Antibiotics What are antibiotics? Antibiotics are powerful medicines used to treat certain bacterial infections. Antibiotics don't cure all infections. And antibiotics that are used when not needed can be harmful. There are 2 main types of germs that cause most infections. These

The Digestive System: An Overview What is digestion? Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients to be absorbed into the blood and carried to cells throughout the body. Digestion is the process by which food and liquid are broken down into smaller parts

Nightmares and Night Terrors What are night terrors? A night terror is a partial waking from sleep with behaviors such as screaming, kicking, panic, sleep walking, thrashing, or mumbling. They are harmless, and each episode will end in deep sleep. They tend to occur in children

Disorders of Sex Development When a child's gender is not clear at birth, the child has atypical genitalia (ambiguous genitalia). This means that the genitals don't seem to be clearly male or female. Atypical genitalia can be a difficult experience for families. How do the

Wisdom Teeth Extraction What are wisdom teeth? Wisdom teeth are the last 4 permanent teeth to appear in the back of the mouth at the top and bottom. They often first appear in young adults between the ages of 17 to 21. They are also called third molars., If wisdom teeth do not