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Chickenpox What is chickenpox? Chickenpox is a common childhood disease. It causes an itchy, blistering rash and is easily spread to others. Until the varicella vaccine for chickenpox became available in 1995, chickenpox infection was very common. Almost everyone had been

Labor What is labor? Labor is when the uterus contracts again and again to help the cervix open (dilate) and to thin (efface). The contractions get stronger with time. This causes the fetus to move through the birth canal. Labor usually starts 2 weeks before or after the

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Children What is obsessive-compulsive disorder in children? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. Obsessions are recurring thoughts. Compulsions are recurring behaviors. A child with OCD has obsessive thoughts

Hip Fracture What is a hip fracture? A hip fracture is a break in the thighbone (femur) of your hip joint. Joints are areas where two or more bones meet. Your hip joint is a "ball and socket" joint, where your thighbone meets your pelvic bone. The ball part of your hip joint is

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

Alcohol-Induced Liver Disease What is alcohol-induced liver disease? Alcohol-induced liver disease is common. But it can be prevented. There are three types. Many heavy drinkers progress through these three types over time: Fatty liver. Fatty liver is the build-up of fat inside

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)

Shingles What is shingles? Shingles (herpes zoster) is a common infection of the nerves. It is caused by a virus. Shingles set off a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin. It can appear anywhere on the body, but it typically appears on only one side of the face or

Kyphosis What is kyphosis? A normal spine, when viewed from behind, appears straight. However, a spine affected by kyphosis has a forward curvature of the back bones (vertebrae) in the upper back area, giving an abnormally rounded or humpback appearance. This is sometimes known

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