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Hereditary Hemochromatosis What is hereditary hemochromatosis? Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic blood disorder that causes your body to absorb too much iron from the food you eat. Iron is a mineral found in many foods. But too much iron is toxic to your body. The excess

Molds in the Environment What is mold? A mold is a microscopic fungus that grows and lives on plant or animal matter. It can also live on nonorganic objects. Most molds are made up of filaments. They reproduce through the production of spores. Spores spread by air, water, or

Methods of Surgery What are the different methods of surgery? Surgery doesn't always mean large cuts (incisions) and long healing times, as in the past. Depending on the type of surgery, several methods may be used. People with the same diagnosis won't always be advised to have

Inguinal Hernia What is an inguinal hernia? An inguinal hernia is when part of your intestine pushes through a weak spot in your lower belly (abdominal) wall. This area is called the groin. The hernia creates a lump in your groin. Over time, the hernia may get bigger. Most

Vision Problems in Children Vision problems that may affect your child Eye disorders that affect vision can be divided into refractive and non-refractive errors. Refractive errors. These eye disorders cause blurred vision. They occur because the shape of the eye does not focus

Topic Index - Ear, Nose, and Throat Ear, Nose, & Throat Home Ear Disorders Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear Common Childhood External Ear Problems Otitis Externa (Swimmer's Ear) Foreign Bodies in the Ear, Nose, and Airway Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection) Mastoiditis Hearing

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

Care of Children's Mouth and Teeth Most pediatric dentists will agree that regular dental care should begin when a child gets their first tooth or no later than the child's first birthday. Most children should have a dental check-up at least twice each year after that. Some

Apnea of Prematurity What is apnea of prematurity? Apnea is a term that means breathing has stopped for more than 20 seconds. It can happen in full-term babies, but it's more common in premature babies. The more premature the baby, the greater the chances that apnea will occur

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